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Woman’s court hearing concludes with another tirade
YOUNGSTOWN — A city woman’s second appearance in court again ended with a profanity-laced tirade.
Karen Peeples, 56, of Stewart Street, appeared before Judge Robert Douglas in Youngstown Municipal Court for a hearing to determine her mental competency. The judge ruled that Peeples will be transported to a Cleveland mental-health facility for evaluation.
The Wednesday morning hearing began routinely with Peeples quietly sitting in a chair, legs crossed and mumbling. Her tone, however, quickly changed, leading Judge Douglas to declare the need for inpatient evaluation based on her courtroom conduct.
As Peeples’ lawyer, Atty. Terry Grenga, attempted to discuss matters of the competency hearing with her, Peeples looked toward prosecutors and loudly stated, “There is nothing wrong with me Ms. I just recognize game.”
Once Judge Douglas announced his decision to have Peeples evaluated in Cleveland, the verbal tirade began.
Peeples was escorted from the courtroom leaving behind a flurry of four-letter words and racial slurs.
The judge will determine if Peeples is competent to stand trial on the criminal-trespass and assault charges for which she initially appeared in court in November. She also verbally lashed out during her video arraignment on those charges.
At that hearing, Judge Douglas issued a $1,500 bond, which would have allowed Peeples to pay $150 and be released from jail. The judge also told Peeples she would be placed on monitored house arrest and to have no contact with the family member who filed a criminal complaint against her.
Peeples, upon hearing the no-contact order, unleashed a barrage of obscenities directed at the complaining family member, Judge Douglas, the court and virtually anyone else who would listen.
She ultimately resorted to calling the judge “an Uncle Tom” followed by more curse words, leading Judge Douglas to tell her she would be held in contempt of court.
Peeples told the judge she did not care about being held in contempt. She then threatened to punch a jail guard, who could not be seen on camera, and beat up other people in the video-arraignment room.
Peeples could be heard scuffling with prison guards off camera before being taken out of the video-arraignment area.
jgoodwin@vindy.com