The Knucklehead of the Day award

Today's winner is another judge with a short temper. Manhattan State Supreme Court Judge William Wetzel is threatening juror candidate Stephen Caruso with jail time. Why? Mr. Caruso called a defendant a scum bag during the 'voir dire' process when asked if he could judge on a defendant's case.

Mr. Caruso told Judge Wetzel his understandable feelings but another corrupt power hungry judge couldn't stand being told the truth. So we have a juror candidate facing jail time and a fine for rattling some oversensitive moron who calls himself a judge. Isn't our judicial system warped or what?

Here is part of the New York Newsday article below. Hat tip to Overlawyered.

Vulgar language may mean jailtime for prospective juror
BY KAREN FREIFELDSTAFF WRITERJuly 2, 2005

A prospective juror may be sent to jail for using a vulgar term to describe an accused kidnapper.

Stephen Caruso, 27, was in Manhattan State Supreme Court Thursday as a potential juror in the case of a defendant who allegedly got into a car in uptown Manhattan last year, put a gun to the driver's head, told him to drive away and demanded his wallet.

"I'm not going to be fair and impartial in this case," Caruso told Justice William Wetzel. "I have been held up three times at gunpoint. One time almost identical, sir, to this."Caruso said later in an interview, he had been on a bus hijacked at gunpoint while attending college in New Orleans in 1997. He added that he was mugged there twicet hat year.

"You would judge the case on what happened to you even if you were satisfied he was not guilty?" the judge asked.

"I am already looking at him, I think he is a scumbag," Caruso responded.Wetzel found the term insulting.

When he asked Caruso his occupation (he's a financial planner), Caruso responded "What does that matter?" The judge asked him to leave the room.

Wetzel later ordered him back to court Friday to show why he should not be held in contempt for his "disorderly, contemptuous or insolent behavior." He also urged Caruso to hire a lawyer.

Yesterday, Caruso returned to Wetzel's courtroom with attorney Norman Steiner.The attorney asked the judge to dismiss the contempt charges. "A prospective juror was nothing short of honest to the court ... although the choice of words might not have been wise," Steiner said."I'm sorry that I used that choice of words ... I'm sorry if I offended the court in any way," Caruso himself added. "My intent was not to be disruptive."

But the judge was not placated. "I have interviewed upwards of 15,000 jurors and I have never experienced such an inappropriate, vulgar, contemptuous occurrence," Wetzel said.Wetzel found Caruso in contempt and set sentencing for July 18. Caruso, who lives on Sutton Place with his wife and babydaughter, faces up to $1,000 fine and/or 30 days in jail.