By Caleb Hutton
A 33-year-old man was held in jail for contempt of court after he muttered he was “guilty until proven innocent” in Whatcom County District Court on Thursday afternoon, Nov. 15.
Kjeld Bjorn, of King County, blamed the outburst on ADHD. He was in court that day to respond to an anti-harassment order. Commissioner Tony Parise ordered him to a one-day stay in jail. (Bjorn is no longer listed on the jail roster as of 5 p.m. Friday.)
We requested video of the lead-up to the tipping point, when Parise decided he’d had enough. The commissioner references Bjorn’s loud ranting in the courtroom — about the alleged injustice of the justice system in Whatcom County — during a recess. It was apparently loud enough for Parise to overhear it in his chambers.
The video is split into two parts. The comment in question comes at the very end of the first video.
The commissioner (judge) seemed furious and borderline unprofessional.
Mama tried…..
What a lil’ jack@$$.
The court systems are not fair at all.
What a dumba$$! Everyone knows that any Whatcom Dsitrict Court is Guilty until proven innocent, and usually then sentenced anyway, but you Cant say it in the freaking courtroom!
Whatcom County DC is a joke…that having been said, this guy is acting like a little b***ch.
What an idiot. I have no sympathy for him.