‘ I don’t want to see a video of him naked!’

‘ I don’t want to see a video of him naked!’

Judge Thorne doesn’t always have to consider ALL of the evidence

news@theeveningtimes.com

“I have more respect for women than they have for themselves. Most of them have a boyfriend laid up in their house with no job,” said Judge Fred Thorne of West Memphis District Court on Friday.

A man called up in court was asked, “Did you go to the eye doctor?”

“Yes.”

“This report from the doctor says you have a problem with one eye. No night driving. If you get a ticket at night, you will be in trouble. Let your wife drive you if you have to drive at night. How long have you two been married?”

“44 years.”

“Your case has been dismissed.”

A man charged with delivery of meth came forward for his felony charge.

“How long has it been since I saw you?”

“One year.”

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

“No.”

“Where do you live?”

“Marion, with my mother.” “Do you have a job?”

“I think I lost my job when I got arrested.”

“Go talk to the public defender.”

A woman in jail also charged with a felony was asked, “Where do you live?” “The Greens in Marion.”

“Do you work?”

“I don’t.”

“Who pays your bills?”

“I live with my mom.”

“And she is stuck with paying all your bills.” “I, I,..”

“Who has to bond you out?”

“My mom or my dad.”

“Go see the public defender.”

A woman in jail was charged with meter tampering and failure to appear. She pled no contest.

“Why didn’t you come to court?”

“I came on the wrong date. They couldn’t find my documents.”

“$55 plus court costs on the tampering and $100 plus court costs on the failure to appear.”

“How many of you people believe that? When she said they couldn’t find her documents she said ‘hot dog, home free.’” A woman with a harassment charge pled no contest. “You told a 17-year-old you hoped some one would drag her down?”

“She hit my son.”

“You busted her window out.”

“I did, sir. She kept coming to my house.”

“Doesn’t that seem odd that a 28-year-old would be hanging out with a 17-yearold?”

“She said her mom didn’t want her to come but her mom couldn’t tell her what to do.”

“$500 plus court costs. One year suspended to six months probation. Your first review will be Dec. 19th.”

A man in the court room moved.

“Are you kin to her?”

“She is my sister.”

“You can get her out?”

“No. She grown.”

“Are you here on your own charge?”

“Yes.”

Aman in jail came forward when his name was called.

“You just aren’t going to do right, are you?”

“I’m trying.”

“No you are not! You have had 25 charges since 2013. Do you have any relatives in South Dakota you could stay with?”

“No, but that would be good.”

“Did you tell someone that you were going to come back to that store and kill them?”

“Uh-oh.”

“Talk to the public defender.”

A man charged with public intoxication pled no contest. “How many beers did you have?”

“One.”

“32-ounce?”

“Yes.”

“Who were you fighting with?”

“My girlfriend. Me and her got to arguing.”

“Is she here?”

“Yes, sir. She is in jail, too.” “Call her up. How do you plead to public intoxication?”

“Guilty.”

“How long have you two been together?”

“Three years.”

To the woman: “Can you understand how bad it is to be fighting in the street?”

“He wouldn’t quit hitting on me.”

“Sir, your charge is $500 plus court costs and 10 days jail. Ma’am your charge is $250 plus court costs and 10 days to get away from him.” A man charged with drug paraphernalia pled guilty.

“I was at the house and somebody called the police on me. They found some stuff in my backyard. It wasn’t mine.”

“You have been in my court over 35 times.”

His brother and his mother came forward.

“I have a video of him I want to show you, judge. He was naked in the yard,” said his brother.

“I don’t want to see a video of him naked!”

“I want you to send him to rehab,” said his mother.

“I can send him to the 8th Street Mission.”

“He really needs to go to rehab.”

“One year and $2,500. Keep him in jail.”

To his mother, Judge Thorne said, “If you can get him in Forrest City, I will release him to them. His appeal bond is $50,000.”

A woman in jail was charged with driving on suspended. She pled no contest. Her mother came forward in the courtroom, “We did what we were supposed to do. We paid all her fines.”

“You did not pay the $100 reinstatement fee and that is why she was picked up again on her driving on suspended. $125 plus court costs and two days house arrest. Do you understand about the reinstatement fee?”

“Yes.”

A man in the courtroom was charged with disregarding a stop sign and driving on suspended. He pled guilty to both charges.

“Was your license suspended out of Memphis?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you work?”

“I’ve had a job about a week.”

“Do you have gum in your mouth?”

“No.”

“Yes, you do. That is so disrespectful. You are here wanting me to be nice to you and you are smacking gum. Bailiff, what are the two things I hate most?”

“Smacking gum and jeans with holes in them,” said a bondsman.

“$375 plus court costs and two days house arrest on the driving on suspended. Court costs on the disregarding a stop sign.”

Awoman in the court room was given her fine. As she and her husband walked out, Judge Thorne asked, “Sir, would you like me to put her in jail for the weekend. It will cover her fine and let you have the weekend off.”

“No. You aren’t going to come to my house and cook are you?”

Judge Fred Thorne

By the Evening Times News Staff