Highlights from Kabuki Village. This disgusting scribe was 30 minutes late for court because he didn’t want to face the press for willfully scratching the vehicle of a Marine who was about to be deployed. So the judge issued a bench warrant! When this cat arrived the judge had him arrested and that was just the beginning of the fun:
TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS held on the 18th of January, 2008, before the HONORABLE WILLIAM P. O’MALLEY, Judge of said court, Branch 29, Chicago, Illinois.
THE COURT: All right. Mr. Grodner is not here. Would one of the sheriffs go out in the lobby to see if he’s there? Otherwise, I’m issuing a warrant for his arrest.
…THE COURT: Bond forfeiture warrant $20,000. Wait around, Pat. He’ll probably wander in and I’ll take him into custody.
(WHEREUPON THE CASE WAS PASSED AND RECALLED.)
THE COURT: Recall Jay Grodner.
THE CLERK: Jay Grodner.
…THE COURT: Yeah. Mr. Grodner — The message I got, which was relayed to my clerk from Mr. Kelly here, says that Mr. Grodner called at 1:40. Of course, he was suppose to be here at 1:30. He knows that since he showed up late, and I warned him about that the last time. He says that he would be here in about a half hour. He wanted the press to clear out. He was told that a warrant was issued. So, for those of you in the press, you might want to know that. But, the warrant should still stand. Should Mr. Grodner appear in this courtroom, he’ll be taken into custody. Should he not appear, the Chicago Police Department can do whatever or execute that warrant.
…(WHEREUPON THE CASE WAS PASSED AND RECALLED.)
THE CLERK: 406, line 7. Jay Grodner.
THE DEFENDANT: Good afternoon, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Yeah, it is good afternoon. It’s 2:00. You were suppose to be here at 1:30. The last time —
THE DEFENDANT: I apologize, Your Honor.
THE COURT: — this matter was up, you showed up at 1:45. I admonished you that the courtroom starts at 1:30. The complaining witness last time was here at 1:30. I struck the warrant at that time that had previously been issued because the complaining witness was still here.
THE SHERIFF: Mr. Grodner, put your hands behind your back.
THE COURT: You were warned once. I got a message that you were — you didn’t want to com here because you wanted to wait for the press to leave. I don’t run my courtroom that way. Yo have no regard for the Court. Bail is increased to $20,000. Take him into custody.
State, I’ll either give him the eight-day date; or, you folks can talk to him and see if he wants to work something out.
THE DEFENDANT: We already have something worked out, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Take him into custody. They can talk to him through there.
THE SHERIFF: Let’s go, Mr. Grodner.
(WHEREUPON THE DEFENDANT TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.)
THE CLERK: 406, line 7. Jay Grodner.
THE COURT: Mr. Grodner, I understand that you made some agreement with the State’s Attorney’s Office.
THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
THE COURT: I told them that it was my intention to just give you the regular court date that I would for any other prisoner. They said that they have reached an agreement with you; and, so, I will attempt to dispose of your case today.
THE DEFENDANT: Thank you, Your Honor.
THE COURT: All right. Mr. Kelly, what have you — Mr. Grodner, I understand that you’re entering a plea of guilty — Let me see the file — to the charge of criminal damage to property. That you knowingly damaged the property of Michael McNulty; such property being a 2002 black BMW, located at 7631 North Eastlake Terrace, without consent in that you rubbed along the passenger side of the vehicle causing scratches. Is that what you did?
THE DEFENDANT: (No response.)
THE COURT: Mr. Grodner, I’m talking to you. Is that what you did?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes. Yes, we have a stipulation to the facts, —
THE COURT: Is that what you did; yes or no?
THE DEFENDANT: Without the “knowingly”, yes.
THE COURT: Sir, I’m asking you did you knowingly cause damage to this car? If you say “no”, then we’ll set it down for a trial date.
THE DEFENDANT: Yes, Your Honor.
THE COURT: You did. Thank you. You realize that I could sentence you to jail for up to one year. Fine you $2500. That by pleading guilty, you’re waiving your right to a jury trial. You’re not going to have a trial at all. Do you understand that?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes, I do.
…THE COURT: And, you have chosen to represent yourself; even though, I continued this case once for you to obtain an attorney. Is that right?
THE DEFENDANT: That’s right.
…THE COURT: All right. Finding of guilty.
…MR. KELLY: Subject to the Court’s approval, we would recommend one year of Court supervision.
THE COURT: Social Services —
MR. KELLY: Social Services. Reporting for the payment of restitution only. The restitution would be in the amount of $600, Your Honor. That’s o be paid on or before January 19, 2008. Those monies will be donated by Social Services to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.
THE COURT: January 19th only gives him until
…THE SHERIFF: Put your hands behind your back.
THE DEFENDANT: [blasphemy deleted — ed.].
THE COURT: You’re the Defendant, sir. You’re in custody. You have to behave as such.
[negotiation with the State]
…THE COURT: Hey, if there is no agreement, we’ll set it down for trial. I don’t have any problem with that.
THE COURT: All right. When is he going to pay this money and what fund is it going to be directed to?
MR. KELLY: It would be directed to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, on College Boulevard, in Oceanside, California. It’s a fund that’s used to treat and rehabilitate Marines and other Service Members who were injured, either physically or psychologically, in the conflict between the United States and Iraq.
THE COURT: When is that going to be paid by?
MR. KELLY: January 25, 2008.
…THE COURT: No. The fees won’t be waived.
…THE COURT: All right. Mr. Grodner, because the State has agreed to this, this is what I will sentence you to. One-year Social Service supervision and that would terminate 1-16-2009 and, $600 restitution to be paid —
MR. KELLY: May I interrupt the Court, Judge?
THE COURT: What?
MR. KELLY: The Defendant has indicated that he’s going to need a month. So, we’re changing the agreement, if the Court will so allow, to February 25th of ’08. One month.
THE COURT: Restitution to be paid 2-25-08.
…THE COURT: You’re fortunate, Mr. Grodner, that you made that agreement with the State. My understanding is that you caused damage to this young Marine sergeant’s car because you were offended by his Marine Corps license plates. I’m going to tell you something, Mr. Grodner. The Marine Corps license plates do not involve anything dealing with an ego. The proceeds go to the Marine Corps Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships for all children of all Marines and Navy Corpsmen that fight and aide the Marine Corps; and, a larger amount of money goes to scholarships for those who have lost their lives. You probably also wondered why there was
a whole crowd of people here today, Mr. Grodner.
THE DEFENDANT: I don’t want wonder.
THE COURT: That’s because there is a little principle that the Marine Corps has and has had since 1775, when they had fought and lost their lives so that people like you could enjoy the freedom of this country; and, that is a little proverb that we follow: “That no Marine is left behind.” So, Sergeant McNulty couldn’t be here; but, other Marines showed in his stead. Take him away.
…THE COURT: ‘m telling you right now, if you violate any conditions of this supervision, you’re going to jail for 364; and, you can count on that.
…THE SHERIFF: That’s it?
THE COURT: Take him back.
THE DEFENDANT: Bond remains at $1,000 recognizance, sir?
THE COURT: You’re going to be released, sir.
—
rsc: Any doubt that judge O’Malley would have quite enjoyed putting Mr Grodner in the can? Judge O’Malley said “we” when speaking of the Marine Corps. Did Grodner have the delicious misfortune of appearing before a(n ex-)Marine?
R. Scott Clark
R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.
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