Thanking Jesus in Court Lands Man in Jail

[truthpusher]

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0706/344725.html

Thanking Jesus in Court Lands Man in Jail

Location: HONOLULU

Posted: July 14, 2006 8:23 PM EST

HONOLULU (AP) - Junior Stowers raised his hands and exclaimed, "Thank you, Jesus!" in court last month when he was acquitted by a jury of abusing his son. But his joy was short-lived when Circuit Judge Patrick Border held him in contempt of court for the "outburst" and threw him in jail.

Stowers, 47, sat in the courtroom and a cellblock for about six hours until the judge granted him a hearing on the contempt charge and released him.

The judge at a July 7 hearing dropped the contempt charge, a petty misdemeanor that carries up to 30 days in jail.

Stowers couldn't be reached for comment. But his attorney in the contempt case, Deputy Public Defender Susan Arnett, said he wasn't treated fairly.

"I don't think there's anything about saying 'Thank you, Jesus' that rises to the level of contemptuous behavior in this case," she told The Honolulu Advertiser.

Stowers is a devoutly religious man active in his church who spontaneously expressed his thanks to the higher power in which he believed, she said.

Family members and Stowers' pastor at Assembly of God Church, Iakopo Sale, who watched from the gallery were "very upset that those words could land somebody in jail," Arnett said.

(snip)

link: http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0706/344725.html

[Deja Q]

1. Hmmm. How loud was his voice?

:eyes:

Other people exclaim things and don't get locked up.

This seems... bizarre. :(

[bluestateguy]

2. That does seem excessive

Some reaction is to be expected when a verdict is announced, as long as it is not disruptive.

[bbinacan]

3. Sounds like

the judge went overboard.

[lonestarnot]

10. Probably the prosecutor type robitis judge who had a hard-on that the

guy was found not guilty.

[readmoreoften]

4. I think that's ridiculous. It's not "the words" though. It's the fact that

he talked at all.


Still, even if he screamed it at the top of his lungs it should have been overlooked. A simple "quiet down" would've sufficed. And if the judge REALLY wanted to make a point s/he should have fined him $75 or something.

[ret5hd]

8. he ended up dropping it completely...see #7

[saltpoint]

5. If Dubya can say he's "looking forward to that pig" while the Middle East

explodes, it's a tough sell to throw Mr. Stowers in the slammer for invoking his savior in a courtroom.

Would he have been in contempt of court with the physical gesture alone, or was it specifically the verbal exclamation that sealed his fate?

Would he have been jailed for saying, "Hot dog!" instead of "Thank you, Jesus?"

[cynatnite]

6. Here's the rest of the story that the OP did not include...

Court minutes said Border later dropped the charge because he realized Stowers' trial lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Carmel Kwock, did not have time to tell Stowers the judge had ordered both sides not to show emotion when the verdict was announced.

[ret5hd]

7. Oh, come on...you left out very relevant parts...

Border declined to comment but indicated the court minutes reflected his actions. The minutes showed he found Stowers'"nonverbal gestures and outbursts to be disruptive and improper regardless of content."

Court minutes said Border later dropped the charge because he realized Stowers' trial lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Carmel Kwock, did not have time to tell Stowers the judge had ordered both sides not to show emotion when the verdict was announced.
<snip>
Just before the verdict was announced on June 29, Border called city Deputy Prosecutor Sean Sanada and Kwock to the bench and told them he didn't want a show of emotion by either side, according to a defense request to dismiss the contempt charge.

<end snips>

no need to get the kristo-fascists riled up too much.

[CanuckAmok]

9. "How could I possibly 'make it worse' for myself?! JEHOVAH JEHOVAH JEHOVAH

[sonsera]

11. "The Judge must've been a real- -

hard ass, sore loser!"
The Assembly of God Church is a Penecostal Church and they believe in praising God or thanking God out loud with their hands raised in the air. Any reasonable person would've over looked his vocal expression and perhaps should have said, "Amen!"

[ret5hd]

12. ahhh...another one that didn't read the story!

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ret5hd]

19. your attempts at flattery reveal your lack of knowledge of the...

true extent of my assholiness!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[sandnsea]

18. The OP could have posted the whole story

I don't know why people choose to post only the sensational part of a story.

[blonndee]

13. A reasonable person would have perhaps said "Amen?"

Wow.

[im10ashus]

20. LMAO!

Should have said "Amen?" I guess we should just further blur the line between church and state? Hell, why stop at amen. Let's throw in a couple of "hallelujahs" from the attorneys and some "praise be's" from the parish, er, I mean courtroom.

[ret5hd]

21. your user name:

from http://www.geocities.com/phillott/Bolivia/Dictionary02.htm#S :
sonsera: stupid, foolish action (sp.)

[farmbo]

15. If true,this is BS. The Judge has Black Robe Fever. No free speech in HI?

I hope this judge gets voted out of office.

[journalist3072]

16. That's disgraceful that they would jail him for something like that

No excuse.

[mzteris]

17. and the rest of this inflammatory story

"The minutes showed he found Stowers'"nonverbal gestures and outbursts to be disruptive and improper regardless of content."

Court minutes said Border later dropped the charge because he realized Stowers' trial lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Carmel Kwock, did not have time to tell Stowers the judge had ordered both sides not to show emotion when the verdict was announced."