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Judge issues restraining order to protect lawyer
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Posted on Jul 15 2011
The Superior Court has issued a temporary restraining order against a former businessman who allegedly made threatening gestures at a lawyer after a hearing on a contempt issue.
Yesterday, Juan B. Roberto, a former businessman, became unruly in court and threatened to commit suicide shortly after associate judge David A. Wiseman ordered him to start serving a 10-day prison term for contempt.
Three court marshals subdued Roberto, who kept yelling that he does not deserve jail term and kicked the court’s doors. About three police officers assisted the court marshals in getting him inside a police car.
Roberto’s contempt case arose from his dispute with a former wife. Roberto was found in contempt by the court several times when he failed to comply with the court’s order to return his former wife’s diamond ring, laptop and Rolex watch, or make a good faith offer of payment.
Attorney David G. Banes, counsel for Roberto’s former wife, also requested a TRO against Roberto, stating that after the hearing on June 9, 2011, Roberto drove around to where he (Banes) was walking to his vehicle, rolled down his window, made threatening gestures, then drove off. On Wednesday, Wiseman granted Banes’ request for TRO.
At yesterday’s hearing, Wiseman found Roberto not complying with the court orders and ordered him to start serving his 10-day sentence. The judge ordered him to return to court on July 26 at 1:30pm.
When Wiseman left the courtroom, Roberto told his current girlfriend he will not go to prison as he has not committed any wrongdoing.
After the court marshals handcuffed him, Roberto threatened to hang himself instead of going to jail. The two marshals had to call for backup as Roberto began challenging the marshals to shoot him, even as his girlfriend tried to calm him down.
Roberto kicked the doors of the courtrooms and the marshal’s office and kept yelling. Two police officers later arrived and Roberto was brought to the Department of Corrections.
