Case Name: Chokwe LUMUMBA, Appellant, v. STATE of Mississippi, Appellee
Court: Mississippi Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: Mississippi
Decision Date: 2003-08-26
Citations: 868 So. 2d 1018
Docket Number: No. 2001-CA-01621-COA
Parties: Chokwe LUMUMBA, Appellant, v. STATE of Mississippi, Appellee.
Judges: Before SOUTHWICK, P.J., BRIDGES and CHANDLER, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 868
Pages: 1018–1026

Head Matter:
Chokwe LUMUMBA, Appellant, v. STATE of Mississippi, Appellee.
No. 2001-CA-01621-COA.
Court of Appeals of Mississippi.
Aug. 26, 2003.
Rehearing Denied Nov. 25, 2003.
Certiorari Denied March 25, 2004.
Ishmael Muhammad, attorney for appellant.
Office of the Attorney General, by Scott Stuart, Jackson, attorney for appellee.
Before SOUTHWICK, P.J., BRIDGES and CHANDLER, JJ.

Opinion:
BRIDGES, J.,
for the Court.
¶ 1. The Circuit Court of Leake County was trying Henry Payton on charges of armed robbery, kidnaping, and arson. At trial, Payton was represented by Chokwe Lumumba. After Payton was convicted on the armed robbery and arson charges, Lu-mumba made certain statements to the judge that resulted in contempt action against him. The circuit court signed and entered an order finding that Lumumba failed to respond to the direction of the court and showed total disrespect for the court. Lumumba was found to be in contempt of the court, and the court ordered him to pay a fine of $500 and because of additional misconduct, to serve three days in jail. However, later that same day, the court reduced the amount of the fine to $100. Lumumba filed a timely notice of appeal. The Mississippi Supreme Court signed and entered an order granting immediate consideration of an "Emergency Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, or in the Alternative, a Motion on the Denial of the Right of Bail." The court ordered that the motion be remanded to the Leake County Circuit Court for an immediate hearing on the matter of an appeal bond pursuant to Mississippi Code Annotated section 11-51-11.
STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES
I. WHETHER THE TRIAL JUDGE ERRED WHEN HE FOUND DEFENSE COUNSEL IN CONTEMPT OF COURT.
II. WHETHER THE STATEMENTS MADE WERE JUSTIFIED BECAUSE COUNSEL WAS ZEALOUSLY REPRESENTING HIS CLIENT.
FACTS
¶ 2. Lumumba was defense counsel for Henry Payton, who was charged and later tried for armed robbery, kidnaping, and arson. The jury found Payton guilty of armed robbery and arson and he was acquitted on the kidnaping- charge. Lumum-ba filed a motion for a new trial and the court conducted a hearing on the motion. The court overruled the motion for a new trial and further announced that no additional hearing would be heard. It was at this time that Lumumba vigorously tried to convince the court that he was not just conducting a fishing expedition, but that his evidence was "very focused and direct."
¶ 3. Lumumba continued to advise the court that the court's resolution of the motion was not "unexpected, considering the court's demeanor during the trial." When asked what he meant by that statement, Lumumba responded that "the court didn't handle the trial fairly, is not handling the motion fairly." The circuit court judge responded by stating that Lumumba was very difficult to work with and that the judge believed that he gave Payton a fair trial.
¶ 4. It was at this time Lumumba wanted to address another issue, and proceeded to give advice to the judge on how to "get along better with other lawyers in the future." An exchange followed between the judge and Lumumba resulting in the court's finding Lumumba in contempt of court.
ANALYSIS
I. WHETHER THE TRIAL JUDGE ERRED WHEN HE FOUND DE FENSE COUNSEL IN CONTEMPT OF COURT.
¶ 5. Mississippi law is clear that this Court will follow an ab initio standard of review for an appeal of a criminal contempt conviction and determine "whether on the record, the contemnor is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt." Premeaux v. Smith, 569 So.2d 681, 688-84 (Miss.1990).
¶ 6. In Jordan v. State, 216 Miss. 542, 62 So.2d 886, 888 (1953), the Mississippi Supreme Court found that a charge of contempt of court consists of words spoken or acts done in the presence of the court which tend to embarrass or prevent orderly administration of justice. A direct criminal contempt "may consist of an open insult, in the presence of the court, to the person of the presiding justice, or a resistance to or defiance of power of the court." Neely v. State, 98 Miss. 816, 54 So. 315, 316 (1911). "Disorderly conduct in the courtroom, or the use of violence, or threatening, or insulting language to the court, witnesses, or counsel is contempt." Id. A contempt which is direct, in the presence of the court, may be summarily punished without affidavit, pleading or formal charges. Varvaris v. State, 512 So.2d 886, 887-88 (Miss.1987).
