Attorney fined for cellphone in court
Published:Friday | January 21, 2011 | 12:00 AM
St John's, Antigua (CMC):
Attorney Everton Gonsalves was fined EC$300 (US$111) after his BlackBerry smartphone rang during a case involving the former chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC), Sir Gerald Watts.
Justice Jennifer Remy imposed the penalty after making it clear that she would punish anyone who breaches the rules of the High Court.
Media reports said that the lawyer, who had attempted to leave the court when the phone rang, was ordered back by the judge who asked that she be handed the phone for closer examination.
Gonsalves had said that his phone was off and the noise the court heard was not the ringtone.
"Are you telling me some greater being other than us turned it on or you are telling me the devil did it?" Justice Remy asked, before imposing the fine and warning those present in the court to follow the rules.