‘ That hurt my feelings…’

‘ That hurt my feelings…’

Judge Thorne sad that defendant doesn’t remember previous court appearance

news@theeveningtimes.com

A woman and a man were called up from jail together to face Judge Fred Thorne.

“What do you plead to public intoxication?”

“Guilty.”

“Guilty.”

To the man, Judge Thorne said, “You keep coming back to court. How long has it been?”

“Two years.”

“They caught you before you drank that 13 pack. Do you work?”

“Yes. I have a job on President’s Island.” “How long have you been there?”

“I just got the job on Thursday.”

To the woman he asked, “Where do you work?”

“Southland.”

“How long?”

“Two years. I’m an assistant trainer.” To the woman, “$150 plus court costs.” To the man, “$375 plus court costs.”

A man in jail owed the court $490 and pled guilty.

“You owe $490 and paid $50 on the original charge. 13 days jail or pay it off. You won’t be offered a time payment plan this time.”

Awoman in jail pled guilty to disorderly conduct.

“You were arguing with a boyfriend over another woman at the motel? Is he your ex or your current?”

“Current. It was his ex we were arguing about.”

“$250 plus court costs.”

A man in jail with a questionable ID was next.

“Which name is correct?” asked Judge Thorne of the inmate.

“My father changed my birth certificate. I was in foster care when I found out.”

“How do you plead to careless driving?”

“No contest.” “Driving on suspended?”

“Guilty.”

“Possession of marijuana?” “Guilty.”

“And no insurance?”

“No contest. But I have insurance.”

“You had four driving on suspendeds in Memphis and no driver’s license.”

“I was going to the store and I stopped because there was a phone on the ground.” “$45 plus court costs on the careless driving. $750 plus court costs and 10 days jail on the driving on suspended. $750 plus court costs and one year suspended on the possession. I’m changing your plea on the insurance to not guilty. Set a trial on that.”

A man in jail pled ‘nolo’ to his charge of public intoxication.

“Is that a plea I offered?” asked Judge Thorne of the audience.

“No.”

“What were the pleas?”

“Guilty, not guilty, and no contest,” shouted the galley. “I was walking home and I was drunk.”

“$375 plus court costs and three days jail.”

A man in jail was charged with public intoxication, fleeing, failure to appear, owing $345 back fines and criminal mischief.

“Go back and talk to the public defender. You may be looking at jail time.”

Another man in jail was charged with driving on suspended, failure to appear and criminal trespass. He pled guilty on all charges.

“Why did you go back to the dog track when they had told you not to come back?” “I thought they said not to come back for six months.”

“Do you have anything proving they said you were suspended for six months?” “No.”

“Why didn’t you come to court?”

“I got a job and I just lost track of time.”

“That was in 2014. You should have come up here and said you messed up and got another date. $375 plus five days on the driving on suspended. $350 plus court costs on the failure to appear and $350 plus court costs on the criminal trespass.”

A man in jail was charged with loitering and pled no contest.

“You were at a business asking for money. You were also asking for a ride to Memphis. Where do you live?”

“Memphis.”

“How many times have you been to 201 Poplar?”

“I don’t know.”

“Jail, let him out Sunday at 5 o’clock.”

A man in the courtroom was asked, “Didn’t I just see you?”

“I told you I would be back.”

“How do you plead go window tint?”

“No contest.” “How do you plead to loud muffler?”

“No contest.”

“I took the window tint off. My muffler was broke.”

“Do you have it fixed now?”

“Yes. Do you want to try it out?”

“Yes. Give me the keys and I’ll take it for a spin. $25 plus court costs on the tint. I’ll dismiss the muffler.”

Aman with a careless driving ticket pled no contest.

“What did you hit?”

“I didn’t hit nothing. My truck stalled and I was putting flares around it. A car was coming over the tracks and hit me.”

“A car hit you broadside?”

“Yes.”

“Change his pled to not guilty. If you were taking a right and your truck stalled either you were there long enough for the car to slow down or you pulled out in front of her. I want the officer here.”

Ayoung man was called up in the courtroom.

“How old are you? 17?”

“Yeah.”

“What?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Are you in school?”

“Yes, sir.”

His mother and father came forward.

“Mother, did you raise him to say ‘yeah’?

“No, sir.”

“What kind of grades does he make?”

“Mostly A’s and B’s.”

“How do you plead to no headlight?”

“No contest.”

“Have you been in trouble before?”

“No, no, sir.”

“Were you smart to the officer?”

“No, sir.”

“I’ll let you go but be sure and turn your lights on.”

“I got rid of that car.”

“Do you have a new one?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’ll dismiss this one. Parents, you need to teach him how to act in a courtroom.

Aman charged with driving on suspended pled no contest.

“You were in court in 2015. Who was the judge you had then?”

“I don’t know.”

“That hurt my feelings. It was me. $205 plus court costs and two days house arrest.”

“I have a job I have to go to.”

“Well pay your fine and Mr. Coleman will work out when you will be on house arrest.”

The next man up was charged with driving on suspended. He pled not guilty.

“Mr. Coleman, what did I tell you before he came up?” “You said he was going to plead not guilty.”

The next man who came up also pled not guilty to his seatbelt charge.

“Mr. Coleman what did I say about him?”

“You said he would plead not guilty also.”

“Sir, this is your 7th seatbelt charge. I am going to look at the law and see how much I can give you on this. It is obvious you don’t care what the law says.”

By the Evening Times News Staff