¶7. Lumumba's first argument is that the statements or conduct made by him occurred after the judge ruled on the motion for a new trial; therefore, there was no longer a proceeding before the court. The record reflects that Lumumba told the judge that he had another issue that had not been addressed or talked about. Although the court had already ruled on the motion, the judge reopened and allowed Lumumba's argument of whatever issue had not been addressed by the court. All parties, including defense counsel and counsel for the State were still present before the judge in open court.
¶ 8. Further, there is an absence in the record of support for Lumumba's argument that when he asked for permission to address the court regarding another issue, he should have been allowed to address it since it involved an issue unrelated to the motion for a new trial. The record shows only Lumumba's request as follows:
Lumumba: Can I address another issue? You don't want to hear it? You don't want the Court to hear it? It's another issue. It's not what we talked about.
Court: All right. Go ahead.
¶ 9. The request was that it is "another issue. It is not what we talked about." This language says nothing about being unrelated to the motion for a new trial. There is no question that the parties were, in fact, in the presence of the judge and in open court at the time the statements or conduct was made.
¶ 10. Next, Lumumba claims that the statement advising the judge to learn to get along with other lawyers in the future is not defamatory but a statement of opinion aimed at improving the judge-lawyer relationship in court. The relevant statements were as follows:
Lumumba: And, what I'm doing is offering this to you, so you can, perhaps, get along better with other lawyers in the future.
Court: Will you remove him from the courtroom?
Lumumba: Are you going to have—
Court: I am going to have you removed—
Lumumba: — your henchmen throw me out, Judge?
Lumumba: That's the way you've handled it the whole Court. I'm proud to be thrown out of your Courtroom.
Court: That will cost you three hundred dollars, Mr. Lumumba. Now, if you want to continue—
Lumumba: Look, Judge, if we've got to pay for justice around here, I will pay for—
Court: — I will exercise my discretion—
Lumumba: — justice.
Court: — regarding a jail sentence.
Lumumba: I've paid other judges to try to get justice, pay you, too, if that's what is necessary.
¶ 11. If what Lumumba claims is true, that the hearing was over, there was no necessity to give his advice to the judge in open court on the record. Lumumba gave no reason or explanation as to why his advice or recommendations had to be on the record. He could have given his so-called "advice" in private.
¶ 12. Also, no explanations were given regarding the comments about being proud to be thrown out of the courtroom and asking if the judge would have his "henchmen" throw him out. Lumumba neither explains why those statements were necessary in order to preserve for appeal any of Payton's issues for appellate review, nor does he suggest that the statements were not embarrassing to the court.
¶ 13. Additionally, regarding the statements made that Lumumba paid other judges to get justice, and he would pay this judge as well, Lumumba argues that he was just reacting to a threat to send him to jail after the imposition of the excessive $500 fíne. While Lumumba is correct that the statute limits fines to a sum of $100, the court reduced the fine to $100, later that same day.
II. WHETHER THE STATEMENTS MADE WERE JUSTIFIED BECAUSE COUNSEL WAS ZEALOUSLY REPRESENTING HIS CLIENT.
¶ 14. Finally, Lumumba contends that his statements and conduct were an outgrowth of his professional commitment to zealously represent his client. While Lumumba is certainly correct, that a lawyer should indeed represent his client with zeal, one should not use language "which tends to bring the court into disrepute or disrespect." Purvis v. Purvis, 657 So.2d 794, 797 (Miss.1994). Clearly, Lu-mumba went beyond his right of zealous representation when he offered "advice" to the judge and announced that he would pay for justice.
¶ 15. Lumumba's behavior was done in the presence of the court and intended to embarrass or prevent orderly administration of justice. Further, it was both disrespectful to the judge and disruptive to court proceedings. We cannot fathom any situation that would warrant such behavior. This Court finds that the statements made toward the judge about how he can better get along with lawyers in the future, about the judge's "henchmen," about being proud to be thrown out of the courtroom, and about paying the judge for justice were made to embarrass the court or impede the administration of justice. This Court finds that the statements go far beyond zealous representation of one's client, and makes a mockery of the court and its proceedings.
¶ 16. THE JUDGMENT OF THE LEAKE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT IS AFFIRMED. COSTS ARE ASSESSED TO THE APPELLANT.
McMILLIN, C.J., AND SOUTHWICK, P.J., THOMAS, LEE, MYERS, CHANDLER AND GRIFFIS, JJ., CONCUR. KING, P.J., CONCURS WITH SEPARATE OPINION JOINED BY SOUTHWICK, P.J. IRVING, J" DISSENTS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION.