A judge in Harnett County, North Carolina, put a man in prison for showing up for jury duty without a face mask.
Gregory Hahn, 47, was jailed for contempt of court after he refused to wear a face mask in Judge Charles Gilchrist’s courtroom. Gilchrist is reportedly the only judge in the county who has implemented a mask mandate.
On Monday, Hahn appeared for orientation with 98 other people who were summoned for jury duty. He says that prior to showing up on Monday, there was no notice that jurors were required to wear masks.
“There were signs saying no masks were required,” Hahn told local news station WRAL-TV. “We all walked in.”
According to Superior Court clerk Renee Whittenton, everyone in Gilchrist’s courtroom is required to wear a mask, and the jurors were notified of this requirement at check-in.
“You can go in any district courtroom without a mask, you can come into superior court without a mask and the [district attorney’s] office without a mask, but with Judge Gilchrist he has a mandate that you must wear a mask,” Whittenton told WRAL.
The clerk said that any juror who did not have one was provided with a mask to wear.
But Hahn said potential jurors were not told about the mask requirements. There was no notice on his summons. And there is not signage at the courthouse indicating masks are required.
“I said, ‘I’m not going to wear a mask,’” Hahn said. “He said, ‘I understand you don’t want to wear a mask,’ and I said, ‘That is correct, sir,’ and he says, ‘Why?’”
Hahn said the judge asked him again if he would refuse to wear a mask in the courtroom. He told Gilchrist that was correct.
“[Gilchrist] said ‘24 hours in the Harnett County jail,’” Hahn told WRAL.
Hahn was then handcuffed, booked, and taken to jail under no bond for contempt of court.
“I never thought this could happen in this country,” Hahn said.
Harnett and Lee Counties issued a joint order on March 10, 2022, permitting the presiding judge in each courtroom to decide, at their discretion, whether masks are required, WRAL reported. Masks are optional in hallways, foyers, restrooms, meeting rooms, and other areas elsewhere in the courthouse.
Hahn said he asked the judge if he could be excused since it was one day in jail.
He recounted that Gilchrist said, “I could, but I’m not going to.”
Hahn, a single father, also asked if he could call his son at home. The judge refused, Hahn said.
“I was dumbfounded,” Hahn said. “I felt it was bullying.”
He told WRAL that his 24 hours spent in jail were the worst of his life and accused the judge of bringing in his personal beliefs into the courtroom.
“I’m jailed for doing my civic duty and not doing anything,” Hahn said. “It’s mind-boggling.”
He added that the judge acted hypocritically and told WRAL he’s considering filing a lawsuit.
“The irony of this whole thing is that the judge was talking to me without a mask on,” Hahn told WRAL.
He told WRAL that his 24 hours spent in jail were the worst of his life and accused the judge of bringing in his personal beliefs into the courtroom.
First time…?
the maggot piece of human sludge judge (what a Joke) would have never done it to an illegal alien Hispanic who sit on our juries all the time as well as a Black serving on the jury in that crap county outside of that S _ _T Hole City Raleigh in Wake County run by Communist Libtard Freak’s.
Little black book coming out down yonder .
You’d be hard pressed to find a bigger group of assholes than judges. Virtually ALL of them have egos that would make God’s look tiny. And most of them deserve to be strung up from lamp posts…if for no other reason than general principle for being a member of the most corrupt profession in America.
Agreed. Seems like it would not be hard to find this judge and have a “talk” with him. Late at night, deep in the woods…
this anti constitutional group of evil murderers must be one of the first group of treasonous pigs to be removed by force along with their henchmen in the media and hanged. then the people will take out the rest of the vermin in the federal government and the bureaucracy they have constructed over the last 60 years. then the state as well as down to the local level of vermin.
The Judge is No Different than a Suicide Bomber.
I seem to be missing your point.
on the plus side, he no longer has to worry about jury duty.
Mr Silver Lining
You need to read the whole article.
The judiciary are nothing more than little fiefdoms.
They are a good deal LESS than fiefdoms. In a feudal society, there were more constraints on petty rulers.
In America, this abuse of citizens would be considered an affront to the very foundation of law. However, we’re not in America anymore.
Your right.
Why would anyone be registered to vote or participate in the equally absurd fuction of a “trial”? It’s all FAKE, when are people gonna get it?
Candidate for rule 308!
The judge’s statements and actions, in this case, were a blatant example of gross abuse of judicial power and showed a total disregard of, and disrespect for, the civil and constitutional rights of Mr Hahn. The judge is nothing more than a damned tyrant and should not only be removed as a judge, but should be disbarred from the practice of law for the remainder of his worthless life.
This is the problem. The Judge has ZERO medical knowledge. Masks DO NOT filter out many germs least not Covid. This all goes back to real science. The weave of the cloth in cloth masks, vs the paper disposable masks. Cloth is guess work. Paper masks have filter dynamics on the side of the box. Next look up your germ. Paper masks are for keeping your breath and germs to yourself NOT prevention. Go ask hospital employees… they know. And Judges make rules based NOT on science.
just another scum maggot liberal commie judge who needs to be removed by force when the culling begins of the vermin running this nation!!!!