Judge pulls gun in Florida court

[Lupinus]

The court must presume innocence but come on be realistic.

If you have a guy on helicopter video running from a bank with a bag into a car taking off chased by police stopped pulled out of the car and arrested, yeah, he is guilty.

If you walk into your house and stumble on a burgler, yep, guilty.

If you walk into your daughters room and find her being molested, yeah safe bet the guy is guilty.

While the legal system has to follow rules on specific evidence the rest of us are free to look at damning evidence and form an opinion. Do we know the fact of the case? Perhaps the father caught the guy in the act and showed enough restraint to not rip his head off, maybe someone else stumbled on the act and dad held back until now and snapped. Not everyone has to apply innocent until proven guilty until the verdict is read, guilt can be proven long before a jury says so.

 

[offthepaper]

Shoulda' had an AD to the BG and called it a day.

 

[Hawkeye]

Judge Merrett is VERY big on making sure people are aware of Jury Nullification.

I did not ask why the gun was secured in the manner it was.

I do know more, but I'm not comfortable sharing it, especially in and open setting, at this time.

 

[C96]

Hawkeye ~ Thank you for sharing what you can. It does help understand the situation a bit better.

allan

 

[Outlaw Man]

I want to preface this by saying that I'm 110% in favor of judges being armed in the courtroom. I believe, personally, that they should have to go through the same training and background checks (probably not a problem, if they're a judge) we do, and we should be allowed to carry in a courtroom as well.

My concern, and I don't know the whole story, is that it sounds like the judge pulled the gun on him as he was punching the defendant. Maybe he drew as he saw him jumping the railing, but it doesn't appear to be a situation where deadly force was at all warranted, and in many states brandishing a weapon in that situation is criminal.

I'm not trying to second guess the judge too much. There are too many details left out. I just wonder what would have happened differently had it been outside a courtroom and it had been one of us that drew the gun.

 

[obxned]

A judge with the common sense to provide for his own protection is probably a rarety, since most judgers were once lawyers.

 

[Autolycus]

If the judge can carry in the courtroom can I? How about the deputies? The spectators? The family of the victim? The defendants family? The lawyers.

I am sorry but the whole "...shall not be infringed," thing gives me pause. Does anyone elses copy say"...shall not be infringed except in a court of law,"?

I am sorry but if you give judges the right to carry in courtrooms and not us then you had better ask yourself, should a judge be able to carry in places I cannot? (Since this is Florida I will use their off limits places) Perhaps a bar? A sporting event? How about your kids school? What about a college campus?

Would it be ok for them to carry there but not you? I mean the courtroom is one place that they may need it but they might run into a criminal at the bar or a Dolphins game?

I am sorry but if you grant one group more priveledges than you create an idea of elitism amongst that group.

 

[waynedm]

Isn't it illegal for US to carry in a Federal building such as a courthouse? I know the courthouse down the road has signs all over forbidding it. Seems to me the judge has committed quite the crime here concealing in that building. Maybe that's why he asked somebody to lock it up for him? He knew damn well he committed a crime.

 

[WeThePeople]

Ouch!

Being a lawyer myself, "ouch." I could say so much more, but I'll leave it at "ouch."

 

[Kali Endgame]

The defendant got off pretty easy with only a couple hits.

Anyone remember the video of the father, of a molested victim, shooting the accused? Can't remember if it was in the US or not. The accused was being transported through a lobby(?) and the father walks up and shoots him in the head. All caught on tape by the media.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Isn't it illegal for US to carry in a Federal building such as a courthouse?

Not all courthouses are federal buildings, only Federal Courthouses. This guy was elected in Florida, so he's a county or state judge, not federal. State law may prohibit carry in state courtrooms or courthouses, but federal law doesn't address carry in State buildings.

 

[waynedm]

I thought all courthouses, schools and state owned buildings were off limits for carry? Interesting how this http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=265764 happens, but the judge isn't charged with anything. The guy should have been arrested.

