Bluestapler

2007.12.14 自由

◎張沛元 

A judge was removed from the bench for jailing 46 people after none would admit to having a cell phone that began ringing during his court session.

一名因為手機鈴聲大作但又沒人承認而把46人關進監牢的法官，遭到革職。 

Judge Robert Restaino was hearing domestic violence cases during the 2005 session when a phone rang.

法官瑞斯坦諾2005年在聆聽一場家暴案庭訊時，一支手機鈴鈴作響。 

"Everyone is going to jail," the judge said. "Every single person is gong to jail in this courtroom unless I get that instrument now. If anybody believes I’m kidding, ask some of the folks that have been here for a while. You are all going."

「所有人都得坐牢」，這名法官說。「除非把手機交給我，否則法庭裡每一個人都得坐牢。如果有人以為我是在開玩笑，可以去問問在這兒待了一段時間的人。你們全都得去（坐牢）。」 

When no one came forward, the judge ordered the group into custody and they were taken by police to the city jail, where they were searched and packed into crowded cells. Fourteen people who could not post bail were shackled and bused to the Niagara County Jail, a 30-minute drive away.

由於沒人出面坦承，這名法官下令拘留所有人，並交由警方帶往市立監獄，這些人在此被搜身並且關入擁擠的牢房。14名繳不出保釋金的人被上了鐐銬，然後送上巴士載往30分鐘車程外的尼加拉郡立監獄。

 Later in the afternoon, after being told reporters were calling, the judge ordered the defendants released.

當天傍晚，這名法官被告知記者來電後，下令釋放這些被告。 

新聞辭典 

bench：名詞，長椅，法官，法官席；運動比賽中的板凳球員。on the bench：片語，擔任法官；等待出賽。例句：The old gentleman sitting on the bench looks like my late grandfather.（那位坐在長椅上的老先生長得很像我已故的祖父。） 

come forward：片語，提供協助或提供資訊。例句：A new witness came forward after the police claimed they had solved the murder case with information.（在警方宣稱偵破謀殺案後，一名新證人出面提供線索。）