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Mother's Profane Rant Livens Up Son's Bail Hearing

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By THOMAS W.  KRAUSE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 7, 2008

TAMPA - A woman who stormed from a courtroom this morning in a profanity-laced tirade led the judge to quip that her actions helped explain why her son was charged with a string of felonies.

On Wednesday, Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies arrested Stephen M. Arellano of Gibsonton and Timothy A. Brothers of Lithia, both 18, and charged them with 36 counts of grand theft and criminal mischief.

Authorities say they stole copper coils from air-conditioning units, worth about $300 each. The thefts took place while the two young men were minors.

In court today, Judge Walter R. Heinrich pointed out that Arellano has a juvenile record and that a record can follow a person into adulthood for purposes of bail. He asked court personnel whether Arellano was still on juvenile probation.

Ultimately, Heinrich decided it didn't matter. He was not going to reduce the $72,000 bail without a full-blown hearing that included witnesses and testimony.

Inside the courtroom, despite a thick sheet of glass separating the gallery from Heinrich's bench, a woman yelled that her son was not on probation. Then she began to curse loudly and called everyone involved liars.

"I swear to God this court is rigged," she yelled on her way out.

Heinrich looked up from behind a stack of paperwork and told court security to let her go.

"Obviously, we understand why her son is like that," he said. "Look at the mother."

Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.

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