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?"

[Gone_Postal]

It happened in CI. I can see that happening. Doesn't really surprise me.

Not for nothing but wouldn't the court building be in Hauppauge and not C.I.

I grew up in CI and yes been the courts more then once.

[zoobee]

and I wish it was illegal to use them when your driving!

[dljordan]

For a second there I was wondering where the Republic of Islip was.

[Gone_Postal]

I remember being in court once and while waiting my turn the judge had told everyone who comes before him now will say two words "not guilty"
Well some kid had gotten arrested for stealing merchandise worth $7.00.
When the judge ask him how do you plea he said, guilty and told the judge he will pay for the items. The judge asked him didn't you hear what I told you to say then asked him again how do you plea and again the kid said the same thing.
This went on for a total of 4 times, with the 4th and last time the judge clearly pissed off said OK son you plea guilty sentence one year bailiff take him away.
While he was being cuffed he started to cry and the judge asked him one more time How do you plea...The kid said NOT GUILTY

This is a true story

[orangelobster]

"essentially it's your fault"

You're next on judge almai's list... unless he gets the chair before then for illegally locking up cellphone users.

[beezdotcom]

You're next on judge almai's list... unless he gets the chair before then for illegally locking up cellphone users.

You're really that hooked on the drugs, that you'd rather risk this horrible fate by having to go before Alamia in his drug court?

Seek help.

Freepers don't let Freepers post stoned.

[orangelobster]

BZZZZZZZTTT!!!

[orangelobster]

http://www.dr.dk/rock/anmeldelser/ram/iggy_pop/little_electric_chair.ram

[beezdotcom]

BZZZZZZZTTT!!!

These shock treatments obviously aren't working for you. Try something else.

[beezdotcom]

http://www.dr.dk/rock/anmeldelser/ram/iggy_pop/little_electric_chair.ram

And exactly HOW again is this supposed to convince me you're not stoned?

[4.1O dana super trac pak]

#451

[MEGoody]

"I'm sure you'd feel the same if it was you or your daughter was serving 21 days for accidentally leaving her phone."

Come on, ACCCIDENTALLY leaving the phone on? Puhleeze, the judge was very adamant about everyone turning their phones off. There's no way this was an accident. She was being defiant. And neither me nor my daughter would be so uncooperative. We both have respect for others.

[supercat]

How come I never have that problem?

Probably because you have a cell phone where the power button is either covered up or deactivated when the phone is closed, or else is significantly recessed.

Also, I used to have (well, actually still have but never use) a Motorola phone which woould bleep when the battery got low--EVEN WHEN SET TO SILENT MODE. Grrrr...

[supercat]

Every phone I have ever owned has had a screen that shows whether the phone is on or off. And once turned off, I've nNEVER had one turn itself back on without my permission.

Some phones have stupidly-placed power buttons that can get pressed when a phone is loose in a pocket with other items. Dumb design, but some phones are like that.

[supercat]

21 days is excessive.

Except that 21 days served concurrently with a 45-day sentence really means zero days.

If the judge was going to sentence her at all (beyond confiscating the phone) he should have sentenced her to one day consecutive to the original sentence.

[supercat]

As poorly thought out as many of these devices seem to be, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if someone had already put this "feature" into their cellphones.

I had a Motorola like that. Even when set to "silent". My method of turning it off discretely was to remove the battery.

[supercat]

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.

I would like to see a standard for a specialized signal that would instruct cell phones that were equipped and set to receive it not to ring (the cell phone could be set for whether to allow vibrate or not), or could be set to not ring but vibrate when a message was received, etc. People who had a bona fide legitimate need to use their cell phones under such circumstances (e.g. doctors receiving emergency calls) could set their phones to override mode, but anyone whose phone was set to override mode would risk the social stigma associated therewith.

Such a signal would have the advantage over jammers that (1) it would not prevent people from discovering that they had received calls or messages, and (2) it would not prevent people from placing calls in case of emergency.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Note that the 45 day sentence wasn't passed until the next day. It could be viewed as a coercive move to force a plea.

[skr]

Perhaps the 21 days, which was to be concurrent with her other sentence, was actually easier for her than to pay a fine she might not have the money for.

[NRA2BFree]

WoW, was he ever grumpy.... LOL!