Judge Orders Man's Mouth Duct-Taped Shut in Court

While appearing before a judge in Youngstown, Ohio last Friday facing charges obstructing official business and a traffic offense, 26-year-old Duniek Christian was cursing and generally acting a fool when the judge asked courts officers to get some duct-tape.

Judge Kobly found Christian in contempt of court and sentenced him to 30 days in jail for each time he was considered disorderly or disrespectful to the court. By the time the judge had him removed from the court, Christian had been sentenced to 230 days in jail for contempt. Judge Kobly, according to police reports, also issued an order stating that Christian not return to court until his mouth was duct taped shut.

But it gets worse: Duniek's disruptive behavior continued after he was removed from the courtroom. He was verbally abusive to officers, resisted physically and threatened to beat one officer if he were released from his handcuffs and engaged in a scuffle with officers in the courthouse; he had to be physically restrained and rolled onto an elevator to be taken back to jail. The ACLU calls the judge's actions "inappropriate." Sidebar: In addition to the case for which he was in court for on Friday, Duniek is also facing felonious-assault charges stemming from a 2005 gunbattle with police officers -- while he was driving a stolen car! Sounds like a catch, ladies.

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