Local : Ramirez Ousted From Courtroom

Night stalker defendant Richard Ramirez was ousted from court today after he declared “this trial is a joke” and called the judge an obscenity.

The outburst came during a hearing from which Ramirez had asked through his attorney to be excluded. The judge, who said the defendant was acting like a “jerk,” had insisted that he appear.

“Hey, I don’t want to be here! Don’t you understand, man? What’s the problem?” Ramirez shouted as Superior Court Judge Michael A. Tynan ignored his remarks and tried to proceed.

“I won’t come back in here--you understand that?” Ramirez continued as two sheriff’s deputies approached him, each taking an arm and lifting him to his feet. “This trial is a joke!” he exclaimed, then used obscenities as he was led out of the courtroom to a holding cell.