Fishing in the Cold

‘ He has shown a blatant disregard of the law’

Judge Thorne won’t let habitual offender out of jail to make court date in Georgia

news@theeveningtimes.com

Marion district court was busy last Thursday with Judge Fred Thorne presiding.

A young man came into the courtroom late.

“Aren’t you the one who didn’t follow your probation?”

“Yes.”

“Are you here on a new charge or an old one?”

“New one.”

Mr. Brown of the Justice Network stood and addressed the court. “He had not paid his fine at the West Memphis court. He left there and was arrested.

Now he has a new dope charge.”

“This is your third dope charge. How do you plead?”

“Not guilty.”

“Is his license suspended?”

“Yes.”

“This is his third dope charge.”

“Did he get this after his court in West Memphis?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Sit down. I’ll get back with you.”

A man charged with domestic battery was told to sign a waiver. After the waiver was signed he was asked, “How do you plead to domestic battery?”

“Not guilty.”

“Your trial date will be March 1. How long have you been with this girl?”

“It was a year ago.”

“Come back for trial.”

A man with a dope charge was also told to sit and sign a waiver. His mother was with him in the courtroom.

After he had signed it he was asked, “How do you plead to speeding?”

“No contest.”

“Possession of marijuana?”

“No contest.”

“I just recently moved back here from Georgia.”

“Were you in trouble in Georgia?”

“Yes.”

“How long have you been moved back here?”

“About a month.”

“How do you expect to get a job with a dope conviction? If I take your driver’s license away how will you get around? Will your mother drive you?”

“I don’t know.”

“He has had three dope charges in Georgia,” said the court attorney.

“Mother he had 5 grams.

Did you know that?”

“No. I knew he had a problem.”

“$750 plus court costs on the dope. And one year suspended to 20 days jail. $75 plus court costs on the speeding.”

“Can we take care of this later? We have to go to Georgia for court there,” asked his mother.

“No. He can’t leave. Call Georgia and try to get another court date because he will be in jail here. He has shown a blatant disregard of the law.”

A young woman was charged with driving on suspended and pled guilty.

Her coach was in the courtroom with her. “How long have you been the coach?”

“I took over as head coach this year.”

“Ma’am why is your license suspended?”

“I had a ticket in Jonesboro and a ticket in Bay. I think the ticket was the same ticket. I go Friday to figure it all out.”

“I love sports, but I don’t know you and I don’t care about you. Your coach cares. What kind of grades do you make?”

“2.6 or 2.7.”

“That’s not too good.”

“She is a bright young lady. She plays good. I was made aware of this on Tuesday,” said the coach.

Judge Fred Thorne “There was an accident.

Do you have insurance?”

“Yes.”

“Why aren’t your parents here?”

“My grandparents are here. My parents are in Brookland.”

“Be back here in two weeks. When you go to court in Jonesboro, if Jonesboro suspends this, I’ll suspend it. Coach, what day do you want to be back here? Your options are Thursday Feb. 15th, or Friday Feb. 16th in West Memphis.”

“Feb. 16th would be good for me,” said the coach.

“Okay, be there at 9:30. I would also like for your parents to be here.”

A man in the courtroom was charged with fictitious tags and no driver’s license. He pled guilty to both charges.

“How old are you?”

“24.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t have a car?”

“No car.”

“Do you have a job?”

“Yes.”

“Do you realize you can’t legally take your girlfriend to the hospital? Whose car was it?”

“My girlfriend.”

“She tried to switch the tags to the correct one.”

“That was after you had gotten the ticket. $75 plus court costs on the no driver’s license. $45 plus court costs on the tags.”

A young man and his father were in the courtroom.

“Your brother used your name and your age?”

“Yes, sir. We are going to the police station to file the forms on this,” said the father.

“Be back here in two weeks and we will issue a warrant for your brother,” said the judge.

A young lady and her mother were in court to ask for a no contact order on the man the girl had been seeing.

“How old are you?”

“17.”

“The man is 20?”

“Yes.”

“Does he have a job?”

“No.”

“Does he have a car?”

“No.”

“Is he in school?”

“No.”

“Did your mother tell you not to have anything to do with him?”

“Yes.”

“I will sign the order. Send a copy to the school. There is also a warrant out for him for failure to appear. If you see him, call the police. Listen to the advice of your mother.”

A young man who was late for court was asked why he was late.

“We went to the wrong court.”

“You have a DUI charge.

Sign a waiver.”

After he had signed the waiver he was asked, “How old are you?”

“20.”

“Do you work?”

“Yes.”

“How long?”

“One week.”

“Your alcohol level was .07. What were you drinking?”

“A few beers.”

“And marijuana?”

“Yes.”

“Daddy, that doesn’t seem like he is going in the right direction. There was vodka in the car, an empty metal flask and an empty pill bottle. Did you know all this

dad?”

“No.”

“The pill bottle wasn’t mine. I found it in my car.” “So someone who had been in your car left it there? Where are those friends today? Are they here with you? $500 plus court costs suspended all but $200 plus court costs.

See the DUI lady before I finish your sentence.”

By the Evening Times News Staff