Texas Judge Electrically Shocks Accused Pedophile During Court Testimony

A convicted pedophile has had his conviction for child sex offenses overturned because the judge ruling over his case ordered that he be repeatedly shocked with electricity for not answering questions.  Terry Lee Morris, 54, was convicted of soliciting a sex act from a 15-year-old girl and sentenced to 60 years in jail in 2014.  During his trial, a court heard how District Judge George Gallagher had ordered the defendant to be jolted with 50,000 volts from a shock belt on three occasions.  Shock belts, which are used in courtrooms such as the one Tarrant County in Texas where Morris’ trial was being held, are placed on the defendant’s legs. They are only meant to be used the suspect becomes violent during proceedings.

The Texas Eighth Court of Appeals has now ruled that Morris’ constitutional rights were violated after Gallagher ordered him to be electrocuted and then removed from the court because he refused to answer questions.  “While the trial court’s frustration with an obstreperous defendant is understandable, the judge’s disproportionate response is not. We do not believe that trial judges can use stun belts to enforce decorum,” appeals court Justice Yvonne Rodriguez said in her ruling, reports the Star Telegram.