United States v. Rhonda Brown, Aka: Sofiya Omari, and Bill Baker, Aka: Mtina Burti Omari

On August 21, 1986, appellants Rhonda Brown (a.k.a. Sofiya Omari) and Bill Baker (a.k.a. Mtina Burti Omari) were among a group of spectators at the contempt hearing of Henry Woods before United States District Judge James Ideman. When Judge Ideman announced he was placing Woods in custody for contempt, the spectators began clapping rhythmically and chanting their disapproval of the court’s decision. When Judge Ideman ordered the courtroom cleared, some of the spectators, including Brown and Baker, refused to leave and resisted marshals’ attempts to remove them. Judge Ideman ordered that all those who refused to leave be taken into custody, and Brown and Baker were arrested. Brown was subsequently convicted of criminal contempt, see 18 U.S.C. § 401 (1), and resisting federal officers, see 18 U.S.C. § 111 . Baker was convicted of resisting federal officers.

At trial the government was allowed, over defendants’ objection, to play portions of Judge Ideman’s court reporter’s tape recording of the proceedings. The tape was marked but not admitted into evidence. On the portions of the tape played for the jury a female voice can be heard asking “Are you all right Mtina?” Shortly…