HONOLULU - Junior Stowers raised his hands and exclaimed, "Thank you, Jesus!" in court last month when he was acquitted by a jury of abusing his son. But his joy was short-lived when Circuit Judge Patrick Border held him in contempt of court for the "outburst" and threw him in jail. Stowers, 47, sat in the courtroom and a cellblock for about six hours until the judge granted him a hearing on the contempt charge and released him.
Sounds like someone is taking separation of church and state too far, especially considering that most states still swear in witnesses with "...so help me god." But, it turns out, there was an even stranger reason behind it.
Court minutes said Border later dropped the charge because he realized Stowers' trial lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Carmel Kwock, did not have time to tell Stowers the judge had ordered both sides not to show emotion when the verdict was announced.
Say what?! The court can order people not to show emotion over verdicts?! They can hold a person's life in their hands, but expect that person not to show any emotions? I'm having a little trouble understanding that one.
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