02Logo WFAN 1010WINS WCBS tiny WLNYLogo
LIRR DERAILMENT AFTERMATH: LIRR Updates | MTA Information | Listen: 1010 WINS | WCBS 880

News

Rep. Rangel Causes Stir In Courtroom, Gets Reprimanded By Judge

Congressman Chastised For Constantly Interrupting Hearing

View Comments
(credit: Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images)

(credit: Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images)

Check These Out

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork)Congressman Charles Rangel caused a stir in court Friday while trying to lend his support for bail of Afrika Owes.

Owes, 17, had been a student at the prestigious Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts. Prosecutors say she was also a member of a drug gang that terrorized 137th Street in Harlem.

Owes was one of fourteen suspected  “137th Street Crew” gang members arrested last month. Prosecutors said the gang used shootings, beatings and robberies to protect their turf and gain street status on a stretch of West 137th Street. The gang allegedly openly dealt crack in apartment lobbies, near Harlem Hospital and near the Abyssinian Baptist Church.

Congressman Charles Rangel argues for Owes getting bail to Juliet Papa of 1010 WINS


The judge refused to release Owes on her own recognizance, saying tapes from Rikers Island have her involved in running guns and getting orders to “shoot for the head.”

The Abyssinian Baptist Church, which is located on 137th street, offered to post bond but the judge said it wasn’t clear if that was legally allowed.

WCBS 880′s Irene Cornell describes Rangel’s courtroom behavior


WCBS 880′s Irene Cornell reports Rangel caused a stir in the courtroom, repeatedly standing up and interrupting the judge.

A court officer told Rangel three different times to sit down. When he stood up again, Judge Edward McLaughlin had apparently had enough.

“I see someone standing who should not be standing, unless you have a bad back like I do,” McLaughlin said. Rangel sat down.

Rangel says Owes was a straight-A student and should be given a chance to straighten herself out.

“All the discussions on the question of public policy boils down to a 17-year-old arrested student remaining in jail,” Rangel said.

Owes is due back in court March 22.

What do you think of Rangel’s courtroom behavior? Should Afrika Owes be granted bail? Sound off in our comments section.

View Comments
  • Bill M

    Isn’t that nice. Instead of helping the victims of her gang violence, Rangels worried about the gang banger having to be accountable for her actions. Then again he’s not accountable for his crimes, so why should she be.

    • DoubleKingChiliCheeseHairstyle

      “Nailed it!”

      Not only nailed it, but got it out of jail so he can nail it again.

  • typicalrangel

    T N B

  • bigbiz2

    When I saw the headline ..I thought finally they have this felon tax cheat in court for his income tax evasion!!! What gives?/ You mean he’s not going to be prsecuted ??OMG What a third world judicial system we have!!

  • Hotcarl

    Rangel and Afrika Owes are both members of the same satanic cult that believes Lucifer is god. I hope people are starting to wake up because this has nothing to do with race.

  • Joseppi Tanner

    Meanwhile we have a border agent killed in this country while he is carrying a bean bag gun! Where is outrage on this!

  • mahone dunbar

    Shhhhhhh. Hear that sound? It’s racial civil war moving closer and closer.

  • DEE

    Charlie sure knows who to stand up for , doesnt he? One crook to another. Birds of a feather…dont ya know….

  • Joseppi Tanner

    I hope Newt Gingrich picks Allen West as his running mate , he would be a great and his a great example for all people to follow!

    • Dee

      That would be a great team!!! Great Idea…

  • JoBo

    nNext step is for Chris Mathews to have Rangel on “Hardball” & attempt to exonerate Charlie of any wron doing! Mathews, too, is completely lost when it comes to right & wrong.

    • bbb

      Yeah right, Mathews will get that tingly feeling running down his leg again. I believe she should get bail, actually a one way ticket beck to africa

  • http://kinialohaguy.wordpress.com Kini

    Just following the administration’s lead on not prosecuting criminals.

  • Joseppi Tanner

    This guy continues to get elected by the drones in his district.

    Hold him in contempt and put him in jail!

    I’m sure Eric Holder will call and she will get off!

  • Jsmith

    I guess this is a typical Rangel supporter.

