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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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Judge Jails Yawning Man for 6 Months

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(Newser) – Make sure you've had a good night's sleep before going to court in Illinois. 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. His cousin got just two years' probation, but the yawning got Williams 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. 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."

An Illinois judge tossed a courtroom spectator in jail for six months for yawning. The judge has a history of tough contempt rulings.
An Illinois judge tossed a courtroom spectator in jail for six months for yawning. The judge has a history of tough contempt rulings.   (©stevelyon)
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24 comments
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Reader60610265
Aug 11, 09 8:21 AM CDT
That must have been some yawn . but unless the man had done this great offence many times and had been warned ,six months is really excessive..I don' blame the judge when it comes to cell phones and the yelling . Reply
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+2
npkimmey
Aug 11, 09 8:33 AM CDT
Isn't this, um, illegal? Reply
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+1
IN RESPONSE:
Timinator2K
Aug 11, 09 9:30 AM CDT
No, judges have a lot of power to screw you over with.
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+3
IN RESPONSE:
IndependentThinker
Aug 11, 09 10:14 AM CDT
Not illegal, but it should be unlawful. But we have laws that actually back up this abuse of power.
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+6
schmidtkoff
Aug 11, 09 8:33 AM CDT
it's a good thing he wasn't passing disruptive loud gas accompanied with noxious fumes that would probably have gotten him 12 months and a bottle of beano. Reply
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+7

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