Another lawyer chided by Senior Magistrate
The episode was ignited and resulted in Ms Richards stamping her authority to take control of her courtroom after Crown Counsel Leslie Ann Faulkner had made certain disclosures to Mr Penn and subsequently asked him to sign a document. He had opened the document by breaking the seal and browsing its content.
Once this was done, as this news site understands it, he was required to sign as having received but it appeared that he had issue/s with a date that was on the document. Ms Faulkner appeared to have been explaining something to Mr Penn as she repeatedly tried to convince him to sign.
Stepping in, Magistrate Richards, stated, "I don't know what ‘jumbie’ has come in and plague this place," as she chokingly continued, "I am not a baby sitter and I am not a social worker either."
She said that Mr Penn is new at the bar and may not be familiar with certain Modus Operandi but insisted that should not treat members of the bar in the manner he did.
After several futile efforts to encourage Penn to sign the document or hand it back to Ms Faulkner, Ms Richards told him that hundreds of thousands of dollars were invested in training and it shouldn't be made to appear as it was in vain.
Toning down, Ms Richards then said softly, "I have had enough," and continued with the case at hand.
Penn did manage, however, to stick in a few words on his behalf.
Lawyers speak out
"We are not given the opportunity to give our side and it appears to persons as if we are the ones at fault. Many of these instances are simple matters of procedures of law that are not being upheld by our learned colleagues but we are never given that opportunity to have our take on whatever the matter is reflected in the records," said one Attorney at Law.
Another chimed in stating, "It sometimes, rather almost all the time, makes it appear like the Crown is the angel and we on the other side are the devils. They (Crown) get to defend their stand but we are not and in cases like that it would definitely set precedencies, cause a bad light of criminal lawyers and have it look as if the Crown has the right to do as they wish and we must stoop like the puppy with our tails between our legs and bow. This must stop."
Lawyer thrown out of court
It was only on March 16, 2015 that a lawyer was asked to “excuse” himself from the courtroom after his behaviour was considered disrespectful to Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards.
Attorney-At-Law Leroy Jones had earlier exchanged words with a court officer before he was chided by the magistrate and subsequently asked to leave the courtroom as he was seen to have been disrespecting her orders and the court.
On March 10, 2015 another lawyer, who was objecting to the manner in which another member at the bar had posed a question to a witness, was rebuked by the Senior Magistrate.
“Yall getting rude in 2015,” Senior Magistrate Richards had said loudly.
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15 Responses to “Another lawyer chided by Senior Magistrate”
Strupes...let me sip by tea budy.
A Jumbee, jumbie or mendo is a type of mythological spirit or demon in the folklore of some Caribbean countries. Jumbee is the generic name given to all malevolent entities; however, there are numerous kinds of jumbees, that reflect the Caribbean’s complex history and ethnic makeup, drawing on African, Amerindian, East Indian, Dutch, English, and even Chinese mythology.
I am so surprised that a judicial officer, as I myself was one, would make these comments in court. Dis Ms. Richards do a course in Legal Ethics. If she did, she certainly needs a refresher.
I do hope that the Chief Justice is reading these articles because she is one respectful woman and would never condone such arrogance of the Senior Magistrate. Shame on you Your Warship!!!!