‘She thought II was seeing another woman’

‘She thought II was seeing another woman’

Man offers perfectly reasonable explanation for argument with wife

By the Evening Times News Staff

ne ws @ thee veningtimes .com A woman in Judge Fred Thorne’s courtroom at West Memphis Municipal Court had to come back with papers from her eye doctor telling the court if she was permitted to drive.

“You have to have surgery on one eye. Do you have an appointment for that?”

“Yes, sir. It is set up for the 30th of this month.”

“Don’t drive until after your surgery. I’ll dismiss your charges.”

Before the next defendant was talked to, Judge Thorne made a statement.

“I am not in a very good mood about this. Maybe I should say that I am dumbfounded. I am sick of the violence in Crittenden County. When I set a $250,000 bond on a habitual criminal a Bail Bond company can take anything they want for their bail and let them out of jail. The going rate used to be 10 percent but the Bail Bond companies now take whatever they want and the public thinks I set a low bond and the person can get out of jail. It is not the judicial system that is the problem, it is the bail bond laws.”

The next man with a felony charge of possession of drug paraphernalia and meth was asked, “Do you work?”

“Yes, sir. I am a self employed track driver.”

“How much did you make in 2018?”

“Around $25,000.”

“Do you have the means to hire an attorney?”

“No.”

“Talk to the public defender.”

Two men came forward next. Both were charged with felony possession of schedule one or two drugs. “Where do you live?”

Both replied, “Memphis.” “Do you have means to hire an attorney?”

One replied, “No, sir.”

And the other said, “Yes.”

The one who said ‘no’ was asked, “Do you work?”

“Yes. I’ve been there for two years.”

“How much do you make a week?”

“$500.”

“Who do you have to support out of that?”

“Just myself.”

“I’ll set your bonds later today.”

Four people were called up together. A woman in the group was asked, “Where do you live?”

“Little Rock.”

“Do you have a job?”

“Yes.”

“Which man are you with?”

She named the man and said, “We have been together for four years.”

“See the public defender.”

“Do you have a job?”

asked the judge of that man.

He started mumbling something and the judge said, “If I set your bond at half-a-million dollars that might make a difference. The prosecutor filed charges on all four of you.

Do you have means to hire an attorney?”

“No, sir.”

“How much do you make a week?”

“No job.”

“Do you live together?”

“Yes.”

“She supports you?”

“Yes, sir.”

“See the public defender.” The next man was asked, “You got released and got back in the car with these people and got picked up again?”

“Yes. My wife was supposed to pick me up but she didn’t show up.”

The last man said, “I’m homeless.”

“See the public defender.”

Another group of three people were charged with theft by receiving and firearms.

“When was the last time I saw you?”

“A year ago.”

“Where do you work?”

“Nowhere.”

“Who supports you?”

“Mother.”

“Do you work?”

One of the group said, “Yes. In maintenance in Memphis.”

“How much do you make a week?”

“$340 after taxes.”

The woman was asked, “What do you do?”

“I don’t have a job.”

“Which one of these men are you hooked up with?”

“Nary one.”

“See the public defender.”

To the last man, “Where do you work?”

“I have had a job since last June.”

“How much do you make?”

“$600 a week.”

“Who do you support?”

“I support two kinds.”

“See the public defender. There was two guns involved here.”

A woman in jail was charged with speeding, resisting an officer and disorderly conduct. She pled guilty, no contest and guilty.

“You knew you were going to jail by the way you talked to the officers.”

“I wasn’t really resisting arrest. I didn’t say what they said I did.”

“$500 plus court costs and 30 days on the disorderly conduct. $75 plus court costs on the speeding and I’ll dismiss the resisting.”

A man charged with disorderly conduct and public intoxication pled guilty to both charges.

“How much did you have to drink?”

“A beer. I was right outside the casino.”

“How far were you from the casino? 10 feet? 200 feet? But you had to go to the bathroom right there outside?”

“I can’t hold it.”

“$375 plus court costs on the public intoxication. I’ll dismiss the disorderly.”

A man at Safeway was charged with criminal tres- pass. He pled no contest.

“I was inside trying to catch a ride.”

“You cut the seal on a trailer and went inside. You know you can't do that.

Where do you live?”

“New York.”

“10 days jail. Have a seat.”

A man with charges of disorderly conduct pled no contest and on his public intoxication charge he pled guilty.

“What were you and your wife into it for?”

“She thought I was seeing another woman.”

“That is always something that makes a wife mad.

$375 plus court costs on the public intoxication. I’ll dismiss the disorderly.”

A woman in the courtroom had come back to court to show the judge that she had gotten her driving permit.

“You had a ticket for no driver’s license. I told you that if you passed your test and got your permit, I would take $40 off your fine. Did you pay your fine?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Go to the window and they will refund you $40.

That is what I offered you and that is what I’ll do.”

“Thank you.”

à- Judge Fred Thome