Girl, 17, jailed for ringing phone

Newsday ^ | Rick Brand

[4.1O dana super trac pak]

A ringing cell phone landed a 17-year-old Patchogue girl facing drug charges in a jail cell this week after an angry district court judge sentenced her to 21 days for contempt.

Mariela Acevedo of 21 Hammond St. incurred the wrath of District Court Judge Salvatore Alamia on Tuesday. As she awaited her hearing, an electronic device went off in Alamia's Central Islip courtroom and he warned everyone to shut off all cell phones and pagers or face contempt charges.

"If you don't know how to shut it off, go outside and introduce it to the heel of your shoe, he said according to a transcript.

When Acevedo's phone subsequently sounded, Alamia called the teenager forward and asked, "Did you think I was playing with you?"

[Modernman]

If I was convicted for everytime I forgot to turn off the cell ringer I would have a lengthy criminal record by now.

Have you ever been dumb (or arrogant) enough to leave your cell phone on after a judge told you to turn it off while in his courtroom?

[Modernman]

I saw a man in a movie theater prepare to jump over several rows of seats to attack a phone that rang once. That guy needs to be sedated.

I would love to see movie theatres institute a policy where anyone whose cell phone rings during a movie gets booted out of the theatre.

[Ditter]

I have been in movie theaters where talking and laughter made it impossible for me to hear what is being said on the screen. That pi$$es me off. The occasional ringing of a phone is of no consequence. You anti-phone people need to calm down.

[Modernman]

There are cheap electronic devices that can jam cellphones. If this judge is such a peevish jerk about cellphones he should have pushed to have these installed in the courtroom

Such devices are illegal in the US.

[Modernman]

The occasional ringing of a phone is of no consequence.

A ringing cell phone in a movie theatre is sure proof that the owner of the cell phone is a self-centered jerkwad.

You anti-phone people need to calm down.

I'm not anti-phone, I'm pro-politness.

There is a scene in the Sopranos where Tony walks over to some jackass in a nice restaurant who didn't take his baseball hat off and stares at him menacingly until he removed his hat. Some people are not ready to spend time with other adults.

[beezdotcom]

I have been in movie theaters where talking and laughter and phones ringing and people talking on the phone made it impossible for me to hear what is being said on the screen.

[Ditter]

If control freaks are so terribly bothered by the sight of a baseball cap or the ringing of a phone they should stay where they can control their environment. The world is messy and noisy, stay home & tend to your own knitting if you can't handle it.

[Ditter]

Of the ringing phones I have heard in a theatre, none, I repeat NONE have resulted in a conversation. They ALL consisted of "I'll call you later".

[Scythian]

I fully support the judge, cell phones are for losers who think they're so important even when they're taking a crap they need to be available, what ego's these types have

[oh8eleven]

You know how many times I have shut off a cell phone and it either came right back on and I accidently failed to fully depress the button?
Somehow I'm just not surprised.

[Core_Conservative]

You are just wrong calling the Judge the name you have. Is it too much to request that there be locations where Cell phones and Pagers don't interrupt the process? If they needed to really get a hold of the "young lady", they could have left a message and she could have called them back when she could turn the phone back on. I hate hearing cell phones in Church, the theater, and many other public and semipublic places. I really hate when someone answers the phone and talks loudly to the other person - especially when we were in the middle of a conversation. Must be one reason why I refuse to continue a conversation when someone answers the other line (call waiting). If the conversation is important, let the caller leave a message.

How rude can people be to keep their phone on in court. You are there for one reason, to pay attention to what is going on in the court room, not whose on the phone.

[Core_Conservative]

He told her once and gave her a warning. How many times does someone have to tell you something before you get it right?

[MortMan]

So, If he instructs her to remain quiet as the lawyers present their arguments, and she interrupts, then he's a jerk?

The rules were established, and broken. She was in contempt of a court instruction. Heck, I turn my cell phone off when I go into meetings - or at least turn the ringer off. In my case, I do it to keep from annoying my boss (who doesn't have the authority to jail me - just fire me). She chose unwisely, and suffered consequences, IMO.

[Joe Hadenuf]

You bet, failing to turn off a phone should be at least a 30 day offense! More like 90 days!

I am sick of tired of people coughing in court to. It's very disruptive. They should take their coughs and sneezes outside or face 30 days in jail. When your told to be quiet in court, it means just that, or face jail!

[Ditter]

LOL Now it is twice in two days that I have agreed with you Joe, amazing.

[oh8eleven]

I am sick of tired of people coughing in court to. It's very disruptive.
Just how much time do you spend in court?

When your told to be quiet in court, it means just that.
Now you're catching on.

[Modernman]

I am sick of tired of people coughing in court to. It's very disruptive. They should take their coughs and sneezes outside or face 30 days in jail.

If a spectator in court continued coughing or sneezing after the judge instructed him to either control his coughing or leave, I would have no problems with a contempt of court charge.

When your told to be quiet in court, it means just that, or face jail!

Yes, actually, it does.

[Joe Hadenuf]

If a spectator in court continued coughing or sneezing after the judge instructed him to either control his coughing or leave, I would have no problems with a contempt of court charge.

A cougher should only be told once, after that, 30 days! If the cougher has children with them, they should immediately be put in the custody of child protective services.

[Modernman]

A cougher should only be told once, after that, 30 days!

Nice try with the hyperbole, but you know that's quite a different situation. People might not be able to control their coughing, so a judge should give them more leeway until it becomes clear that they cannot control it but are still unwilling to leave the courtroom.

The same logic does not apply to cell phones. Everyone can control their cell phones. For a rational person, one warning from the judge should be enough.

[beezdotcom]

Of the ringing phones I have heard in a theatre, none, I repeat NONE have resulted in a conversation. They ALL consisted of "I'll call you later".

Good for you. Amazing that people will talk to each other in your presence, but not on a cell phone. I wish we all were as lucky.