Current Event- Court Room

From Janine Brady
CNN

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A judge in Niagara Falls, New York, has apologized for jailing nearly four dozen people over a ringing mobile phone in his courtroom, his attorney said Wednesday.

In removing City Court Judge Robert Restaino from office Tuesday, the state Commission on Judicial Conduct called his decision to lock up 46 people after no one claimed ownership of the phone "a gross deviation from the proper role of a judge."

But Restaino's lawyer, Terrence Connors, said Wednesday the judge "profoundly apologizes for his actions" during the March 2005 hearing and will appeal the panel's ruling.

"It is our hope that the Court of Appeals will measure those few hours against a decade of exemplary conduct on the bench," Connors said in a written statement.

But the commission found Restaino's conduct so egregious that his 11 years of service and clean record did not matter.

"We conclude that respondent's behavior ... warrants the sanction of removal, notwithstanding his previously unblemished record on the bench and the testimony as to his character and reputation," the panel ruled.

According to the commission report, Restaino was presiding over a domestic-violence case when a ringing mobile phone interrupted proceedings. When no one took responsibility for the ringing phone, Restaino ordered that court security officers search for the device.

About 70 defendants were in the courtroom that day to take part in a monitoring program for domestic violence offenders. When no one admitted to owning the phone, Restaino heard the remaining cases and then recalled the cases of defendants who had already been released to question them about the phone, according to the commission report.

After all the defendants denied having the phone or knowing who it belonged to, Restaino sent 46 people to jail. Fourteen who were unable to make bail were handcuffed and jailed for several hours.

According to the report, Restaino decided to release defendants only after learning reporters were inquiring about their incarceration.

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Although cell phone rings are extremely disruptive and rude during any sort of public speaking, the way the judge acted during the incident was unbelievable and completely out of order. The judge never should have treated those courtroom members. If a judge, who is a person meant to represent justice and all the is "right", then by Restaino overreacting the way he did, he simply ruined the image of fellow judges. He was right to apologize afterward, and the people who were placed in the jail and weren't able to post bail are definitely deserving some sort of compensation for their time and inconvenience. The court room is a place where all citizens are welcome to witness and experience our judicial system. People shouldn't feel discouraged to be a part of something like the courtroom.

Current Event #1

Commentary: A few states shouldn't decide presidency
By: Ronald S. Martin

As Martin clearly explains in his article, New Hampshire and Iowa are the first two states to hold primary elections. This being true, the candidates that prove popular in these states become the candidates that all the media and America focuses their attention to. This is not fair for many reasons. First being that 10% of American states should not determine the next president of America. Martin believes this can be fixed by holding primary elections in more states around the same time rather than just two states in January. This way the vote will be more accurate as to which candidate America is interested for as future President. Some of the candidates are now focusing their political campaign only on the first four states of the primary elections. Others are focusing on the states with the most delegates. What ever the strategy of the runner may be, it still must remain fair for all Americans in getting an opinion and a vote as to who our next President will be.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/11/14/roland.martin/index.html

Vocabulary # 11

loquacious - talking or tending to talk much or freely; talkative; chattering; babbling; garrulous.

metamorphosis - any complete change in appearance, character, circumstances, etc.

nihilism - total and absolute destructiveness, esp. toward the world at large and including oneself

obsequious - obedient; dutiful.

oligarchy - a form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique; government by the few.

quotidian - usual or customary; everyday

reparation - the making of amends for wrong or injury done

tempestuous - tumultuous; turbulent

tautology - needless repetition of an idea, esp. in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness, as in “widow woman.”

supercilious - haughtily disdainful or contemptuous, as a person or a facial expression.

fatuous - foolish or inane, esp. in an unconscious, complacent manner; silly.

apathy - absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement

loquacious - talking or tending to talk much or freely; talkative; chattering; babbling; garrulous. the loquacious dinner guests kept the evening lively and exciting. He told quite unique stories about his past experiences and future goals. Never bore us for a moment.

i chose this satire of the last supper to show that Jesus had captivated the attention of all the others at the table. They point and whisper about everything he is saying and doing.

quotidian - usual or customary; everyday. Our quotidian tasks of the morning are mastered at a young age so it can be just another thing during our day that we don't need to hassle over. No one has time in the morning to look up how to brush their own teeth, these habitual methods never fail to get the job done thoroughly and quickly.

apathy - absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement. My cat lay apathetically on the floor as our nanny cleaned and vacuumed all around her furry little body. The kitty just lay in the sun patch and purred wildly for attention.