Bench Carving Vandals Not Tolerated in Reading, PA

Bench Carving Vandals Not Tolerated in Reading, PA

source: Associated Press Strange News

READING, Pa. – A man waiting to appear before a judge on charges of receiving stolen property was thrown in jail after being caught carving his nickname into a court bench, authorities said.

Deputy Sheriff Kenneth J. Seyfert Jr. said he spotted Eduardo Rivera, 43, hard at work in the back row of the courtroom Tuesday.

“I looked back and you could tell he was really working on something back there,” Seyfert said. Seyfert said he walked up behind Rivera and saw he had carved his nickname, “Duardy,” into the bench with a quarter.

Berks County Judge Stephen B. Lieberman was notified and Rivera was handcuffed and removed from court until the end of the day, when he appeared before the judge.

“I understand you willfully destroyed some of the property in this courtroom, and that will not be tolerated,” said Lieberman, who revoked Rivera’s bail in the stolen-property case and sent him to jail.

Defense attorney Timothy A. Biltcliff asked Lieberman to delay Rivera’s hearing on receiving stolen property and other charges related to a car break-in. A new hearing was scheduled for April 4.

More science, space, and technology from RedNova

Copyright © 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.