Judge Pulls Gun On Inmates
Judge Pulls Gun on Inmates
SALINAS, Calif. (LNS) --
Judge Stanley Lawson of Monterey County Superior Court pulled a revolver and "held It in readiness" last month during a courtroom scuffle involving two Soledad Prison Inmates.
The judge drew the pistol at a time when the defendants were heavily shackled both hand and foot. Judge Lawson said he never actually pointed the gun at anyone. He took it from his bench drawer only after both inmates "started cursing and attempted to escape."
He claims that his action showed no prejudice against inmates Edward Whiteside and Raymond Martinez, who face charges of assaulting a prison guard. Their attorney has filed a motion to disqualify Lawson. He argued that the defendants could not receive a "fair, unbiased, or unprejudiced hearing in court" because of the incident.
Lawson said that he began keeping the revolver after the Aug. 7, 1970 Marin County Courthouse shoot-out in which Judge Harold Haley and three others were slain. "I do not intend to go the way of. . . Judge Haley without a battle," he said.
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