By Pat Culverhouse
A profanity-laced outburst in Minden City Court Wednesday, which included threatening the life of the judge, could mean a serious change of address for a local man.
Ira Lee Miller, 51, was being processed in city court on a criminal trespass charge when he reportedly suddenly erupted in a string of vulgarities directed toward Judge Sherb Sentell III.
As he was being led from the courtroom in handcuffs by city marshals following the outburst, Miller reportedly shouted at Judge Sentell, “I’ll kill you, b****.”
When he was later returned to court, Sentell reportedly sentenced Miller to six months in jail for contempt of court, the maximum allowed by law. The sentence was ordered served without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence and without benefit of good time.
But that’s not all the prison time Miller could be facing.
Minden City Attorney Jimbo Yocom, who also serves as a 26th Judicial District Assistant District Attorney, said the incident will be reviewed by the DA’s office for potential felony charges.
In Louisiana, threatening a judge is primarily governed by two statutes: R.S. 14:122 (Public Intimidation and Retaliation) and R.S. 14:122.2 (Threatening a Public Official.) Both are felonies.
If tried and convicted under R.S. 14:122, penalties include a fine of up to $1,000 and up to five years in prison with or without hard labor, or both. R.S.14:122.2 includes a penalty of up to a $500 fine and up to six months in prison, or both.
Miller reportedly has a lengthy criminal history dating back to the 1990s.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.