Friday, September 9, 2011
Police beat Senator Holland fails to follow judge's order
Posted by Max Brantley on Fri, Sep 9, 2011 at 12:04 PM
Much as I like the photo of Sen. Bruce "Fireball" Holland in his cowboy hat, I thought a more appropriate shot would be a Perry County jail mugshot taken yesterday following his conviction in Perry District Court of fleeing a deputy, speeding and improper passing in a high-speed cannonball run across two counties in his Nissan 350Z. He was sentenced to 400 hours of community service and fined $890.
No photo is available. Chief Deputy Mike Surrett of the Perry County sheriff's office checked the record for me and said Holland apparently never appeared for booking at the jail. There is no mugshot, no fingerprints and no booking record.
District Judge Elizabeth Wise ordered Holland to report to the Perry County detention center to be fingerprinted on Thursday. The court docket reflects that order, in writing. There's no record he appeared, Surrett says. He did, according to Court Clerk Barbara Gipson, sign a "time pay agreement" in which he agreed to pay the $890 fine in 30 days or service notice of an appeal of the conviction to circuit court. She said such agreements are routine in district court cases.
I called Holland and his attorney, Bill Walters, for an explanation on the senator's apparent failure to follow the judge's order. Walters is on medical leave now. But Holland called back:
He said Walters had told him he didn't have to appear at the jail because he planned to appeal. "He advised me not to go there yesterday. I'm in discussions with him now as to what has to be done right now. We'll do what has to be done."
I told Holland I was no lawyer, either, but I was surprised somebody had decided not to follow a judge's direct order. "I'm no attorney and that's why I was acting on his [Walters'] advice." He added, "I'm not trying to break any laws. I'm trying to do what I should do." He said he'd appear at the jail if, on reconsideration, his lawyer thought that was the proper course.
I asked Prosecutor Larry Jegley about Holland's failure to appear at the jail. He said that, first, of course his appearance was required. "He was told to do that. That’s why he has trouble. He acts like he should not be treated like anyone else. I hope he'll do what the judge told him to do."
Comments (12)
Showing 1-12 of 12
With such reckless conduct, disdain for the law and an ability to be elected despite moral failings, he is obviously well qualified to move up to US Congress.
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“I hope he'll do what the judge told him to do."
Hope?
“Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper.”
Sir Francis Bacon
Two words:
Bench
Warrant
To be followed by two more:
Perp
Walk
He's just doing his best to set a positive example for young people of Arkansas. It's just that following directions is not his strong suit.
Sometimes "prominent" people who are arrested on charges like these that don't hurt a soul, or a DUI, are allowed to skip the booking procedure. I have a friend who is a judge, and when he notices that the defendant was never booked, he sends him straight from the middle of his arraignment (probably the wrong word - initial appearance?) to the jailhouse for fingerprinting, etc. he doesnt believe anybody is above the law, a view that this important legislator dont have to share because Lord knows how busy he is making and breaking laws.
What an idiot he is.
p.s. I was being sarcastic there in my first sentence; I hope nobody thinks I really meant that.
Years ago, we had a state senator from up here in Benton County who was arrested in Little Rock for a DWI. He immediately pled guilty at his arraignment, admitted to the court that he was impaired, and took his punishment. He was reelected without any problem. Honesty is always the best policy in these type of cases. He had one article in the newspaper, rather than the several he would have had if he had decided to fight it.
Wait a dang minute! The head of the state Anarchist Party, Doyle Webb, steals (oh, excuse me, "converts") something like $400,000 of an old woman's money to his own personal use and we are worried about Fireball's actions?
Those boys are corrupt from top to bottom and their Anarchist pals love them to death for it.
Republican Senator or not, I don't understand the logic of progressives pushing this law & order nonsense.
Equal treatment under the law is a progressive / liberal value.
Too many people forget it was us who wrote the Bill of Rights, and one reason for doing so was to make sure that people in power, like this conservative joker, are not treated differently than common folk.
Conservatives respect kings, money and power; liberals respect the law, fairness and equal treatment.
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