Judge orders to shut defendant's mouth with tape
A Ohio judge ordered a prisoner’s mouth be taped shut in court because the defendant wouldn’t stop talking. Disturbing video shows six deputies surrounding the man before gagging him.
Ohio judge John Russo ordered court deputies to shut the mouth of defendant Franklyn Williams during his sentencing hearing at the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday.
Video filmed inside the court shows Williams speaking as Ruso repeatedly tells him to be quiet, Fox8 reports. “Shut your mouth and I will tell you when you can talk. You got it?” the judge said.
“You’ll get a chance to talk. I am going to give you a chance to talk,” Russo added, before warning the defendant: “If I have to, I will gag you in one second.”
Williams was attempting to tell the court he had only just met his attorney and that his belongings had been taken from his cell.
A group of six deputies surrounded Williams before they covered his mouth with red duct tape. “It’s against my rights, man, it’s not fair,” Williams said as a deputy prepared the tape, WHIOTV reports. “This judge is just trying to send me to prison. I’m getting no justice, this is not a fair trial.”
Russo later defended his order, telling Fox8 he knew Williams was “someone who liked to speak,” and that he gave him more than a dozen warnings to stop talking. He added that it was perfectly legal for a sheriff’s deputy to gag a defendant.
Williams was sentenced to 24 years in prison for aggravated robbery, kidnapping and misuse of credit cards. He had previously been sentenced to 14 years after pleading guilty, but later won an appeal because he had been misinformed about when he would be eligible for early release from prison.
During his retrial in December, he cut off his ankle monitor and fled to Nebraska. The court continued with his trial without him. Once he was caught, Williams said he had been hit on the head in Nebraska and couldn’t remember anything. On Tuesday prosecutors played tapes of his phone calls with family members which contradicted his claim.
courtesy : rt.com
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National Herald case: Shivakumar to seek time next week to appear before Delhi police
New Delhi/Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday said he will ask for time from Delhi police to appear before them next week, to provide required information as part of the probe into the National Herald case.
He said he will seek time after the ongoing winter session of Karnataka legislature ends on December 19. He will also ask the Delhi police to provide him the FIR copy.
Shivakumar, who is in the national capital, had earlier said that he will appear before the Delhi police on Monday. But, he postponed the plan in order to rush back to Karnataka to participate in the last rites of veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, scheduled later in the day in Davangere.
"I had to go (to appear before the Delhi police), but I have to go back urgently. I'm asking them for time, stating that I will come next week," Shivakumar told reporters in New Delhi.
"They (Delhi police) have not attached the FIR copy while issuing notice to me. I need FIR copy, because we had already given all the required replies to the ED. I don't know what the FIR says, I only read in papers. They have given notice, I will ask for a FIR copy. I will come next week after the Assembly session."
The Delhi Police had issued a notice to Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress chief, seeking financial and transactional details as part of its probe into the National Herald case.
The notice issued by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) states that Shivakumar is "supposed to be having vital information" pertaining to the National Herald case registered on October 3 this year, against top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
In the notice dated November 29, the EOW had asked Shivakumar to appear before it or provide the requested information by December 19 latest.
Investigators have sought details about his personal background, his association with the Congress party, and a complete break up of funds allegedly transferred by him or associated entities to Young Indian.
To a question on meeting AICC General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, amid the ongoing power tussle between him and CM Siddaramaiah over the Chief Minister post, Shivakumar said when he comes to Delhi, he usually meets every one.
"Whether it is Surjewala or Kharge (AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge) or Venugopal, I will meet everyone. During lunch yesterday I met Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. I have met everyone. What's wrong?" he asked.
Shivakumar was in Delhi to take part in Congress' "Vote Chori" rally on Sunday, and had also participated in the lunch organised by the party for its leaders.
Responding to a question, whether any meeting is planned with leaders today, the Deputy CM said, he and Kharge will be travelling together to Karnataka, to pay last respects to Shamanuru Shivashankarappa.
Asked if he will seek time for a separate meeting with Congress leadership including Rahul Gandhi, during the next visit to Delhi, Sivakumar said, "such things will be there between us in the party.... you don't worry."
