By S. Priana Aquino
ALAMEDA, CA – Fred Earl Clark appeared in Alameda County Superior Court Courthouse 702 for a plea hearing last week. And it wasn’t the normal appearance observers are used to seeing.
As soon as he was called, Clark asked to address the court. Judge Jacob Blea allowed him to do so, so long as he did not refer to the case in which he was being called for that day.
“I just want to know what everyone’s opinions are on this…when that judge said three times and wrote down on that police report that there was no contest in the police report…now they somehow have a contest,” stated Clark.
“Somehow, mysteriously there’s a contest in the report. Did they somehow find a contest on this?” asked the accused, who, according to court records, is facing felony firearm charges.
Judge Blea was quick to interrupt Clark, repeating his request that nothing on the case was to be brought up while he was talking.
“I’m just asking, did they find something serious?” Clark asked, interrupting the judge, who again reminded Clark that he was not allowed to speak to anything involving the case.
At this time, Clark was asked if he had been able to secure representation for himself. He continued to cause commotion, despite being told several times to refrain from speaking out.
“I just spent a year and a half dealing with the public defender (who) the state ordered to sit on his hands,” exclaimed Clark. The judge and courtroom staff continued to try to appease Clark’s requests, and ultimately informed him that his case would now be set out to a further date.
After further outbursts from Clark, an attorney interning for the court informed the defendant of the situation he had put himself in.
“We are very concerned that you are endangering your rights here,” the attorney stated. He explained that Clark had been told multiple times to not discuss the case, and in doing so, was harming his own right to a fair trial.
At this time, the attorney asked Judge Blea to begin calling other matters that were on the calendar. To this, Clark began to speak over Blea in protest.
“Deputy, can you mute Mr. Clark?” asked Blea, setting the accused’s next court date for April 1.
In response, Clark said “I wanted to hear [from] you, but I haven’t been able to contact you guys for three to four weeks…I don’t know how I’m going to get back here.”
“We’ll make it work,” stated Judge Blea. As he was wrapping up Clark’s plea hearing, the defendant continued to speak over the judge.
“This is absolute nonsense. It’s all about corruption” Clark yelled.
The court staff scrambled to mute Clark’s microphone and could be heard laughing in exasperation when they finally removed him from the courtroom.
