Sheriff's Officers Go to Wrong Home, Mistake Fla. Judge for Burglar, Hold Her Briefly at Gunpoint
Sent to the wrong address on Easter Sunday concerning a reported burglary in progress, officers from the Broward County sheriff’s department held a Florida judge briefly at gunpoint, along with her sister and other family members, after mistaking the relatives for burglars as they cleared up after their holiday meal.
Broward Circuit Court Judge Ilona Holmes also was legally armed and drew her firearm while still inside her sister’s home, thinking that a responding officer rapping on the kitchen window with a gun was the burglar her sister’s neighbors had just phoned to warn them about, according to Fox News and NBC Miami.
Although the judge’s sister says she and Holmes identified themselves while still inside, the family was ordered outside as officers pointed their weapons at them. The judge was then surrounded by armed officers shouting at her to put down her weapon, which she had warned them she was carrying, as they held her at gunpoint, according to her sister, Carmita Scarlett.
When a senior officer recognized the judge, however, he told the others to lower their guns. Holmes is one of a very small number of black judges in the county, NBC Miami noted.
The judge and a spokesman for the sheriff’s department declined to comment. However, Scarlett says she is angry that no one apologized to her family. However, the Broward County sheriff did subsequently issue a written statement that included an apology, as a subsequent ABAJournal.com post details.
Updated on April 29 to include link to subsequent ABAJournal.com post and news of sheriff’s apology.
