Outburst directed at judge costs man accused in drive-by shooting

A man accused in a drive-by shooting did not help his case by yelling profanities at a judge, who found him in direct contempt and sentenced him to six months in jail.

Juvenal Garcia is charged in Oklahoma County District Court with two felonies, including one count of using a vehicle to facilitate the intentional discharge of a firearm.

Garcia, 24, cursed at District Judge Heather Coyle on Jan. 24, three days before the start of his scheduled trial. He called the judge a name after she questioned his sobriety and postponed his trial until August, authorities said.

Assistant District Attorney David Nichols, who is prosecuting Garcia, said he was "stumbling all around" and appeared to be under the influence of marijuana. The defendant's attorney told the judge he could "smell marijuana on the guy," Nichols said.

"As soon as she brings it up with him he just loses it, basically, and starts screaming at her about delaying his trial and his right to go to trial," the prosecutor said. "At some point she really couldn't proceed because he's yelling at her so much."

Coyle directs Garcia to return to her courtroom three days later. Deputies escort him to the courthouse jail, where things only get worse.

"My understanding from deputies is that he plugs up his toilet in the upstairs jail, floods it, either slips on it or in an altercation with somebody else ends up busting his head open," Nichols said.

Garcia's outburst caught the judge and the attorneys off guard.

"It was pretty unexpected because he’s been in our system awhile now, and pretty calm and well-mannered throughout that," Nichols said. "I'm guessing it's the first time Judge Coyle has been spoken to like that as a judge."

Garcia is currently on probation for drug offenses. Prosecutors are asking a judge to revoke his probation and send him to prison, Nichols said

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