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View Full Version : Florida Judge Draws Concealed Handgun in Court

Yota
March 27th, 2007, 01:37 PM
Was this (http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=upiUPI-20070327-013054-1623R&show_article=1) a good draw? I'm not so sure. Plus I bet the tactics of drawing from under a robe are challenging at best. Shoulder holster might be the best be - and draw it from up that gaping sleeve. :D

I love the stupid lawyers who question whether judges should be armed in court. But they don't question whether anyone in the gallery can be armed.

Judge pulls gun in Florida courthttp://www.breitbart.com/images/common/dot.gif (http://www.breitbart.com/partner.php?source=upi)http://www.breitbart.com/images/common/dot.gifMar 27 02:15 PM US/Eastern
http://www.breitbart.com/images/article/email.gif (http://www.breitbart.com/email.php?link=%2Farticle.php%3Fid%3DupiUPI-20070327-013054-1623R%26show_article%3D1&id=upiUPI-20070327-013054-1623R)http://www.breitbart.com/images/common/dot.gifhttp://www.breitbart.com/images/article/print.gif (http://www.breitbart.com/print.php?id=upiUPI-20070327-013054-1623R&show_article=1)http://www.breitbart.com/images/common/dot.giftry { insert_digg_btn('world_news'); } catch(e){}http://www.breitbart.com/images/article/digg.gif (http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http%3A//www.breitbart.com/article.php%3Fid%3DupiUPI-20070327-013054-1623R%26show_article%3D1&title=Judge%20pulls%20gun%20in%20Florida%20court&topic=world_news)http://www.breitbart.com/images/common/dot.gifhttp://www.breitbart.com/images/article/delicious.gif (http://del.icio.us/post)http://www.breitbart.com/images/common/dot.gifJACKSONVILLE (http://search.breitbart.com/q?s=jacksonville&sid=breitbart.com), Fla., March 27 (UPI) -- A Jacksonville, Fla., judge drew his handgun when an accused child molester was attacked by an alleged victim's father in court.

"I didn't know if he was going after me or the bailiffs or the defendant," Circuit Judge John Merrett told The (Jacksonville, Fla.) Times-Union.

The father, who had not seen the defendant before the court appearance (http://search.breitbart.com/q?s=%22court+appearance%22&sid=breitbart.com), hurdled a railing and landed several punches on the handcuffed and shackled man before bailiffs restored order.

Merrett said that once he saw the situation was under control, he handed his gun to the court clerk (http://search.breitbart.com/q?s=%22court+clerk%22&sid=breitbart.com) and asked her to lock it in a drawer. Merrett has a concealed weapon permit and said he'd do the same thing again, the newspaper reported.

But Duval County Public Defender Bill White said the incident was frightening. He plans to talk to the chief judge about whether judges should be armed in court.

"It's very disconcerting for a lawyer to be in the line of fire (http://search.breitbart.com/q?s=%22line+of+fire%22&sid=breitbart.com)," White told the Times-Union.

The father was charged with felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor battery.


Copyright 2007 by United Press International
denverd0n
March 27th, 2007, 01:45 PM
Stupid lawyer is right. He's not frightened of bailiffs with guns, but he is frightened of a judge with a gun. Doesn't say much about his opinion of judges!

What I don't get is why the judge handed his gun to the court clerk. I'd have just re-holstered it!
Yota
March 27th, 2007, 01:55 PM
Stupid lawyer is right. He's not frightened of bailiffs with guns, but he is frightened of a judge with a gun. Doesn't say much about his opinion of judges!

What I don't get is why the judge handed his gun to the court clerk. I'd have just re-holstered it!

I agree. The judge caved. I bet everyone was probably more freaked out by the gun than by the attacker. People are irrational that way sometimes.

He should have reholstered it and told everyone to STFU.

But IMHO he didn't need to draw.
sweater
March 27th, 2007, 02:11 PM
But IMHO he didn't need to draw.

'cause his own life was not threatened, IMHO.

- mike
ccondrey
March 27th, 2007, 02:13 PM
But IMHO he didn't need to draw.

I'm sure there's more to the story, but based on that account of it I agree with you.
Jake_Blues
March 27th, 2007, 05:53 PM
'cause his own life was not threatened, IMHO.

- mike

I don't see anything wrong with drawing in the defense of someone else's life, especially in a situation like the one described here where you know the person has no cause for violence, the victim is tied up and defenseless, etc.

