Mona Lotz was scheduled for trial yesterday in District Court. She was facing several counts of theft and knew it was highly likely that she would do time. Knowing she'd be unable to go for days without being on her phone, she realized she'd have to take it to court with her if she wanted to talk on it while behind bars. She also knew that if a bailiff saw her in the courtroom with her phone, it would most likely be confiscated. So she put it in the one place where she figured few would think to look.
However, Lotz's plan was not without consequences. She managed to get into court without being caught with her phone. The problem was that the phone was in vibrate mode and she forgot to turn off the phone before hiding it. So right as she was called to the stand to testify in her own defense, she received a call.
Her attorney, Bob Dunley, said, "I didn't know what was going on with my client. She was writhing around, screaming and moaning. I didn't know what was happening, but I was wishing she'd quit. Judge Franks doesn't take too kindly to disruptions in court."
Judge Franks found her to be in contempt of court. As the bailiffs were leading her out of the courtroom in handcuffs, a cell phone fell down her pants leg. The next day, as her trial resumed, police offered new testimony, saying that the phone that fell out of her pants leg was indeed a phone she was accused of stealing. She was sentenced to 6 months.
Dunley says, "This is the sort of behavior that I generally warn my clients against. You don't smuggle things into court, and you don't bring anything you've stolen to court with you."
The Sheriff's office has confirmed that Lotz will be placed in a segregated cell for her protection.
One of the Bailiffs, Jerry Smith, says, "Due to this incident, we want to make sure that other inmates don't try to make her carry on as she did in court. It would be too much trouble to tell all the other inmates that she is only attracted to cell phones and that they should leave her alone."
