Man jailed 6 months for yawning～大あくびで6ヶ月の懲役～

法廷であくびをしてしまった男性が、法廷侮辱罪として、6ヶ月の懲役を言い渡されてしまった、というお話。

この男性はイリノイ州のクリフトン・ウィリアムズ(33歳)。

彼の従弟が、薬物乱用の罪で法廷執行猶予を宣告されている最中に、法廷にかけつけていたクリフトンが大あくびをしてしまい、それが裁判官の逆鱗に触れてしまい...

裁判所におでかけのときは、くれぐれも前夜の睡眠をたっぷりとってください、というのは冗談で。

この裁判官、やりすぎではないですか？

“判決を言い渡しているときだから、慎んでください”という注意で十分だと思うんですけどね。

なんか、常識の域を超えてるな～

あくびは気持ちいい～

"A judge handed down a six-month jail sentence to a courtroom spectator who yawned during proceedings"

Clifton Williams, 33, went to support his cousin during a hearing on a felony drugs charge, but during the sentencing he stretched his arms and let out a loud, distracting yawn that upset Judge Daniel Rozak enough to sentence him to the maximum penalty for criminal contempt–6 months in jail.

His cousin got just two years' probation, but the yawning got him liams six months in the clink for contempt of court.
A spokesman for the Illinois attorney's office called the yawn "a loud and boisterous attempt to disrupt the proceedings."
But the judge who found him in contempt jails spectators far more frequently than his colleagues—typically for carrying ringing cell phones or shouting during sentencing.

Judges have broad discretion under the law, which defines contempt as acts that embarrass, hinder or obstruct the court in its administration of justice or lessen its authority or dignity.
As long as the sentence is not longer than 6 months, there is no review of the case — unless the offender appeals to the judge or a higher court.

Williams' family is flabbergasted by the decision but can't afford an attorney to appeal.

"It's crazy," his aunt said. "This could happen to any one of us."

Make sure you've had a good night's sleep before going to court in Illinois.

さて、過去に “contempt of court”　「法廷侮辱罪」になった事例でこんなのがありました
“カンガルーのTシャツが法廷侮辱罪に”シンガポール裁判所で、“カンガルーが裁判官のガウンを着て絵がプリントされたTシャツ”を着た男性3人が、やはり懲役刑になったとか。

裁判官ってキレやすいの？

Here is another “contempt of court” case in the past.

"Judge not amused by kangaroo t-shirts"

(November 2008) 3 men who attended court as spectators wearing t-shirts that showed a kangaroo dressed as a judge were guilty.
Justice Judith Prakash, found the men guilty of contempt of court and gave them jail time, as their t-shirts constituted the "worst form of insult possible against the court system here by calling it a 'kangaroo court' ... 'The imputation that the Singapore courts are 'kangaroo courts' was a serious and scurrilous insult that struck at the foundation, the body and the spirit of the justice system in Singapore,' she said in explaining her decision and sentencing."