SAN JOSE, Calif. — A bailiff dragged an accused man out of a Santa Clara County Superior Court courtroom Monday during a recess, delaying resolution of his case to Tuesday.
The accused had appeared in custody and faced four criminal charges. His case was ready to resolve, according to Deputy Public Defender Polina Beckerson.
When the court went on its mid-morning break, the bailiff asked the accused to follow him out of the courtroom. The accused smiled and nodded in apparent agreement but did not stand up. The bailiff raised his voice and repeated the order.
The accused failed to stand up fast enough, so the bailiff walked over to the jury box where he was seated and yanked him up by the shirt. The accused protested, surprised and confused. The bailiff held on to the accused’s shirt as he dragged him out of the courtroom.
The accused protested that the bailiff’s treatment of him was “not cool” and asked why the bailiff was manhandling him.
The bailiff responded that he had asked the accused to get up and exit the courtroom but the accused had not gotten up.
Court resumed and Beckerson asked if the accused could be brought out, as his case was ready to be resolved.
The bailiff responded that the accused could not be brought out because he had had “trouble following directions.”
The case was rescheduled for Tuesday despite Beckerson’s assertion that she was busy that day.
