‘ If she doesn’t pay her fine, she won’t be eating at your table for Christmas’

‘ If she doesn’t pay her fine, she won’t be eating at your table for Christmas’

Judge Thorne urges mother to help daughter straighten up and fly right

news@theeveningtimes.com

The first thing brought up in Judge Fred Thorne’s court was a dog bite case.

“You were in this court last time this dog bit someone. I told you that if he bit someone else I was going to put him down. I understand a child climbed your fence, got into your yard and your dog bit him. This is an unusual case. There will have to be a trial. They will get with Mr. Peeples and keep in touch with you about the trial. Aren’t you pregnant?”

“Yes, sir.”

“When your child is born if that dog bites the baby, I am going to light you up! If the parents of this child don’t sue you, then you are ‘olly-olly home free.’ You can leave.”

After the felony charges were handled, Judge Thorne gave a speech. “While someone is up here trying to talk to me, you need to be quiet and give the people respect. You wouldn’t want someone talking and causing me to not hear what you have to say.”

Two men in jail were called up.

“How do you know each other?”

“We been friends a couple of years.”

“How do you plead to driving on suspended, obstructing governmental operations and theft?”

The first man pled guilty to all charges.

“Why did you steal?”

“It was a dumb decision.”

“Where do you live?”

“I just moved here.”

“Where did you live before?”

“Memphis.”

“Why would you come to West Memphis and steal University of Memphis Tshirts? Suspended license $750 plus costs and 20 days jail. Obstructing operations $500 plus court costs and theft $205 plus court costs.” The second man was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and theft. He pled guilty to possession and not guilty to theft.

“$500 plus court costs and one year suspended. May 16th will be your trial date on the theft.”

A man in jail charged with driving on suspended pled no contest.

“Jail, do we need a cook?” “Yes, sir, we always need another one.”

“Where do you live, sir?”

“Cordova.”

“Jail, keep him till Thursday.”

“That’ll work,” said the clerk at the jail.

“This is a test. Your sentence is $500 plus court costs and 90 days suspended to five days jail or five days house arrest. Which do you want?”

“Five days house arrest.”

A man in jail charged with driving on suspended pled no contest.

“You have three priors… why do you keep driving?” “I work to support me and my wife.”

“Do you work for a temp service?”

“Yes.”

“You are temporarily in jail. $750 plus court costs and five days jail.”

A woman in jail was charged with failure to answer subpoena. She pled not guilty.

“You are on a $7,500 bond. Your trial is tomorrow. If you are not here for your trial, your bond will go up to $100,000.”

A woman got up to leave the courtroom.

“Are you her mother?”

“Yes.”

“Are you watching her kids while she is in jail?”

“ Y e s . ” “And all this is over some man?”

“Yes.”

“I suggest to all you women. Find you a man with thick glasses, who will work, and he will treat you like a queen!”

A man in jail owed the court $685 and had not made payments and charged with obstruction of governmental operations He pled no contest to both charges.

“Whose name did you give?”

“My brother.”

“What would you tell him if we had issued a warrant and picked him up?”

“I would tell him it was my fault and I would help him get out.”

“18 days jail on the amount you owe or pay $400 today and set up a new payment plan. On the obstruction $250 plus court costs and 30 days suspended.”

A woman in jail was charged with theft from Walmart. She pled guilty.

“The report says you stole a backpack, shorts and other stuff. Where do you live?”

“West Memphis.”

Her mother had stood up in the courtroom.

“What is she doing with her life?”

“She is trying to straighten up.”

“It doesn’t look like she is trying. $500 and six months probation. Mother if she doesn’t pay her fine, she won’t be eating at your table for Christmas. Make a review date for her.”

“June 20,” said the court clerk.

A man in the courtroom was charged with careless driving and pled no contest. “The officer heard my pipes and stopped me.”

“Are you in school?”

“No, sir.”

“Have you got a job?”

“Yes, sir. I sell hair.”

“Are you a barber?”

“No, sir. I sell hair. It’s my mother’s business and I work for her.”

A man in jail was charged with domestic battery.

“This is a serious charge. How do you plead?” asked Judge Thorne.

“No contest.”

“She said she fell. She had a broken nose and broken glasses.”

“It was my glasses that were broken.”

“How long have you been with her?”

“Two years.”

“$500 plus court costs. One year suspended sentence.”

Judge Fred Thorne

By the Evening Times News Staff