Hutchens held in contempt

SANDPOINT — A Sandpoint woman being prosecuted for allegedly battering a city official talked her way into a stay at the Bonner County Jail on Monday.

Rita Nancy Hutchens was arrested for contempt after repeatedly interrupting Judge Debra Heise and disregarding at least five explicit warnings that she faced arrest if she continued to disrupt the court proceedings.

Hutchens’ bail was set at $10,000 and she is slated to make an initial court appearance today in Bonner County Magistrate Court.

Hutchens, 57, is accused of throwing an ink pen at a deputy clerk last summer while researching a legal claim against the city of Sandpoint for her wrongful arrest in a 2011 stalking investigation.

Hutchens’ conduct during Monday’s pretrial conference was by no means an isolated incident. She has remained defiantly outspoken throughout the proceedings, arguing that the court has yet to establish jurisdiction and the state’s filings are technically flawed, among other procedural challenges.

The routine pretrial hearing got off to a rocky start after Hutchens objected to being called “Ms. Hutchens” and initially declined to take a seat at the defense table so microphones used to record the hearing could pick up her remarks.

She also demanded that references to herself as a “defendant” be stricken from the record.

“I am here under protest and duress due to the continuing threat and use of force against me,” Hutchens said.

Heise ordered Hutchens to undergo a mental health evaluation earlier this month, but Hutchens refused to comply and invoked her Fifth Amendment right to remain silent during the interview.

Hutchens, who is acting as her own defense counsel after rejecting the services of a public defender, asserted that right again on Monday, but was ultimately unable to remain silent and frequently reiterated her arguments while Heise was attempting to speak.

About 12 minutes into the hearing, Heise issued her first warning against interrupting the court.

“You are engaging in behavior that is to your detriment. I look at this file and I think there are issues that have merit,” said Heise.

At one point, even one of Hutchens’ numerous supporters in the courtroom urged her to heed the court’s warnings.

Heise wound up giving four additional warnings before finding Hutchens in direct contempt.

It’s the second time Hutchens has been arrested for defying court orders.