I do, however, have a problem with anyone drawing in this particular situation. Not because there was no cause, but because it wouldn't have been safe to fire the weapon into a crowd of people. I personally think you shouldn't be drawing your gun unless you are willing to use it and it is safe to do so.

-E
GarageWheeler
March 27th, 2007, 11:25 PM
I do, however, have a problem with anyone drawing in this particular situation. Not because there was no cause, but because it wouldn't have been safe to fire the weapon into a crowd of people.

My first thought was "Hmmm, judge faces the defendant and plaintiff, behind them are the masses." How could you possibly plan a safe shot in that situation? Unless you had a serious plan in advance, sounds like a good way to kill a bystander.

If a guy jumped over the railing and was coming fast, it would be reasonable to think he might be after you if you were a judge.

Steve.
denverd0n
March 28th, 2007, 09:53 AM
If a guy jumped over the railing and was coming fast, it would be reasonable to think he might be after you if you were a judge.
Exactly. And he may have drawn in the expectation that the guy was soon going to be on top of him. And he may have had no intention of shooting into the crowd, but planned to wait until the guy was very nearly on top of him.

In any case, still stupid lawyer to be afraid of a judge with a gun but not afraid of bailiffs with guns, and I still don't get why the judge didn't just re-holster his gun after the incident.
jnschwie
March 28th, 2007, 11:03 PM
Interesting that none of us are allowed guns in court...
Yota
March 29th, 2007, 11:26 AM
Did you all know that prosecutors are considered LEOs, have a badge and are allowed to carry a gun same as a cop? At least in Jeffco they are.
Barf Bag
March 30th, 2007, 09:15 AM
they should have let the father beat him to death then cut him a check for the saved tax dollars. I have no need for child molesters and cant say that I wouldnt try beating the guy to death if he did anything to my daughter.
Jake_Blues
March 30th, 2007, 10:29 AM
they should have let the father beat him to death then cut him a check for the saved tax dollars. I have no need for child molesters and cant say that I wouldnt try beating the guy to death if he did anything to my daughter.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Fairfield police have concluded that a 2-year-old girl was not molested by a neighbor her outraged father is accused of stabbing to death, a police official told The Associated Press Thursday.

Jonathon Edington, a 29-year-old attorney from Fairfield, is charged with killing Barry James on Aug. 28 after his wife told him of the abuse allegation, police said. Edington pleaded not guilty to the charge last week.

``We're confident this 2-year-old was not molested,'' said Capt. Gary MacNamara. ``We are confident in our investigation that Mr. Edington did in fact kill Mr. James. We are as confident in our investigation that Mr. James did not molest the Edingtons' daughter.''



There is a reason why he is an ACCUSED child molester, not a man guilty of child molestation.

-E
Barf Bag
March 30th, 2007, 05:19 PM
If there was proof the daughter was molested and good evidence that the guy did it (obviously was, or else there wouldnt be a court case) then I hold no problems with a dad killing the guy. the case you provided had no evidence the kid was molested, so it doesnt fit my criteria for a guy needing to be killed (for that anyway)

I guess oj didnt kill either, after all, the courts found him not guilty
Yota
April 2nd, 2007, 12:06 AM
NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Fairfield police have concluded that a 2-year-old girl was not molested by a neighbor her outraged father is accused of stabbing to death, a police official told The Associated Press Thursday.

Jonathon Edington, a 29-year-old attorney from Fairfield, is charged with killing Barry James on Aug. 28 after his wife told him of the abuse allegation, police said. Edington pleaded not guilty to the charge last week.

``We're confident this 2-year-old was not molested,'' said Capt. Gary MacNamara. ``We are confident in our investigation that Mr. Edington did in fact kill Mr. James. We are as confident in our investigation that Mr. James did not molest the Edingtons' daughter.''



There is a reason why he is an ACCUSED child molester, not a man guilty of child molestation.

-E

Different case, different situation. Innocent until proven guilty applies to the legal system. But when a dad knows for a fact that the guy did the deed, it's hard to fault him when he goes postal on the turd who harmed his kid.

I think this dad was looking for his own justice. Doesn't make it legal, but it is understandable.
denverd0n
April 2nd, 2007, 09:22 AM
(obviously was, or else there wouldnt be a court case)
Yeah, because obviously no one has EVER been wrongly accused of ANYTHING in this country!

SHEESH!