Whatever happened to the days when a judge would say, "One more outburst like that and I will hold you in contempt!"A judge in Chicago has sentenced Clifton Williams to six months in jail for contempt of court after he yawned during his cousin's trial. A spokesman for the court said Williams attempted to disrupt the proceedings with his yawn.
I wish we had the videotape, because that must have been one heck of a yawn. The worst part is Williams' cousin got probation, and he got sent to jail.
According to the Chicago Tribune, this judge is not someone you want to mess with. He's held people in contempt for swearing, not turning off their cell phones and even sneezing! Okay, I'm just kidding about that last one.
The discussion continues in the BV community.
+ Rapper Gets 2 Years for Cop-Killing Song
Comments: (15)
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By: Deirdre B Pride on 8/11/2009 12:05PM
He must have been in there trying to be funny and the judge didn't feel like laughing.
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By: nandoy on 8/11/2009 12:12PM
Thanks to people like you, Jeff, we are slowly losing morals in this country.You have no problem with "cop killing"but would be the first in line to call them if you needed help. I am so sick of this"race issue". Regardless of what a black person does, right or wrong,we have to hear that they are being discriminated against.How about standing up for the white people who are being discriminated against!Its people like you who keep discrimination going. How about just judging people for what they are and leave the color of their skin out of it! Regardless of his color, he threatned a police officer! Somehow the 'crime'always get lost in these things
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By: Alexis Stodghill on 8/11/2009 12:24PM
THIS PERSON DID NOT THREATEN A POLICE OFFICER.
He yawned in court. Do you think anyone should go to jail for six months for yawning in court?
You are the kind of person who sees a black man, skims an article, and assumes that he did something "really bad" to "deserve" whatever punishment the "law" saw fit to give. This is exactly the kind of (barely) subconscious racism that Jeff is talking about in his post. Unfortunately, there are millions of people like you who are so self-righteous that they will never be able to admit to themselves that such a VASTLY OCCURRING phenomenon even exists, because it will require an admission of a deep-seated internal bias. And opening your eyes to the sad fact of how wide spread it is.
You are just using this article to complain about your perceived "discrimination" against white people. I have no idea what your personal experiences are, but I can tell you in my experience, most white people feel discriminated against because events, such as this one, force them to think about race at all. What you don't realize is that for most of your life, you have had the privilege of NOT thinking about race, while people of all other races in this country always have to in order to survive -- you are just not aware of this.
So WELCOME TO REALITY! Becoming aware of race as a social factor in America that affects all people is actually a step in the right direction, even if it is a painful one for you.
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By: yeah no on 8/11/2009 12:37PM
nandoy don't you have a health forum to mob? Who unleashed all these angry white people?
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By: Nataye219 on 8/12/2009 11:20AM
Jeff~ Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong or out of place!
Ummm???? Did you even bother to read the article??? This was about a simple "yawn" NOTHING at all to do with threats! I believe the point of the article was not to complain...but to point out that 6 mos is harsh for a "yawn"! There are people who have committed actual crimes that have received less time than that. Don't get me wrong...if he was intentionally being disrespectful, he should be dealt w/ accordingly. However, I have to agree w/ the fact that the sentence was harsh! He had a number of alternatives...giving a warning, removing him from the court, a night in jail to think about his rude actions & blatant disrespect, a fine...etc! Now I just listed options & I'm no person of the law! THAT...is what I believe the POINT is!
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By: MsQueet09 on 8/11/2009 1:44PM
What kind of yawn was that?
Then again, he probably was being a smart ass anyways..but hell, 6 months. wth?
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By: Joe on 8/11/2009 3:15PM
Jeff , It's just my opinion but "Justice for all" isn't always fair to all. Justice is like buying a new car , Not everyboby pays the same price for the same crime . How about the death penalty , How many innocent men have been convicted - Only to be released years later due to new evidence or court trial mis-conduct , And what of those who've died in prison although they were truly innocent. Why can the state goverment commit murder by death penalty without violating God's law. The judicial system is broken but was done so by the same people who cry out for Justice. Should freedom of speech apply to a known terrorist who may threaten us verbally before acting on his threats? Should his actions be protected by the U.S. Constitution / Bill of rights? These are the real questions of the abuse of the legal system that "We the People" allow everyday.
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By: jeff on 8/11/2009 4:29PM
Thats excessive for a yawn, lets say he had a medical condition or thats just the way he yawns when in private. How can you sentence someone that long without a warning or removing the individual from court. Another example of abuse of power and being black in a court room.
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By: angela garner on 8/11/2009 8:47PM
Thanks for the warning, dude.
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By: Joe on 8/11/2009 10:53PM
The judge is black...quit trying to make this a race thing!
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