Disbarred lawyer and talk show host Orland Bodie Jr has been called to appear before Supreme Court justice Stephen Isaacs regarding comments he is alleged to have made on his show ‘Real Talk Live’ on More 94.9 FM.
The comments relate to a matter that is in front of Justice Isaacs concerning career criminal Stephen ‘Die’ Stubbs.
Mr Bodie could face jail time if held in contempt of court.
Justice Isaacs apparently feels that Bodie made disparaging remarks about the judge, or the court, and those remarks were intended to impede or prejudice the administration of justice in connection with the trial and to scandalize the court.
It is not illegal to criticize judges or their decisions in the Bahamas, as long as the criticism is valid and the remarks are not overtly disrespectful.
The courts are a mess and many people place at least partial blame on the incompetence of some Bahamian judges.
It is not clear exactly what Mr Bodie said on his show but the notice of motion said the court intends to use in support of this application tapes of ‘Real Talk Live’ from June 21 and 22.
The remarks made by Bodie must be very serious. Nobody wants to think that Judge Isaacs would take time out of the courts extremely busy schedule – there are hundreds-of-thousands of backlogged court cases – to settle what might be a personal grievance.
Mr Bodie has denied making any disparaging remarks about the judge, and he also denies making any comments that would impede justice in the ‘Die’ Stubbs case.
Stubbs was arraigned recently in relation to the August 21, 2009 shooting death of Delano Morris at Brougham Street. He was charged with abetment to murder. Police also named Stubbs as a person of interest in relation to a mob-related shooting at the Ballers Nightclub on May 29, but never charged him in relation to that matter. He is currently on remand at Her Majesty’s Prison.
