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09-16-2005, 11:10 PM
In the midst of a hearing in Allen Superior Court, 40-year-old Bradford Zeigler re-enacted the crime he is accused of committing this year. He stripped – twice.
Baring all for the judge, several attorneys and others in the courtroom delayed proceedings the first time but halted it altogether the second time.
Zeigler appeared in court Wednesday with several other inmates. He was supposed to be pleading guilty to a felony charge of public nudity stemming from an arrest in May after an officer spotted him walking naked through Foster Park.
Zeigler sat quietly in the jury box with several other inmates waiting to admit guilt in various crimes.
His hands were cuffed in front of him and he wore the county jail’s standard outfit – an orange jumpsuit. He waited to disrobe until after the hearing began and he was sitting at the defense table next to his attorney.
The first time a bailiff redressed him, but a few minutes later Zeigler disrobed again, prompting Senior Allen Superior Court Judge Bruce Embrey to halt the hearing.
Embrey is filling in this week while the county’s elected judges are attending a conference. Embrey ordered Zeigler to be psychologically evaluated by two doctors. The felony charge will remain pending until the outcome of the evaluations is determined.
According to Allen County court records, Zeigler began accruing a criminal history in May. Previously, he had only one driving offense from 1991 for speeding.
Zeigler pleaded guilty May 3 to a misdemeanor charge of public nudity stemming from a situation similar to the felony case, walking in Foster Park naked.
He was arrested on the felony charge three days later, again for walking through Foster Park naked.
In the meantime, Zeigler also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of battery for which he was ordered to serve 60 days in jail.
The probable cause affidavit alleged Zeigler touched his cellmate in a sexual manner while the cellmate slept Sept. 5. Zeigler had been naked, unbuttoned the cellmate’s jumpsuit, inappropriately touched the cellmate and later tried to kiss him, according to court documents. Zeigler offered to perform oral sex on the cellmate, court documents said.
He was cited three times: twice in August and once this month for walking around naked in the Allen County Jail dayroom. The dayroom is a common area where inmates gather sometimes to play cards, eat or watch TV, Capt. Patt Kite said.
Being dressed in common areas is one of the rules inmates are required to follow during their time at the jail, she said. According to Zeigler’s inmate records he was found Aug. 14 walking naked in the dayroom and told to get dressed. He did but then later that day he was found in the dayroom walking around naked again, the records said.
The same thing happened Sept. 3, Kite said.
Kite said although there have been occasions when an inmate has disrobed in the jail in an attempt to get attention, she couldn’t recall a situation in which inmates repeatedly removed their clothes.
Officials have already discussed how Zeigler will be taken into court the next time he must appear, with restraints to prevent him from disrobing yet again before the judge, attorneys and others in the courtroom, Kite said.
Baring all for the judge, several attorneys and others in the courtroom delayed proceedings the first time but halted it altogether the second time.
Zeigler appeared in court Wednesday with several other inmates. He was supposed to be pleading guilty to a felony charge of public nudity stemming from an arrest in May after an officer spotted him walking naked through Foster Park.
Zeigler sat quietly in the jury box with several other inmates waiting to admit guilt in various crimes.
His hands were cuffed in front of him and he wore the county jail’s standard outfit – an orange jumpsuit. He waited to disrobe until after the hearing began and he was sitting at the defense table next to his attorney.
The first time a bailiff redressed him, but a few minutes later Zeigler disrobed again, prompting Senior Allen Superior Court Judge Bruce Embrey to halt the hearing.
Embrey is filling in this week while the county’s elected judges are attending a conference. Embrey ordered Zeigler to be psychologically evaluated by two doctors. The felony charge will remain pending until the outcome of the evaluations is determined.
According to Allen County court records, Zeigler began accruing a criminal history in May. Previously, he had only one driving offense from 1991 for speeding.
Zeigler pleaded guilty May 3 to a misdemeanor charge of public nudity stemming from a situation similar to the felony case, walking in Foster Park naked.
He was arrested on the felony charge three days later, again for walking through Foster Park naked.
In the meantime, Zeigler also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of battery for which he was ordered to serve 60 days in jail.
The probable cause affidavit alleged Zeigler touched his cellmate in a sexual manner while the cellmate slept Sept. 5. Zeigler had been naked, unbuttoned the cellmate’s jumpsuit, inappropriately touched the cellmate and later tried to kiss him, according to court documents. Zeigler offered to perform oral sex on the cellmate, court documents said.
He was cited three times: twice in August and once this month for walking around naked in the Allen County Jail dayroom. The dayroom is a common area where inmates gather sometimes to play cards, eat or watch TV, Capt. Patt Kite said.
Being dressed in common areas is one of the rules inmates are required to follow during their time at the jail, she said. According to Zeigler’s inmate records he was found Aug. 14 walking naked in the dayroom and told to get dressed. He did but then later that day he was found in the dayroom walking around naked again, the records said.
The same thing happened Sept. 3, Kite said.
Kite said although there have been occasions when an inmate has disrobed in the jail in an attempt to get attention, she couldn’t recall a situation in which inmates repeatedly removed their clothes.
Officials have already discussed how Zeigler will be taken into court the next time he must appear, with restraints to prevent him from disrobing yet again before the judge, attorneys and others in the courtroom, Kite said.