"Drunk and sovereign is no way to go through life son..."

[jredison]

Who knew that Lehigh Valley, PA was such a cesspit of vice and corruption?

I think that's the new slogan to promote tourism here.

It must be something in the water.

[fortinbras]

"It means I live inside myself," Witmer, 44, told a curious Northampton County Judge Leonard Zito. "I don't live in the state of Pennsylvania."

And he can use the same argument to convince himself that he's not living in a jail cell.

[Judge Roy Bean]

Zito ordered Witmer to undergo a psychological examination, which didn't phase the defendant, who said, "I'm not insane" and "I'm not crazy."

"I've already had five of those done on me in prison," Witmer said of the examinations. "It's no big deal."

An ex con, involved in a domestic violence situation, drives while intoxicated (on a revoked license in a car without valid plates and without insurance) gets arrested and makes a fool of himself in court and winds up in jail instead of being out on bail.

These sovereign guys are some really cool folk to hang out with.

[Nikki]

He made a crucial error. Instead of saying "Hold my beer," he decided to hold it himself.

[jredison]

I guess he changed his mind about being a sovereign citizen.

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-sov ... 3874.story

'Sovereign man' pleads guilty to drunken driving
11:52 AM EDT, March 12, 2009
The sovereign has taken a tumble.

Scott A. Witmer, 44, of Allen Township pleaded guilty this morning to drunken driving, a decision that came a day after his trial began and two days after he claimed the court lacked jurisdiction because he is a "sovereign man" who lives inside himself, and not in Pennsylvania.

"I did not mean to waste the court's time or any of that stuff," Witmer told Northampton County Judge Leonard Zito. "But I felt I had the right to see what the Constitution has to offer."

Witmer faces three days to six months in prison on the drunken-driving charge when he is sentenced May 15. Zito allowed him to be free on unsecured bail until then.

Witmer was arrested by state police early on Aug. 24 when he allegedly drove drunk from his 1309 Adams St. home after troopers responded to a domestic violence call. A trooper testified that Witmer was so intoxicated that he had trouble standing.

"Women drive men crazy sometimes," a chuckling Witmer said today during his guilty plea.

Witmer, whose record includes convictions for reckless endangerment, theft and a drug offense, is under detainer from Lycoming County for failing to pay fines. Defense attorney Anthony Rybak told Zito that Witmer's parents have agreed to cover the back payments, which he said resulted after Witmer lost his job.

Witmer said he's served his time for his past offenses, and hadn't been in trouble with the law in five years. "I'd been doing everything right, except this DUI," Witmer said.

-- Reporting by Riley Yates, The Morning Call