    We can expect more of this, now that the Congress has established that Rangel is above the law and cannot be punished.

  • Jack

    Of course he supports the bail, he can’t let his business go down the tubes can he?
    Lay off poor Charlie, he’s just tryin to make a living bro!

  • Robert

    Old Charley needs to be in jail. He is so corrupt that I am suprised he is still a free man. Our law system is really in the tank with the present regime running it.

  • pjohn56

    Anything this guy lends his name to is immediately suspect imo. Rangel has been one of the most politically corrupt and activist driven “lawmakers” for decades now and if there’s something he is in support of I’d think there’s a strong chance that it is not exactly of the “straight and narrow”.

  • james hartmann

    Charles Rangel along with this girl are the best example of what is wrong in this country. Both believe they can do anything they wish and no one can or should try to stop them, or evenhave the right to question their activity and then they have no responsibility in anything they do. It’s a sickness that overtakes people when they lose all thought of any responsibility to them selves as well as to any other person. It’s self worship of the worst kind and in harmful to anyone or anything they touch. This idea is running rammpant in our society. Just look at the teatchers or whom ever they are in Wisconsin and all the damage they have done and those people who would call themselves legislators there haven’t a clue as to what is responsibility. and our president encourages this kind of behavior yet. What a sad failing action all of that is. sickening.

    • fred17

      Right on! That’s why this country is pretty well finished.

  • TOOGood Cha

    I Totally Agree w| Represenative Rangel For the fact that there were other teenagers that were arrested along with and sent home for whatever reason or that were granted bail that have more then one arrest in tha past .. Afrika is my friend and they way y’all are trying to make an example of her is ridiculous !

    • Joseppi Tanner

      Yea heaven forbid anyone is made an example of. Social justice not Rule Of Law right?

    • John

      Africa is a continent…maybe they should get together…

    • Jack

      There is no substitute for intelligence !
      Playing the RACE CARD will not entitle you .

    • New Ole

      Everyone knows that we all praise Africa–the immigrants from Africa in the past 30-40 years are taking their rightful place as the “Workers Making the Country Great”–as the Latino’s , Asian and Indian and Eastern European Workers have also—-the A A Bling, Gimme , Entitled folks are the ruinous result of Elite Liberal BS—a total Contrivance of Cancer rotting the Country to the Core.

    • Jonathan Hilton

      His GRANDSTANDING and OUTRAGEOUS actions should have had him in CONTEMPT of Court..No matter how you feel of why HE was there..If it were YOU ..You do realize YOU WOULD BE IN PRISON NOW !!! Doesn’t it bother YOU there is a PORTECTED segment of the population who are ABOVE THE LAW??

  • Joanne

    Rangel have to protect his “people” just like AG Holder does…

  • skentsan

    He should stay the hell out of it. I wish the judge had ejected him or jailed him for contempt. Typical Congressman, thinks the law doesn’t apply to him.

    Oh, and since when is going to a prep school mean you rate special treatment?

  • Ron Hellstern

    Blacks excusing inexcusabloe behavior in other blacks tears at the fabric of black society. Leadership from the likes of Rangel just makes black society more dysfunctional.

  • guido350

    RANGEL IS A FIRST CLASS PIG!!! AND, EVERYONE KNOWS IT. I WISHED SOMEONE WHO LOVES THIS BUM WOULD TELL HIM WHAT A TOTAL AND COMPLETE A$$ HE IS.

    • Playrighter

      Please do not insult our porcine relatives.

  • Forrest

    Charlie Rangel has created himself enough trouble of his own. He doesn’t need to create more. I think Al Sharpton or Rev. Jackson are more suited to this kind of grand-standing.

  • daf62757

    So this gang is being morally supported by Rangel? Well I guess I am not surprised.

  • Gregg

    Rangel should be in the can himself and I’m sure there are young and intelligent gang members that would kill !

  • Vincent LoRe

    I would have liked to see Judge MacLaughlin cite Old Charley for contempt and throw him in cell for a few hours. He’s got a big mouth, and he should be put in his place.

    • John Frost

      Obummer and his people are bad

1 2 3 15
blog comments powered by Disqus
Listen Live!

Latest News Video