Posted on 05/25/2010 7:24:28 PM PDT by hoosierboy
SOUTH BEND — An Elkhart man was placed in handcuffs Monday and threatened with 230 days in jail after he refused a judge’s order to remove his fez.
According to police reports, the 56-year-old man was attending a court hearing Monday for his son in St. Joseph Superior Court Judge John M. Marnocha’s courtroom when court staff asked the man to remove his fez.
The man refused, saying it was his constitutional right to wear the fez – a tall, round hat usually adorned with a tassel – and refused to take it off.
Workers inside the courtroom said the man then began shouting at the sheriff’s deputies who were trying to remove him from the courtroom.
"He caused a big ruckus, he didn’t want to take the hat off," court reporter Bill Mitchell said. "He wouldn’t listen to the judge."
Police report that the incident became so heated that Marnocha, frustrated at the man’s refusal to calm down, ruled him in contempt of court and ordered him to serve 230 days in jail.
Deputies then placed the man in handcuffs and removed him from the courtroom, taking him to the area of the courthouse basement where inmates are transferred to jail.
After the morning’s court proceedings were completed, Marnocha called the man back to his courtroom and dismissed the contempt charges after the man apologized.
Efforts to contact the man by The Tribune were not successful.
Looking at the google.com pictures, the Shriners win this one hands down.
Don’t forget Major Hoople and Dirty Duck!
Yup ~ maybe this guy is the “Duckmeister of Munster” eh!
I have nothing for the ROP but I have even less for Judges who set themselves above the Constitution in general and the First Amendment in particular.
I know the Black Robed Tyrants pretty much have total control over their courtroom, but what in the hell could he have against a Fez?
FES
Foreign Exchange Student.....
LOL!!
Prosecutor (Swearing in Curly): "Do you swear....."
Curly: "No, but I know all the words!"
Great tune. Great album.
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