She slammed a courtroom door on her way out.

[left-of-center2012]

She slammed a courtroom door on her way out.
A Virginia Beach, VA, judge sentenced her to 10 days in jail.

Sonnia Gaston came to Virginia Beach’s courthouse on Wednesday to testify in support of her boyfriend. Instead, she ended up in jail.

Gaston’s boyfriend, Tyrese Lavell McEachern, had been called to court for violating his probation on a felony theft conviction by testing positive for drugs, according to testimony. He had also yelled and cursed at his probation officer over the phone before hanging up. Circuit Judge Stephen Mahan seemed particularly offended with how the 20-year-old had treated his probation officer. He sentenced McEachern to 90 days in jail.

After McEachern was led away, Gaston and another witness stormed out of the courtroom. That didn’t sit well with the judge. Gaston slammed one of the double wooden doors on her way out. Once she and the other witness were in the hallway, someone yelled. Around the same time, a shout could be heard from the lockup area next to the courtroom where McEachern had been taken. A short time later, Gaston returned to the courtroom to pick up a binder that had been left behind.

That’s when Mahan called her to the defense table to explain her behavior. “I was mad,” the 18-year-old said, offering no apology for her actions. Mahan found her in contempt of court and sent her to jail — for 10 days. Gaston briefly started to protest before being quietly led away in handcuffs.

https://www.pilotonline.com/news/crime/vp-nw-slammed-courtroom-door-20191107-6fgpkrib3zg5lch5yxrop6s7ua-story.html

[left-of-center2012]

2. Not everything on DU has to be about Washington

Some even post recipes in the cooking section.

Some folks like to read the non-Washington posts.

Some like a diversion.

Some like to read something different.

[chowder66]

5. That's ridiculous.

Seems to me the Judge is a bit of a snowflake or just got some $$ for the stint.

[canetoad]

6. Sorry, but I don't agree

The judge is preserving norms and civility, so often forgotten in the age of Trump.

[USALiberal]

8. Really? 10 days? Maybe overnight! nt

[sir pball]

9. Yeah, ten days is wicked excessive, but I am OK with the contempt charge.

I've been in court once, and the first thing my attorney told me was DO NOT PISS OFF THE JUDGE!

That said, ten days is insane - but a night would be fine with me.

[Quixote1818]

15. Ten days for that????? Are you serious? nt

[okieinpain]

20. Agree n/t.

[Celerity]

7. I have zero issues with this nt

[sir pball]

10. Eh, ten days for slamming a door is a little overboard IMO

I absolutely agree it was disrespectful and foolish, and deserving of a contempt charge (you don't get to storm out and slam the door on a judge, even Rapeanaugh), but now she's out a week of work and maybe childcare. A day in would teach her exactly the same lesson as a week. Fitting the crime and all that.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

12. did you witness the event?

I wasn't there, so I do not know if the reporting accurately portrays the event. A judge should control the court room.

[sir pball]

13. Not arguing that whatsoever

But most people get less than ten days on contempt even for cursing out a judge - I'm pretty sure if she did anything other than slam the door, the record would show as such, and the court isn't reporting otherwise (yes, I do have faith in court records). It's not a bad charge, just a bad punishment IMO.

[Quixote1818]

16. Don't care, people get upset because they are human. 10 days is simply too much period. nt

[Hermit-The-Prog]

17. judges get upset, too ...

I wasn't there; the judge might be over-reacting or be justified. For all I know, this may keep this young person from future, more serious interactions with the judiciary.

[sir pball]

18. 10 days is too much, contempt is fine.

You simply Do Not slam the courtroom door. Yes, ten days is way overkill, but a night in jail would be fine by me.

How would you feel if Ghouliani slammed the door on a judge?

[okieinpain]

21. Or they are asses. N/t.

[nini]

11. I hope they don't reproduce

That's the least they can do for society.

[cwydro]

14. Good.

Serves her right.

I doubt she’ll have to serve the whole ten days, but perhaps she has learned a lessons she should have learned years ago.

[uncle ray]

19. i bet an apology to the judge would go a long ways towards reducing her sentence.

[Buckeyeblue]

22. 10 days seems excessive

I could see a fine. More than likely the 18 year old didn't know what she was doing. Maybe a threat of jail time with a one time warning would have been more appropriate.