Judge uses gay slur and challenges difficult defendant to carry out masturbation threat
A Georgia judge traded insults with a murder defendant and told the public defender: “I’m sorry you’re stuck with him” in a courtroom confrontation earlier this month.
The Rome News-Tribune was first to report the “heated exchange” on June 17 between Judge Bryant Durham Jr. and Denver Fenton Allen, who is accused of beating another inmate to death.
Allen told the judge, “F— you” and repeatedly implored him to “s— my d—,” according to a transcript posted by Above the Law. Other publications covering the dustup include the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Washington Post.
Allen also threatened to cut Durham’s children into pieces and “knock their brains out with a [f—–] hammer and feed them to you.” Durham said he didn’t have any children, prompting Allen to threaten other relatives, including the judge’s “grandkids.”
Allen had sought a new public defender after complaining that the lawyer had not given him the autopsy report and other discovery materials. Allen proceeded to assert that the public defender performed a sex act on him in exchange for the legal representation. “I hold myself in contempt if you try to pull me up here to court with that attorney,” Allen said.
After Allen told Durham to “go f— yourself,” Durham said he was sentencing Allen to 20 days in jail for contempt. Allen responded, “F— you,” prompting the judge to increase the sentence to 40 days. Allen responded with more X-rated insults. The back-and-forth continued until Durham said the sentence would be 10 years.
As Allen continued to make crude sexual references, Durham said: “I’m sure the women love it.” Allen said he has sex with only “white boys.”
“Oh of course,” Durham responded. “You know, you look like a queer.”
“Well, OK,” Allen responded. “So now you’re calling me a queer in the courtroom.”
“I didn’t call you one,” the judge said. “I said you looked like one.”
Later, Allen said that the next time he is in court, “I’ll pull it out and jack on you.”
“OK,” Durham responded. “Why don’t you do that right now.”
Later in the exchange, Allen told Durham “you’re a real, real nasty-ass judge.”
Durham agreed. “I am indeed,” he said, “and you’re going to find out how nasty I really am.”
Allen has been charged with contempt of court and making terroristic threats, the Rome News-Tribune reports.
