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April Reign

Speak your mind even if your voice shakes

Judge Stephen F. Belden

Defendant Duct Taped in Court

09/02/2009 by Debra

In a stunning display of violation of rights a judge ordered that not only could the defendant not change counsel he was to have his mouth duct taped shut and his public defender was ordered to sit in the audience.

At the start of the hearing, Brown told Belden that he

wasn’t happy with his public defender, who he claimed hadn’t done enough work on the case.

Belden said he wasn’t going to appoint a different attorney. If Brown didn’t want the public defender, he could represent himself, although he would be a fool to do so, the judge said.

Brown and Belden went back and forth for about four minutes, at times talking over each other, until Belden told his bailiff, Jeffrey Smith, to get the duct tape.

Full Story

Of course many in the comments section are cheering the judge, however, this is denying the same rights to change counsel that a more wealthy person would have [big surprise I know] and also goes against the supposed system of innocent until proved guilty.

Filed Under: america Tagged With: court, Judge Stephen F. Belden, justice

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