A Superior Court judge in Rome, Georgia completely lost his cool last month after murder defendant Denver Fenton Allen went on a heated tirade against him. The altercation, which is recorded in court transcripts, shows an argument between defendant and judge quickly escalating into a shouting match. Judge Bryant Durham Jr. finally snaps, telling the defendant, “You know, you look like a queer.”
The clash began when Allen tried to request a different public defender for his court appearance. When Durham replied that Allen couldn’t choose his lawyer, Allen said he’d represent himself. Durham warned that this would be a huge mistake. The conversation quickly escalated:
Mr. Allen: Go f*ck yourself.
The Court: I’m finding you in contempt of court.
Mr. Allen: I don’t care.
The Court: I know you don’t. And I sentence you to twenty days for that. And if you say anything else, I’m going to add twenty days for everything you say.
Mr. Allen: F*ck you.
The Court: Forty days.
Mr. Allen: F*ck you again.
The Court: Sixty.
Mr. Allen: Go f*ck yourself.
The Court: A year.
Mr. Allen: Your mama.
The Court: Ten years.
Allen is accused of beating a fellow inmate to death in August 2015. In the court transcript, he threatens to kill Durham’s children in a very graphic way. Durham informed Allen that he didn’t have children, so Allen threatened. Durham replied that Allen would have no chance to do so in jail.
Though he was provoked, Durham’s comments may land him in hot water with the state judicial ethics committee. In addition to insulting a defendant, Durham told Allen that he “guess” he’d find him guilty and then Allen would find out “how nasty I really am.”
Later, Allen threatened to start masturbating in the courtroom, only to have the judge encourage him to do so. “I’ve enjoyed this,” Durham said at the end of the session. “I hope you have. I know everybody else in the courtroom has enjoyed it, but you can go now.”
(via AJC)