A judge in Pocatello, Idaho who grew tired of a defendant’s disruptive behaviour came up with an innovative way to maintain order in his courtroom–he ordered the man’s mouth taped shut.
6th District Judge Peter D. McDermott gave the unusual order during a probation violation hearing for 23 year old Nicklas Frasure. Frasure was accused of violating his probation by not taking his prescribed medication, a condition of his release from a state mental hospital.
Witnesses state that Frasure interrupted the proceedings with verbal outbursts and bizarre behaviour, ignoring Judge McDermott’s repeated requests for quiet, before bailiffs silenced the young man with a piece of duct tape.
At the end of the hearing, Judge McDermott hoped that Frasure’s condition would improve under state supervision.
Frasure’s response to McDermott’s decision, upon having his gag removed, was to ask the judge to arm wrestle. [WCBSTV, Image]
