‘ I’m taking my medication daily’

‘ I’m taking my medication daily’

Woman with anger issues gets thumbs up from Judge Thorne

news@theeveningtimes.com

A felon called forward in the jail said, “Good Morning. How are you doing today?”

“Better than you, I don’t have an orange jumpsuit on today,” replied Judge Fred Thorne of West Memphis District Court.

A man in jail charged with theft was told to see the public defender.

“Does anyone know why I sent him directly to the public defender?”

“He was a habitual offender,” answered a member of the galley audience.

“That is right!”

A woman called up in jail was asked how she pled to public intoxication.

“No loco.”

“Does anyone here know what she did wrong by pleading ‘no loco’?”

“She has been in the system before!” said another galley member.

“She told off on herself,” said Judge Thorne.

“I said guilty,” said the woman in jail.

“No, you said ‘nolo.’ Do you want to change your plea?”

“Yes.”

“The report says you thought it was Friday and told the officer ‘What do you have for me, baby?’ Have you been arrested before for public intoxication?”

“No.”

“You were arrested in 2000, three times, 2003, 2006, three times. $500 plus court costs. I’m tired of seeing you. Drink at home!”

A woman in jail wanted to change her pled to no contest.

“Is there a hold on you from another county?”

“I don’t know. Maybe out of Wynne. That is where I’m from.”

“What happened?”

“I was walking across from the dog track. I wasn’t loitering.”

“You don’t have to go to the back of the truck parking lot to get back to the motel from the dog track.

The report also says you got into it with a black male. $500 plus court costs on the loitering. I’ll dismiss the disorderly. They will

Judge Fred Thorne come and get you from Wynne.”

A man in jail was charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct and pled no contest to both charges.

“I was coming from the motel.”

“The report says you kicked in the door.”

“It was locked.”

“$500 plus court costs on the public intoxication and $500 plus court costs on the disorderly.”

The man apparently didn’t like his fine.

“You can appeal it if you don’t like what I gave you,” said Judge Thorne.

A man in jail was told that he owed $610 and had only paid $50.

“No contest, I guess.”

“Why haven’t you paid your fines?”

“No job.”

“Sit it out 16 days or pay your fine.”

A man in the courtroom pled not guilty to driving while intoxicated.

After telling the man what the maximum fines and jail time were, he was also told to talk to the DWI lady and when to come back for his trial.

A man charged with disregarding

a traffic light, driving

on suspended and no insurance pled not guilty to all charges.

“Go ahead and show me your insurance today and we can dismiss that part of your trial.”

“I don’t have it with me.”

“How many driving on suspendeds have you had?” “A couple.”

“Give him a trial date.”

A man charged with running

a stop sign pled no

contest.

“Do you work?”

“Yes.”

“Are you a musician?”

“No. You thought that because

of my hair?”

“Yes.”

“Who was with you?”

“My girlfriend.”

“Pay $35 plus court costs and I’ll keep it off your record.”

“He had two tickets for running a stop sign,” said the court clerk.

“Was that girlfriend running her fingers through your hair when you ran the second stop sign?”

“No.”

“That will be $55 plus charges now.”

A woman called up said emphatically, “Not guilty!”

“You said not guilty before I read you the charges!

How do you plead to leaving the scene of an accident, careless driving and no driver’s license?”

“Not guilty. Can I bring my witnesses?”

“You sure can! The police will be here, and we’ll go from there.”

A young man was called up.

“How do you plead to no driver’s license?”

“Guilty.”

“How old are you?”

“18.”

“You were 17 when you got the ticket? When did you turn 18?”

“July 31st at 12 a.m. They gave me a ticket for no tail light.”

“Bailiff, show him the ticket. It says no driver’s license. What are you doing with your life?”

“I’m going to school at Northwest Prep School on Poplar in Memphis.”

“$45 plus court costs. Is there anyone here with you?”

The young man looked around. “No sir.”

“Bring me proof on Monday that you are attending that school. If you have proof, I’ll have you do eight hours community service and keep it off your record.”

“Monday?”

“No make it Friday. You won’t have time by Monday to get proof.”

“Would my schedule with my name on it do?”

“No. I want a signed piece of paper with their letterhead

on it.”

A woman in the courtroom was called for a review.

“How is she doing?”

“She is doing good,” said the representative from the Justice Network. “Her time is up December 7th. She is controlling her anger.”

“I’m taking my medication daily.”

“Good. I can tell a difference. Have you started back to school?”

“Yes. It is GED boot camp.”

“You have a good disposition today, not like the first time I met you. Be back for another review on October 3rd. Let me know how you are doing and bring something showing you got your GED. I do care. Now don’t slip up.”

“Yes, sir.”

By the Evening Times News Staff