I was in court three and one pleasant git shouted at a very pregnant prosecutor 'I hope that baby doesn't get born'. She collapsed in floods of tears as he was taken out of the secure dock and into the cells. He did come back and apologise but not before insulting his own nice lady rep (who then refused to act for him)!
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Charmless
This, from a respected colleague, speaks for itself:
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Another typical day at the 'Funny Farm'.
ReplyDeleteMust you?
DeleteWe don't call it the funny farm anymore and suggesting that people are offensive because they've got mental health problems is a bit of an insult to we decent people who have! (I'm autistic).
People are offensive and nasty for all sorts of reasons... most of which are to do with upbringing and have nothing at all to do with how their neurons are wired.
Hideki - How on earth did you deduce from what went on in court that this man had mental problems? It wasn't mentioned. It was a comment about the bad behaviour that, regretfully, we see too much of these days. Suggest you don't see issues where there aren't any.
DeleteThere's only one definition of "funny farm" in my dictionary, and that is "psychiatric hospital". It's difficult to see how Too old JP's original remark could be construed as anything other than a comment on the defendant's mental state.
DeleteYou may think that my remark of 'Funny Farm' only ever refers to a psychiatric hospital but actually I was referring to a typical day in court. Please don't see problems where none exist. Enough said on this topic I think. Let's move on and try to enjoy life.
DeleteDid he get community service?
ReplyDeleteWill this behaviour result in any kind of consequence for him whatsoever?
ReplyDeleteGormless?
ReplyDeleteSo some criminals are nasty bits of work. Who'd have thought it?
ReplyDeleteWhy on earth should we have to put up with people like that ? Isn't that an offence in itself ? Why not bang him up in remand for a week before giving him his inevitable second chance ?
ReplyDeleteYes, does anything happen to him as a result of his abusive comments?
ReplyDeleteIn theory, the lawyer being techninically an officer of the court, it might amount to contempt, but most members of the bench share my view that contempt proceedings are best avoided. In three decades I have never used the 'c'word and I plan to keep it that way in the time left to me.
ReplyDeleteSo in other words, they can do more or less what they like in your court and you'll let them get away with it. It's no wonder there's a perception out there that the CJS is extremely weak and feeble.
DeleteMay I ask why you wouldn't do anything?
I agree - best not to elevate the situation by using the "c"word.
ReplyDeleteWith stroppy defendants we just keep calm, keep our voices low and make it clear that we will just carry on regardless of however the defendant reacts - it usually works.
But I do hope that you showed support and concern for the prosecutor who didn't deserve this. I'm sure you did.
Are you saying there is no effective sanction for such a nasty piece of work?
ReplyDeleteThat's what he's saying.
DeleteJust like naughty children, there has to be a limit beyond which, to borrow Winston Churchill's famous comment, 'up with which we will not put'. If anyone in the courtroom is being disrespectful and continues despite being politely asked to stop, then they deserve to be sent to the cells to cool off. Like Judge Rinder, there should be 'three strikes and you're out'.I used this sanction once; the defendant returned later and apologised profusely for his earlier behaviour. Therefore the punishment worked. There's no point in having the sanction and not using it when necessary. We should expect respect in court, not turn a blind eye to misbehaviour.
Delete