Man Gets Jail For Yawning

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(Aug. 10) -- As Clifton Williams sat in the courtroom in Joliet, Ill., awaiting his cousin's sentencing on drug charges, little did he know he would soon be the one in jail.
As Judge Daniel Rozak sentenced Williams' cousin to two years probation, Williams yawned, an act that earned him six months in jail on contempt charges, the Chicago Tribune reported.
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Williams' father said he was "flabbergasted" by the sentence, the maximum issued for a contempt charge without a jury trial. "It seems to me like a yawn is an involuntary action," Clifton Williams Sr. told the newspaper.
The court disagreed. While Rozak did not comment on the charges, a state's attorney's office spokesman, Chuck Pelkie, said Williams did not let out a "simple" yawn. "It was a loud and boisterous attempt to disrupt the proceedings," he said.
According to the Tribune, Rozak is particularly fierce on courtroom decorum, issuing contempt-of-court charges at the highest rate of any judge in the county. The broad discretion of judges to control their courts has prompted Rozak to file contempt charges against people for everything from swearing to not silencing their cell phones.
However, some of the people Rozak assigned harsh sentences to were shown leniency if they apologized.
Williams will have to serve as least 21 days, the Tribune reported, and he has been locked up since July 23. In a letter to his family, Williams wrote, "I really can't believe I'm in jail."
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Source: http://news.aol.com/article/clifton-williams-jailed-for-yawning/610205


...What???
 
It's power-hungry idiots like this who should go to jail. At the most he should have gone to jail for a night or so if he was truly trying to disrupt things.
 
Water Pokémon Master said:
It's power-hungry idiots like this who should go to jail. At the most he should have gone to jail for a night or so if he was truly trying to disrupt things.
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Or kicked out of the courtroom for the duration.

So...if I clear my throat, will I be jailed as well? =S
 
Six months?! Talk about overreacting! Just imagined what he would of done if he sneezed.
 
...He gets jailed for six months for yawning?

...wtf? No wonder why my faith in humanity is long gone.
 
You have got to be kidding me.....just for yawning?
 
Well, we didn't hear the actual yawn.

But six months is still way too much.
 
Careful what you say, everyone! If Rozak sees this thread, he'll have you all arrested for contempt of court! D:
 
Facepalm, much?

Careful what you say, everyone! If Rozak sees this thread, he'll have you all arrested for contempt of court! D:
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I think I'll say what I like about Rozak. If he tries to get me arrested for something irrelevant such as yawning, he can go to hell.
 
Actually, I've heard that yawning is an attempt to make your mind more focused. Don't know if it's true, but if it is, he was just paying attention.

This is one of the most ridiculous charges I've seen.
 
And while there are rapists and murderers out in the streets, you can get arrested and jailed for yawning. Stupid crap this is, It's probably one of those stupid laws I read about.
 
I think it's actually quite fair. It goes to show you not to disrupt anything in the Court of Law.

And I was skeptical when I read the title, however, after reading the entire article, I seen this...

Statement from Article
A state's attorney's office spokesman, Chuck Pelkie, said Williams did not let out a "simple" yawn. "It was a loud and boisterous attempt to disrupt the proceedings," he said.
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So, they probably warned the man and he may have continued to do it. I don't think a judge would just go and say, "Well I heard you yawn so you're going to jail for 6 months."

He must've had a good reason, so in other words the man got what he deserved.
 
Yeah, I wasn't there so I don't know, but I would guess that they wouldn't just charge someone with contempt just for yawning, like ^ says, it was probably disruptive and stuff.
 
On the other hand, nutjob judges do exist.
 
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