Man Gets 3 Days In Jail For Saggy Pants

[cynatnite]

A judge in Alabama isn't a fan of the latest low-slung fashion trend and proved it when he sent a 20-year-old defendant to jail for three days for contempt of court because of his sagging blue jeans.

LaMarcus D. Ramsey, of Prattville, was in Autauga County Circuit Court on Tuesday to enter a plea in a stolen property case when Judge John Bush pointed out his displeasure over Ramsey’s hip hop attire and sent him to the Autauga Metro jail, the Montgomery Advertiser reported

"You are in contempt of court because you showed your butt in court," Bush told Ramsey. "You can spend three days in jail. When you get out, you can buy pants that fit, or at least get a belt to hold up your pants so your underwear doesn't show."

http://www.wcyb.com/watercooler/news/30880434/detail.html

Seriously?

[PoliticAverse]

1. Don't look like a fool with your pants on the ground, in court...

[bowens43]

8. so the judge just gets to

try and sentence the guy just because he doesn't like how he's dressed?


How can this be allowed in free society?

unfucking believable

[PoliticAverse]

10. Judges have great power over conduct in their courts...

See: http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contempt_of_court_direct

[COLGATE4]

13. Judges have great latitude in setting rules

in their courtroom. Any intentional violation of these rules can be met with a stay in the slammer for contempt of court. Happens more often than you might think.

[Blue_Tires]

15. yeah, I've known some way over-the-top examples of judges letting people know who's in charge

[YellowRubberDuckie]

25. He didn't try and sentence him.

It is called contempt of court. The guy was showing disrespect to the court and this was punishment. Judge's prerogative.

[Zalatix]

19. What an absolute ridiculous waste of my taxpayer dollars. Jail over a pair of pants, WTF.

[RZM]

29. I like this version

[Slamdrive]

2. Did he show his butt or only the underwear?

The judge said butt then underwear. I'd have no problem with a man showing his underwear due to saggy pants. So what if he does? If the butt was showing that's another story lol.

[Life Long Dem]

3. Remember the movie "My Cousin Vinny"?

The judge had Vinny wear an appropriate suit or face contempt of court. Same thing here.

[-..__...]

4. "You were serious about that"?

[Capt. Obvious]

6. That awful movie took place in AL too

Not the same judge though since Herman Munster died.

[PoliticAverse]

12. "I'm uh wearing uh clothes"

[coalition_unwilling]

5. Alabama - leader in the fight to bring back

sumptuary laws.

[DFab420]

7. Of course seriously.. It's court people.. Dress for the occasion.

Honestly it blows my mind when I see people in regular day clothes when they have their day in court. At least a belt and something with a collar.

[cynatnite]

24. Not wearing respectful attire does not warrent jail time...

Fine them. Jailing is idiotic.

[npk]

31. I think he was fined, but chose jail

Contempt of court is normally just a fine. The defendant has the option of paying the fine or spending whatever the fine would equal in jail time. I am pretty sure this man could pay a fine and not have to serve the time.

Though I am not certain this applies in all states.

[cynatnite]

34. I would be okay with that if this were the case, but it says nothing...

I do question a judicial system where people are actually jailed for someone's distaste of how they choose to dress regardless of appropriateness. It smacks of oppression of freedom of expression.

[npk]

35. Well I was too lazy to read the article

It looks like you are correct. No fine offered. Judge must have affixed the sentence in such a way that they man has to spend the time in jail. This is unusual from where I sit. But then again this reeks more of small town justice bullshit that probably goes on quite often and never sees the light of day.

But this defendant was black and a punishment I doubt a scraggily white kid would have received.

A can tell you that several judges here in the state of Georgia are being shown the door and some in the inside of a jail cell for doing many of things this judge is doing. That is handing down punishments that are extreme and based solely on the judges disdain for the person and not their actions. Seems like some more judicial policy boards eyes need opening the next state over from mine as well.

[DFab420]

37. Contempt of Court is a jail-able offense

[Aerows]

9. It's not a good idea

To show up to court poorly dressed. Being poorly dressed isn't necessarily a crime, but it doesn't show much respect for the court.

[LiberalFighter]

17. Problem is that courts don't deserve respect.

[TheManInTheMac]

18. Well, if you're going to court, I'd advise you fake it, then.

[Zalatix]

20. If you can afford to.

I guess any poor homeless sap who gets hauled in, is going to prison for sure.

Fucking courts. This decision was a waste of taxpayer dollars. Jails are for CRIMINALS, and not fashion criminals.

Home confinement would have even been better.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

26. This guy was probably being disrespectful in other ways too...

Judges are not going to jail homeless people for their appearance. Most of them are not douche bags.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

27. The court does deserve respect.

If you are going in hoping to get leniency when you did something or are charged with something, respecting the court will get you further than that attitude. That attitude will get you thrown in jail for a lot longer than three days.

[COLGATE4]

11. Rule # 1 for all new lawyers:

Never - ever- fuck with the judge. Never! Ever!

[hifiguy]

22. And the corollary to that is never piss off a judge's

law clerk. He or she is the one who does the first read of the briefs and documents. Piss off a clerk and you have just made a potentially powerful enemy, and one who has the judge's ear every day.

[COLGATE4]

36. Absolutely. Or even worse, the Clerk of the Court.

[madokie]

14. He'd better be glad that wasn't Judge Judy

There'd be some serous marks on his ass if it would have been her. Probably 10 days instead of 3 too.

[NV Whino]

16. Justice served

Baggy pants are so last year.

[hifiguy]

21. Judges are fussy about decorum in their courtrooms

I have worked for two trial judges and have never met a judge who did not jealously guard the dignity of the courtroom whatever their politics. I have no problems with this judge.

[tallahasseedem]

23. Jail is a bit hostile. Having said that...

I truly don't get this look. I see this look all the time in downtown Philly and the person who is wearing (?) them is constantly having to pull them up and hold them while they walk. It's truly perplexing.

[amandabeech]

28. Somebody needs to come up with a garment that has a heavy elastic waist

boxer-short type top, maybe with a draw string, attached to regular jeans.

Wearable fashion, in other words.

[benld74]

30. Police like them to wear baggy pants - they cant run veryy fast in them.......

[RebelOne]

32. Yes, this guy should have jail time or be fined.

I hate those saggy pants. One day, I saw a guy walking down the street and his pants must have been 6 inches down his butt. His underwear was hanging out. My first thought was that this guy should be arrested. I am not a prude by any means, but that was downright disgusting.

[cynatnite]

33. So based on your personal dislike of how a person chooses to dress, they should be jailed....

nice.