Editor’s note: This article is by Todd Wellington of The Caledonian Record in which it was first published Feb. 12, 2014.
A mentally ill Northeast Kingdom man was being housed in a “crisis bed” at one of St. Johnsbury’s most expensive hotels before he was arrested for bothering other guests Sunday.
Joseph Moodie, 34, pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct in Caledonia Superior Court on Monday. Judge Robert Bent set bail at $5,000 and ordered Moodie to undergo an in-patient psychological evaluation that he wanted done “sooner rather than later.”
Moodie wasn’t there to hear the order. Bent had thrown him out of the courtroom after he repeatedly interrupted the proceedings with random comments and outbursts of argument while sitting handcuffed at the defense table.
“You wanna to know what the problem is?” Moodie suddenly yelled at one point “Let’s all throw our hands up and say what the f***!”
“Remove him,” said Bent to the courtroom deputy sheriffs.
“Do you watch TV Judge?” yelled Moodie to Bent as he was led away by police. “You never see ’em doing this to Joe Moodie on there…”
Moodie is scheduled to appear in court again on Friday at 8:30 a.m. for a competency hearing.
Until last week Moodie had been held without bail on Bent’s orders since Jan. 17 for violating conditions of release related to several Essex County charges. Moodie is also facing pending charges in Caledonia County that include an allegation that he pulled a knife on Phillip Barrett, 37, in the parking lot of the Lyndonville Cumberland Farms Store at 2:05 a.m. on Dec. 13, 2013.
But on Feb. 4, Bent ordered Moodie released after taking further testimony from Essex County State’s Attorney Vince Illuzzi and defense attorney Doug Willey of St. Johnsbury.
“Reportedly, since being in jail, his medications have been stabilized and he has been taking them consistently,” wrote Bent in an entry order. “The court notes he was visibly more connected to the proceedings than on previous days…There is reason for the court to believe Mr. Moodie has been stabilized. Whether that bears out or not the court will see.”
Illuzzi — who argued against the release — said he was disappointed in Bent’s decision.
“The argument I made was that he repeatedly violated conditions of release,” said Illuzzi. “The other argument I made was that he had brandished a knife. Looking at all the circumstances he is a danger to himself and others. I was trying to protect him as much as the public.”
After he was released last week Moodie was housed by Northeast Kingdom Human Services in a “crisis bed ” at the $160 per night Comfort Inn & Suites on Route 5 in St. Johnsbury.
According to an affidavit filed by Vermont State Police Tpr. Brian Tallmadge, police were called by Northeast Kingdom Human Services mental health worker Penny Cleverly, 50, on Feb. 9, at 2 p.m advising that Moodie, 34, had been causing a disturbance at Room 329 of the hotel.
“She further advised that Moodie has been causing a disturbance at the hotel, specifically that he has been knocking on the doors of other guests staying at the hotel, using profanity in front of other hotel guests, and making gun gestures with his hands at other guests,” wrote Tallmadge in his report.
When police arrived at the room they were met by Moodie, Cleverly and three other human services workers including Elizabeth Heath, 28, Karla Silver, 47, and Thomas Pomroy, 62. Pomroy gave police a statement.
“Joe Moodie has been speaking inappropriately in front of young children by using inappropriate language,” said Pomroy, according to police. “He repeatedly used the work f*** in a loud voice around a mother and her daughter.”
Bent’s decision on Monday to send Moodie back to jail came after he received input from Northeast Kingdom Mental Health Screener Rose Aldrich.
“I do believe he has a mental illness,” said Aldrich. “He is in need of treatment.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, Moodie was still being held at Northeast Regional Correctional Facility in St. Johnsbury.