It's not that I'm against carry in these buildings. I just don't think these politicians, cops and judges should have more rights than we have. If this judge wants to be able to carry, maybe he should do some work to preserve the Second Amendment like the rest of us.

 

[Beren]

It depends on the laws for your state and what the chief judges think. Please check your facts before casting accusations.

I don't mind a judge carrying in a courtroom. They can do a lot worse to you in that setting than shoot you.

The PD should've been more worried about catching a stray left from the father. Public defenders provide a necessary service, but I don't think anyone will be offering to buy the PD a beer for his work on this particular case.

 

[pacodelahoya]

Anyone remember the video of the father, of a molested victim, shooting the accused? Can't remember if it was in the US or not. The accused was being transported through a lobby(?) and the father walks up and shoots him in the head. All caught on tape by the media.

If memory serves, the dad was acting as if he were talking on the payphone and turned and shot at contact distance with a .38 snubbie.

I think he was either aquitted or given an extremely light sentence, that was years and years ago.

 

[cpaspr]

Depends on the state

Waynedm -
I thought all courthouses, schools and state owned buildings were off limits for carry?

Depends on your state laws. They're all different. In Oregon, with a CDL, I can pack in a county courthouse (ORS: 166.173(2)(c) [county can't pass laws disallowing my CDL], or a state court or the capitol building [ORS 166.370(3)(d)] or even on school property [ORS 166.370(3)(d) again].

I can even spotlight deer while packing (ORS 166.663(2)(g) .

Your state may be slightly or quite different.

 

[shooting time]

I remember that video also he was at the airport waiting for the cops to come by with the guy that they had extradited he at a phone making like he was on the phone when the guy came by he smoked him and just handed the gun over to the cops and gave up.I think he got away with little fine or probation

 

[hceptj]

I agree with those that say the judge should be armed.

As for attacking an "innocent" man or "innocent" until proven guilty, no one on this board knows the details of the case. For all we know, the dad came home and found the guy with his child, found pictures or some other proof positive that it occured.

I have children (all pretty much grown now but still my kids) and if I knew for a FACT that someone had molested one of them, I can assure you that getting beat up would be the least of the molester's worries...

 

[Alan Fud]

Judges need weapons if the bailiffs in Florida are anything like the ones in Nevada (morbidly obese old guys). Not very comforting when I have to be in court.

When I had jury duty in Fort Lauderdale, the bailiff did have a gun a commented that he was "afraid of guns". Not sure if he was pulling our leg or what but he was built like a tank and he also mentioned that he had a second degree black belt in the martial arts.

 

[k_dawg]

In Florida, judges are explicitely allowed by law to carry a firearm [ open or concealed ] while in court. [ state court, obviously ]

I know if I was a judge, if I saw anyone vaulting over the railing, i would have my gun out immediately. [ I may hold off on aiming thou ].

By "lock it up" I assume the judge has a mini safe at his desk where he keeps it.

But the REAL problem I have is with the public defender. I bet he wants all LEO disarmed? And shouldn't he be MORE afraid from the guy vaulting over the railing and assaulting his client.. than the mere presence of a gun in the judge's hand?

 

[Old Time Hunter]

Personally, I think that if the accused child molester is either convicted or pleads guilty, all charges against the father should be dropped. Secondly, the now convicted felon should be castrated.

End of story on that note.

Good thing I was not the judge, I probably would have shot the accused to save him from the beating.

 

[Caimlas]

"It's very disconcerting for a lawyer to be in the line of fire," White told the Times-Union.

I don't think too many people would have minded too greatly if the judge had a trembling hand. You defend scum, you are scum. I understand, to a degree, the desire to serve the country/state/city and work under the rule of law - not men - but not having the scruples to say, "I will not defend this man, because I think he is guilty" is disturbingly disenfranchised from common human sentiment.

Ask me what I tihnk should be done, or allowed to be done, to rapists, murders, and mollesters. If you're familiar with old norse law, you'll have a good idea.