A Channahon woman spent six hours in the county jail after she allegedly sneezed on a bailiff at the Will County Courthouse.
The 24-year-old was in court Wednesday for a traffic case when she landed herself in jail for the offensive sneeze. Before the sneeze, the woman had been warned by the bailiff to behave in court. According to police reports, she had been putting her feet up on the chairs and being loud during court proceedings, Will County Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Tom Budde.
A short time later, the woman walked up to the bailiff and let her sneeze and snot loose on the bailiff, according to the police report.
“(She) walked right up to the bailiff and sneezed on her and started blowing mucus on her face,” Budde said, citing police reports. He noted someone in the courtroom witnessed the incident and provided a statement to police.
The woman was jailed on probable cause for misdemeanor battery, but was later released. Formal charges from the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office had not been filed, but the woman has been directed to return to court in the coming weeks — at a date that was not disclosed — in connection with the incident, officials said.
A spokesman for the office said the case remains under review. Misdemeanor battery charges can be punished by probation or up to a year in jail.
The Channahon woman’s attorney, Eric Blatti, was not in the courtroom at the time of the alleged sneeze, but said his client denies the incident. Blatti wondered aloud how anyone could force a sneeze.
“As far as I know, a sneeze is an involuntary act; unless she has magical powers I’m not aware of,” he said.
While battery charges typically conjure up images of people taking swings at each other, Budde noted the law states that any contact of an “insulting or provoking nature” can be considered battery. He noted he once represented a client, post conviction, who was charged with battery after hitting someone with a bag of Doritos. Will County judges also have been known to toss people from their courtrooms — or in some cases, put them in jail — for disruptions such as yawning too loudly, swearing at court deputies or talking.
Generally, though, those incidents are few and far between.
“If you act up in court, the judge is right there,” said Will County Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Jerry Nudera, who works with the sheriff’s support staff, including court security. “So most people are going to behave themselves when they’re in court.”
The woman is scheduled to appear again before Judge Raymond Nash on Monday in connection with her traffic case.
Alicia Fabbre is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
