‘You have no respect for the law’
Man faces third DWI, drug charges in Judge Thorne’s courtroom
news@theeveningtimes.com
An old rule was revived in the West Memphis District Court with Judge Fred Thorne presiding. There are no cell phones allowed in the courtroom.
When the bailiff was asked why, she said, “We just got tired of it.” A sign was also posted at the door, “No cell phones allowed in the courtroom,” signed by Judge Thorne.
During the calling up of the felony charges, a man with possession of firearms by certain persons charges was called.
“Where do you live?”
“West Memphis.”
“Are you employed?”
“Yes, for about three weeks.”
“When was your last prior?”
“2015.”
“Do you have means to hire an attorney?”
“No, sir.”
“Who do you have to support at home?”
“I have a newborn.”
“What good are you doing your child by being in jail.” “No good.”
“And you had a gun?”
“I didn’t know the gun was in my car.”
“Talk to the public defender.”
Two men in jail were called up together. Both had possession of drug paraphernalia.
“How do you know each other?”
“I gave him a ride to the store,” said one man.
“That was very brave of you, in this day and time, giving a ride to a stranger.
Where do you live?”
“West Memphis.”
The judge asked the other man where he lived.
“California.”
“Do you have the means to hire an attorney?”
“No, sir.”
He asked the first man, “How much do you make a week?”
“I make $12.50 an hour.”
“Who do you live with?”
“My girlfriend.”
“I will not appoint the public defender for you. I will appoint the public defender for the man from California. There’s more to this story than I am being told.”
The next man with a felony charge of possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance was asked where he lived.
“West Memphis.”
“Do you work?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Where?”
“AWest Memphis restaurant since June.”
“How much do you bring home?”
“$250 a week.”
Judge Fred Thorne “See the public defender.”
A man with a felony charge of possession of firearm by certain persons also had a felony in 2008.
“Do you work?”
“Yes. I have been at my job for three-and-a-half years.”
“How much do you make a week?”
“$400 or $500 a week.”
“Who do you support?”
“My family and my house.”
“Who lives there?”
“No one.”
“No public defender for you.”
A woman in jail was charged with theft at Save A Lot. She pled no contest.
“You are going to jail over $7.53?”
“It was just stupid of me.”
“Where do you live?”
“West Memphis.”
“Who do you live with?”
“I live by myself and I am on disability. It is not enough to make it on.”
“Five days jail.”
A man in jail charged with loitering pled no contest.
“The police gave you a ride home and you went back down there. Why?”
“I needed to talk to a friend.”
“Was your friend behind the Dumpster? That is where they found you.”
“Where do you live?”
“Points of Life.”
“You can get out of jail tomorrow.”
The next man in jail was charged with tampering with physical evidence and pled no contest.
“The report says you were trying to swallow something and also had cocaine.”
“I didn’t swallow anything.”
“I will change your plea to not guilty and we can have a trial. Do you want a trial?”
“No.”
“10 days jail.”
A man with a driving on suspended pled guilty and received a fine of $395 plus court costs and two days jail.
“How many priors have you had?”
“Two or three.”
The next man was charged with possession of a controlled substance and carrying a weapon. He pled no contest to both charges.
“You were carrying a ninemillimeter and it had 14 rounds in it?”
“I carry it for protection.”
“$1,000 plus court costs and one year suspended on the controlled substance and $1,000 plus court costs and one year suspended on the carrying a weapon. The weapon will be forfeited.”
A woman in jail was charged with criminal trespass at Southland and she pled guilty.
“Why did you go back?”
“I was trying to get a little change so I could leave Memphis.”
“Why did you cuss out the supervisor?”
“I didn’t cuss anyone, I fainted.”
“Five days jail.”
A man in jail was charged with loitering and harassment
charge of carrying a weapon, he pled no contest. “I was just trying to talk to her.”
“You were arguing with her and had a nine-millimeter weapon and she called the police on you? That doesn’t look good.”
“I made a bad decision.”
“$1000 plus court costs and one year suspended on the harassment. $2500 plus court costs and 30 days on the carrying a weapon and I’ll dismiss the loitering.
The gun will be forfeited.”
A man in the courtroom was charged with DWI III and drug charges. He pled not guilty. He was given a trial date.
“You are under house arrest unless you go to work.
Don’t go anywhere but you house. You have no respect for the law. You are going to kill someone and I don’t want it on my watch. Mr.
Stephenson, look into his prior history when his trial
