Comments by "Mat Broomfield" (@matbroomfield) on "Louie Gohmert Admits to Duct-Taping Defendant's Head While TX Judge" video.

  1. I realise that duct taping is primitive, but if you have a defendant who refuses to stop speaking out of turn, but who needs to be present during his own trial, how else should he be dealt with? Perhaps the court should keep a Hannibal Lector bondage mask on standby instead?
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  2. No, I definitely see where you're coming from, but the trial literally cannot continue unless he is silenced. Taping his mouth shut was needlessly demeaning and prejuducial I agree, but he had to be silenced somehow. Threatening him with contempt is a piffling threat. If all a person had to do to avoid trial was to disrupt it so much that it could not continue, every criminal would do it!
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  3. A massive part of the legal system in any civilised country is based upon the jury getting to read the defendant's body language and reactions. If he is out of the court, that gves him a significant advantage. If he demonstrates that he is too ignorant to follow the court rules, then he needs to be treated accordingly. Personally, a soundproof booth would have sufficed, but it's foolish that the legal system should have to adapt to him, not the other way around.
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