Stop here and read no further if you are eating breakfast. Seriously. This isn't a pleasant story.It is an unusual story about the depraved act of a Chicago man convicted Thursday of importing cocaine into Duluth. "Come next February I will have been doing this work for 30 years," St. Louis County prosecutor Vern Swanum said Thursday evening. "Just about the time I think I have seen every weird, strange, bizarre situation that could come up in a courtroom -- that nothing more could surprise me -- something like this occurs. You simply can't make this stuff up."Vandale Amos Willis, 28, fired his public defender in the courtroom Thursday morning and elected to represent himself. That happens.
Vandale must have his own defense strategy.
What happened next has never before been seen in the St. Louis County Courthouse or perhaps any courthouse. Willis smeared his own feces across the top of the table where he and Swanum were sitting and also spread it on a chair. He threw some more on the carpeted floor before displaying even more bizarre behavior.
More bizarre you ask?
"He was literally smearing feces on his face and into his mouth," Swanum said. "He was putting it into his mouth. That's when he kind of advanced toward me. As I explained to one of my compatriots, that's when I decided to redeploy to a more secure position."
Good move Vern.
Swanum said Willis has no recorded history of mental illness. "I think he was trying to goad the court into declaring a mistrial," Swanum said. "I can't get into his mind, but I believe it was intentional manipulative conduct."
AhhhÂ…the ole caged primate defense.
A St. Louis County sheriff's deputy removed Willis from the courtroom.
| "Bailiff! Remove the defendant!" "Ummm... Where's the tongs, yer honor?" |
He was brought back to court to complete the trial Thursday afternoon.
| "And make sure he has a shower!" |
GeeÂ…do ya think?
The defendant's alleged accomplice, Derick Carothers, 23, also of Chicago, is awaiting trial on the same charges. Duluth police said that Carothers provided a taped statement in which he said he and Willis traveled from Chicago, each of them carrying one ounce of cocaine concealed in their buttocks.
Makes for a long ride no doubt.
| "Are we there yet?" |
Don't you just love a poetic finnish.