Texas Defense Lawyer Jailed Over Lewd Courtroom Gesture
A Texas defense lawyer representing a client in a DUI case was jailed briefly last week after he allegedly made a lewd gesture to let the judge know what he thought of a prosecution complaint in the case.
Adam Reposa, 33, was held in criminal contempt of court and jailed pending sentencing the next morning, at the order of County-Court-at-Law Judge Jan Breland, reports the Austin American-Statesman. His gesture, according to the judge, constituted “intentional and contumacious conduct” during a pretrial court review of a plea bargain offered to his client.
Specifically, Reposa “made a simulated masturbatory gesture with his hand while making eye contact with the court in response to an objection by the state to his interference with the court plea bargain inquiry,” the judge wrote in a judgment order filed March 11.
Although Breland apparently added a handwritten note at the bottom of the order stating “No bond without my approval,” Reposa was released later that day on a personal bond by state District Judge Charlie Baird. He said bond is legally required in lawyer-contempt cases, according to the newspaper.
Reposa could not be reached by the American-Statesman for comment. The newspaper says court records do not show any further action on the criminal contempt case after his release.
