A 23-year-old Steger, Illinois man was held Monday in the Marion County Jail as a “John Doe” after he refused to give deputies his name or to be fingerprinted Monday.
Edwin Price, also known as “Jethro Bey” was initially sent to the jail on a contempt of court charge when he stood in Marion County Court to enter a special appearance to represent 24-year-old Shawn M. Mitchell Jr., of Matteson, Illinois, in a driving under the influence case.
Price, however, is not a lawyer and the court repeatedly admonished him that he would not be allowed to represent Mitchell or any other defendant without a license to practice law.
Price was repeatedly ordered to leave the court room but he repeatedly refused and continued to interrupt proceedings.
Judge Michael McHaney found Price in direct criminal contempt of court and sentenced him to the Marion County Jail until 4 p.m. Monday.
After the court was informed that Price was refusing to give law enforcement his name and refusing to be fingerprinted, the contempt sentence was amended and he was ordered to remain in the Marion County Jail until he allowed himself to be fingerprinted and provides his real name to law enforcement. Price ultimately provided deputies with his name and fingerprints and was then released from custody.
Monday was the second time Price had attempted to represent Mitchell in court. In December Mitchell, who had played football for the Southern Illinois Salukis before transferring to Eastern Illinois University, had failed to appear at a hearing on the DUI charge.