Cook County Judge Consuelo Bedoya-Witt ordered a Chicago man jailed last year, accusing him of coming into her courtroom -- where he was facing a DUI charge -- while under the influence of alcohol.
In spite of the good manners David Onofre showed in court, Bedoya-Witt concluded he must be "a good drunk" and held him in contempt of court, ordering him jailed for 90 days.
But last week, the Appellate Court of Illinois reversed that conviction, since Bedoya-Witt did nothing to prove Onofre was under the influence of alcohol -- except take the word of someone who said he had an "odor of alcohol. . . ."
Bedoya-Witt said Onofre "did appear to be under the influence of alcohol" and ordered him to be held in contempt, but his attorney argued that if coming to court after drinking was a "contemptuous act," then "many attorneys would be locked up on a regular basis, dare I say even some judges."
Details here from the Chicago Sun-Times.