Kathy E <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
A lawyer for one of the three defendants in the Tawana Brawley slander
trial spent the night in jail as punishment for his third contempt of
court charge in two days.
Stephen Jackson, a lawyer for C. Vernon Mason, was taken to the Dutchess
County Jail in a sheriff's van Wednesday after he finished his
cross-examination of Steven Pagones and court ended for the day. Jackson
was released this morning.
Miss Brawley, who is black, claimed a group of white men abducted and
raped her in November 1987, when she was 15. Pagones, a former assistant
district attorney, sued the three defendants after they identified him
as one of the white men. A special grand jury specifically exonerated
Pagones after finding no evidence to support Miss Brawley's claims.
Another defendant in the case, the Rev. Al Sharpton, predicted that
Justice S. Barrett Hickman's decision to jail Jackson would backfire by
rallying support for the defense. The judge had turned aside Sharpton's
offer to serve the jail time for Jackson, who has an infant at home.
``We're getting calls from all over the country,'' an angry-looking
Sharpton said as he strode through downtown Poughkeepsie. ``This will be
the turning point in terms of mobilization for this trial.''
The courtroom brawl erupted moments after court began Wednesday as
Hickman chastised Mason for not adhering to a gag order banning the
lawyers from talking to media about discussions in chambers. Hickman
said he would hold a hearing to consider filing contempt charges against
Mason.
When Jackson began to argue on behalf of his client, the judge ordered
him to sit down, but Jackson continued to protest.
``You want to play rough? All right, you're in contempt again,'' Hickman
said. ``I sentence you to spend a night in the Dutchess County Jail.
Let's see if that's what you want to do.''
``This is outrageous, your honor. You are a disgrace to the bench,''
Jackson shouted.
``Thank you very much,'' Hickman responded.
Hickman on Wednesday also imposed a blanket gag order barring lawyers
from talking to the media. Maddox left court at lunchtime with a
handkerchief stuffed in his mouth.
Outside the courthouse, Jackson said he was prepared to go to jail and
attributed the judge's decision to racism. He said he has been
practicing law for 12 years and has never before even been threatened
with contempt.
The bitterness began Tuesday as Hickman made a clear attempt to speed up
the 6-month-old trial and rein in the defense team. When he gave Jackson
a deadline to finish questioning Pagones, Jackson objected vehemently
and was hit with two contempt charges.
--
Kathy E
"I can only please one person a day, today is NOT your day, and tomorrow
isn't looking too good for you either"
http://members.delphi.com/kathylaw/ Law & Issues Mailing List
http://pw1.netcom.com/~kathye/rodeo.html - Cowboy Histories
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/2990/law.htm Crime photo's
Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues
