Posted on 04/29/2009 8:23:31 PM PDT by Chet 99
OOELE — A young mother who was sentenced to 30 days in jail for text messaging inside a courtroom — sparking an uproar that reached national media outlets — was released Wednesday after two days behind bars.
However, the judge who imposed the sentence for contempt of court defended his actions Wednesday and said he believed the woman was helping her husband hide assets in a complicated debt collection case before creditors could claim them.
"I have an affidavit from a woman who was sitting behind her who heard her and her mother-in-law talk about hiding assets," 3rd District Judge Stephen Henriod said Wednesday.
Henriod had found Susan Henwood in contempt of court for text messaging her husband, Josh, during an earlier court hearing in which the judge believed the woman was tipping her husband off about collection measures for debts. Josh Henwood had said he was sick and could not attend the court hearing.
At issue is a legal battle involving a plaintiff, Bob Wisdom, who is seeking financial compensation from Josh Henwood. Wisdom's attorney, Gary Buhler, said all his client wants to do is get paid and make the case go away.
Buhler decried media attention that focused on Susan Henwood's youth and four young children, which he suggested painted her as a victim, while ignoring efforts that he said have been made to conceal or transfer ownership of a long list of assets that should be used to pay off debts.
The witness who sat by Susan Henwood said in her affidavit that she observed Henwood continuously texting someone during the hearing and remarking to an older female seated nearby that "Buhler is not getting that" and "we will just move it, they are not getting it."
(Excerpt) Read more at deseretnews.com ...
Maybe the judge needs stuck in the hoosegow.
“There is always more than you first hear/see. I seen too much yellow snow to believe in its purity.”
You are probably correct, generally speaking the law works very well from my experience also.
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