Florida judge duct tapes vociferous murderer's mouth

AFP ^ | 1-26-05

[Dan from Michigan]

Florida judge duct tapes vociferous murderer's mouth

Wed Jan 26, 3:41 PM ET Offbeat - AFP

MIAMI, Jan 26 (AFP) - A Florida judge reportedly issued his own version of a gag order when he had officers duct tape the mouth of an angry murderer who had been hurling abuse at him.

It took six prison officers clad in body armour and helmets to place the duct tape on the mouth of the defendant, who had earlier tried to bite bailiffs who intended to carry out the judge's orders, the Saint Petersburg Times reported.

Convicted murderer Emory Carter was brought in the Largo, Florida courtroom in a "restraint chair", which a prisons officer said is slightly less severe than the one used on violent psychopath Hannibal Lecter in the movie "The Silence of the Lambs."

"Everything was done properly," said Largo Judge Brandt Downey, who had repeatedly endured verbal abuse, including four-letter expletives, during the trial in which Carter represented himself.

Downey sentenced the convicted murderer to life in prison last month, but had Carter brought back to the court on Monday, after he realized he had forgotten to ask him if he wanted an attorney for the sentencing.

"I only needed to ask him one question, so I said "Duct tape his mouth,' " the Saint Petersburg Times quoted the judge as saying.

Asked if he wanted an attorney, Carter shook his head side to side and offered a muffled "uh-uh" sound.

Downey said it was the first time he has ordered a defendant's mouth taped, though he knows others have done it. Years ago, a Florida judge ordered bailiffs to stuff a sanitary napkin in an inmate's mouth and seal it with tape, according to Public Defender Bob Dillinger.

[DoughtyOne]

Frontier justice with a flair...

[Wormwood]

Duct tape his nose too and you're getting somewhere.

[Celtic Conservative]

When asked how He felt about the unorthodox treatment Carter remarked "mmmph mmmm mmm mm mm!"

CC

[trebb]

Thank God the murder isn't a terrorist prisoner in Iraq - MSM would want the Judge's gonads for this outrageous torture... ;-)

[Cicero]

Wait till a lawyer takes this to an appeals court on the grounds that "uh-uh" may not mean "no." Possibly it might mean "nolo contendere," or "I dunno," or even "I want some more time to think about it."

[1FASTGLOCK45]

I'll bet he's (murderer) going to sue for having his rights violated.

[Darkwolf377]

This story is all wrong, the judge was just helping the prisoner with his Martin Sheen impression.

[Servant of the 9]

Shoulda Duct taped his nose as well.

So9

[hosepipe]

[ Florida judge duct tapes vociferous murderer's mouth ]

Well if your not handsome it pays to be handy...

[steveo]

Cone of silence

[stumpy]

Actually, in Calif. years ago when they were yelling and carrying on and spitting we gagged them with sanitary napkins.

[rapture-me]

Years ago, a Florida judge ordered bailiffs to stuff a sanitary napkin in an inmate's mouth and seal it with tape, according to Public Defender Bob Dillinger.

I'm sure that it was a fresh one but consider the implications if it wasn't. Now this is one recycling concept that would certainly have a positive results. The judge would only have to say, "Shut up or you're next." Talk about effective!

[Publius6961]

They didn't have a hockey mask handy?

[Gunrunner2]

Sad. . .but true!

[JudyinCanada]

Wasn't there a teacher out there who did this recently and was fired for it? Maybe it was up here.

Great idea. Make the tape go around his whole head a couple of times so that pulling it off is REALLY, REALLY PAINFUL!

[Centurion2000]

Why not just put someone next to him with a night stick? when he curses, hit him in the back of the head.

[injin]

I'll bet there was a suitable tree right outside ,
a big ol' tree ....

[pabianice]

'Eight years ago, Emory Carter (then 17) set fire to a church during a night of disturbances in St. Petersburg. After Carter wrote a letter of apology, church leaders forgave him and persuaded a judge to spare him from prison.

'Carter, now 25, was back in court Friday, this time for sentencing in the vicious killing of Mike Kelley during a robbery in St. Petersburg. Carter was not the sorry young man he was after the church fire. He was foul-mouthed and angry. He berated the victim's family, cursed at the judge and asked for the death penalty. "You shut up. F--- you," Carter yelled at Judge Brandt Downey during the sentencing. "Give me my sentence so I can get the f--- out of your ugly face." At one point, Carter spit toward Downey and called him a "filthy dog." "Shut your mouth, b----," Carter yelled at the sister of his victim.. As for Carter, she said: "There's a special place in hell for him. And I hope he finds it."'

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Another Liberal rehabilitation success story.

[EmilyGeiger]

I wonder who got to yank the tape off? Bet that pulled some skin. :)