A Baltimore circuit judge, who has three times been the subject of judicial disciplinary investigations, ordered a spectator to jail for 10 days for crying out “love you” to her handcuffed brother in the courtroom – and then reversed himself after a public defender spoke up on her behalf.
As Tamika Clevenger left a Baltimore courtroom Friday, she shouted, “Love you, Nick,” which set off Judge Alfred Nance. He ordered a sheriff to pull Clevenger from the hallway and found the 24-year-old in contempt.
Nance undid the sentence about a half-hour later at the request of Jill Trivas, a public defender who was in court for a different case but told Nance she felt that he had been too harsh…
Nance asked Clevenger her name and age, and then swiftly pronounced the punishment: “Ten days, Baltimore City Detention Center.”
“I didn’t do nothing,” a shocked Clevenger said…
Worried about her child at home, Clevenger began to cry.
“Your baby will be there” when you get out, Nance said. “You want me to send him to social services? I’ll send him [to jail] too.”
Maybe he doesn’t need judge-lessons; but, he certainly needs human being-lessons.
