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Judge jails lawyer on contempt charge

By Becky Campbell
Press Staff Writer
bcampbell@johnsoncitypress.com

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Kingsport attorney Jim Beeler went to court through the front door in Jonesborough Wednesday to represent a client, but he left through the back door in handcuffs charged with contempt of court by Criminal Court Judge Lynn Brown.

Beeler allegedly had a conversation with a codefendant in the case while that defendant’s attorney was questioning a witness during the hearing.

“What you did in this court’s presence is something I have never seen in my entire practice of law,” Brown told Beeler. “Mr. Ross was at the lectern questioning a witness and you leaned over and talked to his client.

“The court has been astounded by what I saw.”

Beeler represents Christina Thomas, who along with her husband James Steven Thomas, is charged with especially aggravated robbery and especially aggravated kidnapping for an April 9, 2005, incident involving their former landlord, Donald Teague.

State prosecutors contend that the Thomas’ were behind on their rent, lured Teague to their residence on the pretense of paying him and then beat him, tied him up and robbed him before fleeing.

The couple had already packed their car trunk with clothes for themselves and their three children, but left the children at a bar and fled to Colorado together.

The Department of Children’s Services later took custody of the children.

The hearing Wednesday was on a suppression motion related to officers searching the Thomas’ residence where Teague was found beaten and tied up, and a speedy trial issue for Christina Thomas.

That issue was put on hold for now until the attorneys can supply Brown with a time line of the case and the continuances that have occurred.

Brown ultimately ruled that the evidence seized during the search of the Thomas’ residence could be used at trial and he overruled the motion to suppress items seized during the search.

During testimony, while Todd Ross, Steven Thomas’ attorney, was questioning a witness, Beeler was sitting at the defense table with his client, Christina Thomas, and Steven Thomas.

Beeler leaned over and had a whispered conversation with Steven Thomas. Brown observed that verbal interaction and later asked Ross if he had given Beeler permission to speak to his client. Ross had not.

After reviewing attorney ethical restrictions, Brown told Beeler he would hold him in contempt for “willful misbehavior.”

With that, Brown ordered his court bailiff to take Beeler into custody and set the attorney’s bond at $10,000.

According to the Washington County Detention Center, Beeler was held from 4 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. when Southeast Bonding Co. posted his bond.

Beeler has a contempt hearing on Dec. 18. The Thomas’ are due in court again Dec. 1. Brown set their trial for Feb. 8.

Steven Thomas remains free on bond. Christina Thomas is jailed on an aggravated perjury charge on a $50,000 bond.

The charge apparently stems from a sworn statement she gave to her attorney and he filed with the court and that he submitted as part of his motion to continue the trial. The state alleges the statements she gave are false.