Broadway Actor Charged in Jan. 6 Riot Spouts ‘Gobbledygook’ in Court
‘BE QUIET’
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A U.S. district judge in Washington, D.C., wasn’t having it with the Jesus Christ Superstar actor facing charges over the Jan. 6 riot. James Beeks made a pretrial court appearance Monday following his arrest last week, arguing that he was gracing the courtroom with his presence and that he was appearing under “public law.” It got so bad that, after Beeks sought not to have a lawyer represent him, one had to intervene to advocate for the possibility of a pretrial release before he squandered it himself. At one point, Beeks proclaimed that he was in court by “special divine appearance.” Judge Beryl Howell disagreed. “That’s all gobbledygook,” she said, according to Deadline. “Mr. Beeks, you should be quiet unless spoken to.” Beeks was eventually granted a pretrial release with the condition that he wears an ankle monitor and he does not possess a firearm.