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TheHawaiiChannel.com
Judge Puts Man Behind Bars Over 'Thank You, Jesus'

POSTED: 4:26 pm HST July 14, 2006
UPDATED: 4:59 pm HST July 14, 2006

HONOLULU -- A state judge on Friday refused to apologize to a man he
put behind bars for shouting "Thank you, Jesus" in his courtroom.

Junior Stowers awaited the verdict in his domestic abuse trial last
week. A lot was at stake for Stowers. As an immigrant, if he was
convicted he could be deported and could lose his position as a youth
volunteer at his church.

The judge was Patrick Border. Gov. Linda Lingle appointed him two years
ago.

Just before the verdict was read, the judge whispered a warning to the
attorneys.

Dialogue from the trial:

"No displays of emotion one way or another by anyone in the case. You
understand?" Border said in court.

Defense attorney Carmel Kwock said she didn't have time to warn her
client. The verdict came four seconds after the judge's warning.

Dialogue from the trial:

"We, the jury, in the above entitled case find the defendant not
guilty," the jury foreman said.

"Thank you, Jesus!" Stowers exclaimed.

"You be quiet. OK, we will be in conference after that," Border said.

"He wanted to apologize, and the judge cut him off and didn't let him
apologize," Kwock told KITV on Friday.

Dialogue from the trial:

"May I approach the bench, your honor?" Stowers said.

"No, you may not," Border said.

"Your honor, he just wants to apologize," Kwock said.

"Well, I think I had earlier alerted counsel, and I had in previous
cases," Border said. "This kind of behavior, outbursts are not
permitted."

The supervising public defender, Ronnette Kawakami, said she was
shocked to see the judge order Stowers locked up.

"He was placed in handcuffs in front of his family, in front of his
family and taken down to the cellblock for nothing other than saying,
'Thank you, Jesus' in a loud voice," Kawakami said.

Six hours later, Border defended his action.

"It was observed within my presence. It was behavior that was more
characteristic, more applicable for the swap meet or a major contest,"
Border said.

Stowers remained in custody for four to five hours.

A week later, Border dropped the contempt charge, agreeing that Kwock
didn't have a chance to warn her client before the verdict. On Friday,
Border refused to make any other comment or offer an apology.

Stowers told his lawyer he is not looking for an apology. He said he
just wants to get on with his life.

As for Border, except for the reappointment process that comes around
only every 10 years, there is really no mechanism in Hawaii for judging
the behavior of judges, KITV reported.
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