Judge put the whole courtroom in jail because of a ringing phone

[Robbien]

NIAGARA FALLS, New York (AP) - A judge was removed from the bench Tuesday for jailing 46 people after none would admit to having a cell phone that began ringing during his court session.

Restaino, who became a full-time judge in 2002, was hearing domestic violence cases when a phone rang.

«Everyone is going to jail,» the judge said. «Every single person is gong to jail in this courtroom unless I get that instrument now. If anybody believes I'm kidding, ask some of the folks that have been here for a while. You are all going.

When no one came forward, the judge ordered the group into custody and they were taken by police to the city jail, where they were searched and packed into crowded cells. Fourteen people who could not post bail were shackled and bused to the Niagara County Jail, a 30-minute drive away.

Later in the afternoon, after being told reporters were calling, the judge ordered the defendants released.

The judge told the state panel he was under stress in his personal life. http://www.pr-inside.com/judge-removed-for-jailing-people-over-r320479.htm

My question. As soon as it was obvious everyone was going to be carted off to jail, why didn't the cell phone owner own up to the ringing phone? I wouldn't want to be in a jail cell with 45 other people being very angry at me. Oh hell, why didn't he/she just own up to it right away before the judge went ballistic.

[Lex]

1. I was wondering that too.

The cell phone owner was a weasel supreme.

[Robbien]

2. Yup. Must have been a GOPer

GOPers never accept blame for anything.

[AlCzervik]

3. the cell phone person is a tool.

[hlthe2b]

4. I'm Spartacus... No, I'm Spartacus... I'm Spartacus....

:rofl:

With the right crowd, that might have been quite the party....

[tularetom]

5. Teachers used to pull that bullshit all the time

"If the person who threw that eraser doesn't admit it, the whole class will sit here until they do". Didn't work because the teacher was always so desperate to sneak off to the teachers lounge for a smoke we knew we could wait her out.

[Lex]

7. The difference might be:

"Fourteen people who could not post bail were shackled and bused to the Niagara County Jail, a 30-minute drive away."

[Robbien]

8. Two justice systems

Those with little or no money never get a break in just about everything in these united states of America.

[rucky]

13. If you're 11 years old, now...

then I could very well have been that teacher.

[tularetom]

18. Hah! I wish

I haven't been 11 years old since 1952.

[Make7]

6. Perhaps if someone present was familiar with the law, this may have been averted. nt

[Xipe Totec]

9. Well, now the judge is free of his duties and can address his personal life

I think the person that kept his/her mouth shut did us all a favor for removing an unstable individual from the bench.

By the judge's own admission, "he was under stress in his personal life".

We definitely do not want somebody carrying personal baggage onto the judicial bench.

[SammyWinstonJack]

19. .

:thumbsup:

[MADem]

10. Probably LOTS of people had phones--someone forgot to turn theirs off.

How would you know whose phone it was?

[Catherine Vincent]

11. Damn I wish someone had resisted arrest.

The nerve of that judge ordering everyone to jail because of a rining telephone. When some people get a high position, it goes to their head.

[Breeze54]

12. rotflmfao!!

:rofl: That sounds like a scene out of a comedy movie!

Too funny!! :P

[MindPilot]

14. I'd say there are 45 people with a valid wrongful arrest claim. n/t

[Xipe Totec]

15. 5th Amendment for starters nt

[baby_mouse]

16. That's not gone well, has it Mr Judge?

Ehat a silly old sausage you were to pull that one, eh?

[Evergreen Emerald]

17. I know a judge who stops the proceedings and makes the person

with the cellphone to come to the front of the courtroom, give the phone to the clerk, and write 100 times, "I will not bring my cellphone to court."

He did it once to a defendant in trial--the phone rang. He asked the jury to leave to punish the defendant for the cell phone.

One time a little old lady had the phone. She did not speak English and he was yelling and yelling for the person who owns that phone to come up. She did not understand and just sat there. I thought he was going to blow his lid.