Broward Judge Ilona Holmes Confronted BSO Deputies With Gun on Easter Sunday

By Stefan Kamph Thu., Apr. 28 2011 at 6:04 AM

We've come face-to-face with Broward Circuit Court Judge Ilona Holmes, and she runs a tight ship over in the courthouse. She once directly addressed a New Times reporter sitting in the back row during a pretrial felony hearing, asking his name and intentions.

Apparently she has a similar take-charge philosophy on the weekends, as was evidenced on Easter Sunday, when she confronted BSO deputies with a gun in hand.

On Sunday, Holmes was at her sister Carmita Scarlett's home in Deerfield Beach. Her brother-in-law, Neville Scarlett, was cleaning up the dishes from dinner.

BSO deputies had been investigating a burglary, and a neighbor across the street gave them a nonexistent address, which led them to case Scarlett's home. They saw Neville Scarlett in the kitchen window. The neighbors also called Carmita to report the burglary, and as she nervously lowered the window shade, she faced a BSO deputy with a gun.

"There's a man with a gun, and he's going to shoot me," Carmita reportedly shouted. Holmes, who carries a firearm on her person, ran into the room and drew her weapon.

"Put your hands up and come outside!" shouted the deputies.

Holmes, with a likely recollection of some of the tragic mishaps that occur when people with guns face cops with guns, made herself known. "I am Circuit Court Judge Ilona Holmes. I am armed," she reportedly said.

Outside, she slowly put her gun down on the grass. Deputies had their weapons trained on her until a higher-ranking deputy recognized Holmes and ordered the guns lowered.

The South Florida Times got the scoop on Holmes' weekend misadventure, and NBC Miami reported the story Tuesday. Reporter Jeff Burnside's starring line? "Judge Holmes, one of the very few black judges in Broward County, saw justice from a whole new perspective."

After the conflict dissolved, Carmita Scarlett accosted the officer who had frightened her at the window with a gun. "Really, you were fearing for your life? Really?" she asked him.

"Forget it, I'm out of here," she said he replied.

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Tags:

Broward County Circuit Court, BSO, burglary, Judge Ilona Holmes

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David Cody

Wow, Just Wow! What rubbish. So you say Ms. Scarlett "accosted" the gun wielding officer. What did she accost him with a melon baller from her kitchen? I don't know if you can call what you have done here hyperbole or should I just call it LIES, Falsehoods, Equivocations...but i know that it is some hypocritical bull ****(insert expletive here)

"she confronted BSO with gun in hand"...laughable!!! How does one person, confront multiple armed police officers..whiel shouting their identity..sounds more like "confronted" should be changed to "acquiesced to the demands of" or "surrendered to".

I sincerely hope that everyone sees what these so-called journalist are doing? I'll stick to the blogs, thank you! The news media, like many of our politicians, are full of it. Thanks but no thanks New Times Stefan Kampf.

Check out my blog at http://myperspectiveis.blogspo...

Palomajack

Please, don't call the police ... You could be the victim of an accidental shooting. Just arm yourself and call the police after the fact. These cops are out of control. Why were they pointing the guns at the unarmed owners of the house? Guns out at "low ready", not pointing at unarmed, low threat citizens.. Wait till you look down the barrel of a gun from a juiced up 20 something who has lost situational awareness . The judge called some of these officers by name, she knew them and they still had their guns on her until a more senior, rational deputy told them to holster the weapons. They couldn't figure that out on their own. 5 days suspension sounds about right to me. A 50 y.o. Overweight woman was probably not the burglar they were seeking in the first place!

ZugPoo

Its one thing that she is a kangaroo court judge, more importantly she is black, so naturally she gonna make a big ole "Black Thang" out of it now I bet.

www.real-privacy.eu.tc

Sher

please..It's ok for the judge's sister to act that way towards the officer...Just because her sister is an arrogant Judge..nice.

Chevy1728

I dont blame the Deputies...dont walk out of your house with a gun drawn. Please, they were there doing there job, how do they know she wasnt going to shoot them.Wait...???