A man could ultimately avoid prison for berating and threatening Lake County Judge Gina Jones during a hearing in 2024.
Devontae Harris, 28, pleaded guilty in documents filed Thursday to intimidation, a Level 5 felony.
If Judge Samuel Cappas accepts the plea deal, he would be sentenced to two years in Lake County Community Corrections and one year on probation.
A sentencing hearing is set for July 2 – two years exactly after the incident.
Jones rejected his plea deal on July 2, 2024, for being too lenient for stalking and shooting a woman 4-5 times in November 2022, which sparked the tirade, court documents allege.
For the outburst, he was charged with three counts of intimidation, a Level 5 felony. Special Prosecutor Joseph Morrison was appointed. Defense lawyer Nick Barnes represented Harris.
When Jones announced that she was rejecting the plea, she said, “I’m going to allow you to have your little anger moment and temper tantrum right now.”
“(Expletive), you think you know about (stuff), I done killed (people),” Harris said, according to the court transcript. “I got bodies under my belt, (expletive). Go solve them.”
Harris told the bailiff, “I’m ready to throw a chair at this (judge),” and the bailiff intervened with, “No, you’re not going to do that.” The judge responded, “Well, I really don’t take kindly to threats either.”
Harris then accused her of only giving long prison sentences to Black defendants.
mcolias@post-trib.com; Post-Tribune archives contributed.
