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Tru TV Crew In Tampa To Film Hillsborough 'Excuse Court'

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By THOMAS W. KRAUSE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 6, 2008

TAMPA - Tru TV, formerly Court TV, is in town to hear some good excuses - and many not-so-good excuses.

In 2006, the Hillsborough County court circuit developed a court division specifically to handle violations of probation. In courthouse hallways, the special division has come to be called "excuse court" because of the many elaborate stories defendants offer to explain their violations.

John J. Alleva, a field producer for Tru TV, said crews are taping court sessions in several areas across the country, including Hillsborough's violation of probation court. If enough interesting footage is taped, it will make the airwaves.

The crews were taping Monday and possibly will again today.

On Monday morning, the court was mellow. Many of the defendants admitted their violations outright.

In the past, however, excuses have ranged from the wild to the inexplicable.

Circuit Judge Daniel Perry said he once asked a defendant why she was arrested for prostitution while she was on probation. She said there was a line at the bank and she was in quick need of cash.

The Tampa Tribune previously wrote about a man who said he tested positive for cocaine because he found some in his home, tried to throw it away and got some on his hands. He told the judge he had very sensitive hands and he was sure that was how it got in his system.

Colleen Merritt, the court reporter for the division, said she remembered a case where a man tested positive for cocaine. He told the judge he had just moved into a house and found something in the clothes dryer. He said he didn't know what it was so he put it in his mouth and tasted it. It must have been cocaine, he said, because that is the only explanation for why he would test positive.

One of the more interesting cases Monday involved a man who violated probation by possessing marijuana. Perry asked him whether he would fail a drug test; the man said he would not.

Perry had him tested. When the man tested positive for marijuana, Perry asked him why.

"I was hanging around someone who was smoking it," he said.

"Don't even start that around me," Perry shot back. "Do I look that stupid? Don't even tell me I look that stupid."

The man admitted he had smoked marijuana.

The violation of probation court has been credited by law enforcement for reducing the population of the jail by processing cases quickly.

Those who are not found in violation, or whose violations are minor, are released to resume their probation. Those found to have committed more serious violations are sent to state prison.

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

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