Judge wants to redo the trial

I just got a call from Cmr. Joseph's office at 8:05 this morning. The caller identified herself as Janet, and she was calling to see if I can come into court tomorrow! She would only say that it was to continue the contempt hearing.

I thought that the trial was over. I thought that Cmr. Joseph said that he collected all the evidence he needed, and he would issue a ruling based on some legal research. I thought that the US Constitution said that I cannot be put in double jeopardy for the same offense.

I said that I could show up tomorrow. Janet said that she had to confirm a time with my ex-wife, and called back a few minutes later to say that we were scheduled for 10:30 in Watsonville.

I don't know what is going on. My best guess is that Cmr. Joseph realizes that he screwed up the trial and wants to do it over again. Or maybe it is just a trick to get me into court so he can handcuff and jail me. I don't know.

Meanwhile, here is an amusing case where a suburban mayor was just put in double jeopardy:

Suburban NYC cop tickets his own mayor - twice
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MAMARONECK, N.Y. - Can you beat City Hall?

The question is pending for a police officer who ticketed his mayor.

In March, Officer Michael Petrillo pulled over Mayor Kathleen Savolt in the bedroom community of Mamaroneck, just outside of New York City, for using her cellphone while driving.

The mayor argued the incoming call was an emergency and she was in an area where she couldn't pull over.

A judge agreed and dismissed the case Sept. 15, but Petrillo wasn't done.

That night, he rang Savolt's doorbell and issued a second ticket, saying he thought the judge's decision was wrong.

"He said to me, 'I think the ticket was unfairly dismissed, so I'm issuing a duplicate ticket,"' Savolt said Tuesday. "So then, once I was issued a second ticket, clearly in some people's minds it's not a legal ticket because the case had been closed."

Savolt's next court date had not yet been scheduled.

Police Chief Steven Anderson wouldn't comment.

Now there is a cop with a lot of nerve. I suggest transferring him to New York City where they have some real crimes, and let him channel some of that aggression against gangsters and drug dealers.