CANDIDATES FOR KNUCKLEHEAD OF THE MONTH

As is often the case on WC Unplugged, there are cases where defendants are so incredibly stupid to the point where one has to wonder if they really have any clue what kind of trouble they're getting into...

Take John Forrest Etherton, for example. Etherton, 28, made two incredibly stupid decisions over the past few weeks. For starters, according to court records, he has traffic cases listed as active in at least four different District Courts (West Chester/East, Exton, Thorndale, and one in Montgomery County). That's not counting the numerous traffic offenses racked up in Chester, Montgomery, Millin, and Northumberland Counties over the past several years.

Apparently, Etherton found out about the warrants the hard way when he was pulled over on a traffic stop on South High Street by Ofc. Greg Cugino late last night. Stupid decision number two was allowing himself to get pulled over while allegedly under the influence of alcohol. Suffice to say that Etherton was taken to CCH for bloodwork as a suspected DUI and lodged at WCPD until the on-call District Judge went into service this morning. Oops...

Yet, the front-runner for Knucklehead of the Month is the one and only (thank god) Ashton John Bater. Bater, 56, of West Chester, was arrested by Ofc. Aaron Davis yesterday and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphanalia, Public Drunkeness, and Scattering Rubbish. Bater is presently committed to CCP in lieu of $1,500 bail with a preliminary hearing scheduled for Tuesday in front of Judge Bruno (15-1-01, CR-0000217-07). This wouldn't be too big of a deal except for the following:

Bater had appeared in District Court on similar charges on July 31 and waived his preliminary hearing in that matter. He was arrested on June 2 by Ofc. Davis on charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphanalia, Disorderly Conduct, Public Drunkeness, and Open Container of Alcohol. All of the charges except for the paraphanalia charge were withdrawn (15-1-01, CR-0000150-07; CP-15-CR-0003071-2007).

Bater picked up the new charges while out on bail after a December 14, 2006 arrest by Sgt. Martin Deighan on charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphanalia. Bater was scheduled to go to trial on Tuesday in front of Common Pleas Court Judge Howard F. Riley, Jr. (15-1-01, CR-000320-06; CP-15-CR-0000206-2007). Somehow, I don't think that's happening...

And, this is on top of 13 additional criminal cases and 12 summary appeals in Chester County Common Pleas Court since 1983 and a 1977 conviction in Philadelphia Municipal Court on drug charges (MC-51-CR-0715471-1977). Some of these cases resulted in summary dispositions, while at least three convictions landed him in Chester County Prison over the years.

Considering this individual is someone who, in this author's opinion (based on numerous less-than-favorable contacts over the years), is not entirely there, here's hoping that someone will entertain the idea of a 60-day evaluation at Norristown State Hospital.

You really can't make this up...