Musings From Abroad

Ohio judge orders defendant’s mouth taped during court hearing

An Ohio judge ordered a defendant’s mouth taped shut during a courtroom hearing, and a media outlet’s video caught the scene of an officer duct-taping the man’s face to silence him

Published

6 years ago

August 4, 2018

Africa News Watch

An Ohio judge ordered a defendant’s mouth taped shut during a courtroom hearing, and a media outlet’s video caught the scene of an officer duct-taping the man’s face to silence him.

The incident took place earlier this week, when a judge in Cleveland, Ohio, ordered Franklyn Williams, 32, to remain silent during his sentencing hearing, according to CNN affiliate WJW.

Despite warnings from Judge John Russo, Williams continued to speak over the judge and his attorneys, according to the video.

The courtroom video, shot by and first aired on WJW, shows Russo repeatedly scolding Williams for talking.

“Mr. Williams,” Russo says on the video, “I’m the judge in the matter. Shut your mouth and I will tell you when you can talk. You got it?”

Russo proceeds to tell Williams that he would like to hear from the defendant’s attorneys first and then will give him a chance to speak, but Williams continues to talk.

“You are trying to take my life, and you are not letting me tell you what’s going on,” Williams says on the video.
After several interruptions, Russo then gives him a last warning.

“Listen to me, if we have to, I will gag you … you will get a chance to talk,” Russo says. “Just zip it, you will get a chance to talk, I’m going to give you a chance to talk.”

Williams continues to talk, and Russo orders for Williams’ mouth to be taped shut, according to the video.
The video quickly caught the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, which characterized the judge’s actions as humiliating to the defendant.

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Musings From Abroad

EU withdraws Niger diplomat after junta accuses it of mismanaging aid

Published

19 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The European External Action Service (EEAS) has announced that the European Union would return its ambassador from Niger after the governing military in the nation questioned how an EU team handled humanitarian supplies intended for flood victims.

In a statement released on Friday, the junta in Niger accused the EU ambassador in the West African nation of distributing a 1.3 million euro flood relief grant to many foreign nongovernmental organisations in an opaque way and without working with the government.

Consequently, it mandated an audit of the fund’s administration.

“The European Union expresses its profound disagreement with the allegations and justifications put forward by the transitional authorities,” the EEAS said.

“Consequently, the EU has decided to recall its ambassador from Niamey for consultations in Brussels.”

Niger has been under military rule since the junta seized power in a 2023 coup.

Musings From Abroad

Mpox remains health emergency, WHO insists

Published

20 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has insisted that the Mpox epidemic remains a public health emergency.

WHO first declared an emergency when a new strain of mpox spread from the severely affected Democratic Republic of the Congo to neighbouring countries in August.

The WHO Director-General has decided that the increase in mpox still qualifies as a public health emergency of worldwide significance after the WHO called a meeting of its Emergency Committee and followed its recommendations.

According to WHO, the decision was made in light of the growing number and ongoing geographic dispersion of cases, field operating difficulties, and the requirement to establish and maintain a coordinated response across nations and partners.

Mpox is a virus that is spread by close contact and usually manifests as pus-filled lesions and flu-like symptoms. Although it is typically minor, it can be fatal.

More than 1,000 suspected deaths and more than 46,000 suspected cases have been reported this year throughout Africa, primarily in Congo.

The WHO’s highest level of warning, known as a “public health emergency of international concern,” was previously used to describe a worldwide epidemic of a different type of mpox in 2022–2023.

This year’s notice was issued in response to the transmission of a novel viral variation known as clade Ib. Among other nations, cases of this variation have been verified in the UK, Germany, Sweden, and India.

Following criticism for moving too slowly on vaccinations, WHO approved Bavarian Nordic’s mpox vaccine in September and listed Japan’s KM Biologics vaccine for emergency use earlier this month.