Circuit Judge Daniel Rozak obviously does not like yawning in the courtroom. He sentenced Clifton Williams to six months in jail after he let out a loud yawn when his cousin was being sentenced on a felony drug charge. The cousin actually received probation.
The incident occurred in the Will County Courthouse in Joliet.
The judge (and the prosecutor) believed that the yawn was an intentional effort to disrupt the proceedings. However, the Tribune has found that Rozak routinely jails people for everything from cellphone calls to speaking loudly. Indeed, of the 30 judges in the 12th Judicial Circuit, he is responsible for one-third of the contempt charges.
I am very sympathetic to the judge’s effort to respond to disruptions and this may have been a rather transparent effort to interrupt the proceedings or mock the court. However, six months is a ridiculous sentence and Rozak is clearly too-quick-on-the-trigger with contempt sanctions.
I am also curious how Rozak can eliminate the possibility of an involuntary yawn as a matter of intent. There is a big difference between shouting in a courtroom — which is clearly voluntary — and a yawn that (while suspicious) could be innocent.
He is not alone in such excessive responses to courtroom misconduct, here and here and here and here.
For the full story, click here.
So I wonder what troll of the past Larz in his new persona is.
It obviously has been reading for a bit because it has some knowledge of the people here. This new incarnation though is so much more fun. I enjoy being insulted by someone who has all the intellectual gravity of a six year old, not to mention the emotional maturity of a toddler. I would suggest that he stops playing with, before throwing his feces, it can be potentially unhealthy.
OFF TOPIC
I just got through looking a my bank statement(s) that I should have been doing for the last 2 years. My only excuse is that I knew sufficient funds were in the accounts or any over drafts would be taken care of.
I have noticed that I have been double and triple debited for items at one store in particular. Unforgettably this has been going on since February 09. We are talking between 20 and 30 dollar hits 4 to 5 times a month. Has anyone else had the problem with CoMerica?
I acknowledge that it is my responsibility. This was just one area of my life that I did not want to have to deal with as my monthly expenses have been taken care of it was the day to day living expenses that I have been supposed to be in charge of.
To be honest, since I lost 400k in June 08, everything else was chump change. The only savings grace for the kids college is when A-Busch was bought out they tendered cash which has set in a 529 account that I dare not touch. Any incite Buddha, Mespo or others. I would ask for kind reply’s.
Today I went to the Branch bank and I had just looked through June. Even the Hilton Anatole hit me twice for parking. Go figure.
Larz:
“Mespo, why don’t you pull buddha’s dork out of your butt, you might think a little more clearly!”
**********
You are the gift that just keeps giving. Thanks for proving my point so abundantly! 🙂
The judge acted stupidly!
oh please
Go watch Hannity if that’s the best you can do, Larz. Ol Sean appreciates a good man crush. I won’t speak for mespo, but me? Eh, not so much. You dance with whoever you like, just leave me out of it, ‘k?
Mespo, why don’t you pull buddha’s dork out of your butt, you might think a little more clearly!
Larz:
“Mike Spindell, your own socialist agenda is only eclipsed by your own stupidity. I can see why you flunked out of law school, you are a f***in’ moron.”
**********
I see your diction is a perfect indicator of your character and intellect. Funny how that’s usually so.
Mike Spindell attempted to go through gender reassignment. Sadly, he was found to be a non-human anthropoid, sadly sub-human. He will continue to masquerade as a human being albeit chromosomally challenged. Mike, you are living proof that some aborted fetuses make it through the harrowing experience of suction and scraping. You are a testament to life’s ability to adapt and thrive even under the most deleterious of experiences.
Mike, go back to polishing buddha’s knob!
Mike Spindell, your own socialist agenda is only eclipsed by your own stupidity. I can see why you flunked out of law school, you are a fuckin’ moron.
(yawn) :-O LindyLou, :-O (yawn) You did that on purpose! 🙂
The last article on a study on yawning I read confirms your thesis and stated that people are so suggestive about yawning that just reading about it and seeing the word ‘yawn’ repeatedly will make most people yawn :-O
Well done LL!
Have you ever tried to suppress a yawn? If people are thinking they can’t yawn in Judge Rozak’s court, they’re going to yawn just because they’re thinking about yawning. Other people in the courtroom will start yawning because we all know yawning is contagious.
If Judge Rozak has a whole courtroom full of people yawning and trying to suppress yawning, he brought it upon himself.
Yawning is not a sign of fatigue. It arises from the a response from a brain that has grown rather warm, and a yawn brings in cool air over the mouth and throat, giving the brain the fanning it needs. That the brain requires more cooling as it transitions from awake to sleep and back is no surprise: the brain runs in two completely different configurations sleep v. awake, so while you’re falling asleep, the brain is just getting started.
Of course, this judge was an idiot before this revelation, make no mistake.
I wonder the percentage of humans of color in the makeup of the large amount of people the judge has cited for contempt?
Is that the same judge who had a defendant arrested for not sitting down quick enough?
I thought these people were educated and had a little common sense…. Kinda like a 3yr old at the wheel of a monster truck, don’t ya think? Great colleagues JT has…
The judge is clearly feeding his ego and not interested in the people he is supposedly dispensing justice for. What will do to this mans carrer of job opportunities in the future? Would you believe someone who told you they were in jail for yawning? Our misuse of the justice system ruins lives for ordinary people and the disinterest from the LEO (law enforcement officer) to the judge is further eroding the values this nation was founded upon.
So as long as the prosecutor agrees with the judge that is a complete fair and impartial trial?
Well, it certainly is more efficient than those old timey trials where the accused has a defense lawyer talking all that due process and constitutional crapola.
Seig heil the wicked witch of inefficiency is dead lord.
Judge Smails: I’ve sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn’t want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
Yep. “Judge” Rozak needs to be working the dog show circuit.
I guess the Judge does not like getting awakened from his naps. It is story is true, it is time for the Judge to go.