Tag: Ohio judge orders man’s mouth taped shut during sentencing
Ohio judge orders man’s mouth taped shut during sentencing
An Ohio judge fed up with interruptions ordered a convicted robber’s mouth to be taped shut in court on Tuesday.
Franklyn Williams, 32, who was convicted of three armed robberies, had multiple outbursts during his sentencing despite receiving more than a dozen warnings from Judge John Russo, WJW reports.
Video captured by the station inside the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court shows Williams loudly complaining about his attorneys before Judge Russo interjects, saying, “Mr. Williams, I’m the judge in the matter, shut your mouth and I will tell you when you can talk.”
“If we have to, I will gag you in one second,” Judge Russo adds. “Zip it until I give you a chance to talk.”
When Williams continued to defy the judge’s orders, Russo ordered his mouth to be taped shut. However, one piece of red tape proved ineffective and, after Williams continued to try and speak, the judge instructed deputies to place another piece of tape over his mouth.
Williams was convicted in December on counts of aggravated robbery, kidnapping, theft, misuse of credit cards and having weapons under a disability. On Tuesday, he was sentenced to 24 years in prison after his second trial in the case, according to WJW.
During the first, Williams pleaded guilty and was sentenced to up to 14 years in prison. He was granted an appeal after a court found he was misinformed about when he would be eligible for release.