Twenty-six-year-old Duniek Christian of Youngstown appeared before Judge Elizabeth Kobly (KOH'-blee) last week on a charge of obstructing official business and a traffic offense.
His former attorney, David Gerchak (gur-CHAHK), says Christian was using expletives and was shouting at the judge on Friday because he wanted a jury trial, not a bench trial. Gerchak says the judge repeatedly held his client in contempt and finally asked officers in court to get some duct tape.
Kobly did not respond to requests for comment. Gerchak has resigned as Christian's attorney.
Gerchak says he doesn't know if the judge was serious, but as for his former client: "the threat certainly got to him."
