An Albany man was restrained in a chair and gagged during his trial on charges of aggravated assault on a peace officer, according to a report in the Albany Herald.
Reginald Smith, 41, was put in the restraints -- his head covered with black netting and a white gag wrapped around his mouth, jaw and head -- after he had disrupted court proceedings by screaming and threatening court officers, the newspaper reported.
Even with the ‘Hannibal-Lecter' style restraints, Smith still managed to hurl vulgarities during the trial Thursday, the newspaper reported. He eventually was removed from the courtroom and later found guilty of the assault, carrying a concealed weapon and carrying a weapon without a license, according to the newspaper.
Smith’s attorney, Karen Brown, said that he had not been cooperative in his defense.
When the judge explained Smith’s rights as a defendant during Thursday's court session, Smith began shaking his head from side to side in a violent “No.”
“You have the right to be present at your trial,” the judge said. “You must conduct yourself with the proper decorum; you cannot disrupt the proceeding.”
Asked if he understood, Smith again vehemently shook his head from side to side, “No.” After the jury was seated and a witness began testimony, he became more agitated and, despite his gag, hurled vulgarities at the witness, the newspaper reported.
After the judge cautioned the jury to only take facts presented in evidence into account during their deliberations, and not Smith's behavior, the trial resumed with Smith out of the courtroom.
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