Defendant removed from his own hearing

A man who snatched a woman’s purse at a local night spot was bound over to the grand jury Tuesday following a hearing held without him after he was tossed from the courtroom for making an X-rated remark to the victim.

The defendant, Robert Partridge, 46, was bound to the grand jury on charges of theft over $10,000 and theft over $1,000 Tuesday following a hearing before General Sessions Judge Larry Ross, which was held after the accused had already been returned to his jail cell.

Partridge was pulled from the holding room and taken out of the courtroom for transport back to Warren County Jail after officers, along with other people in the rear of the courtroom, heard the suspect tell the victim, who was also sitting in the back of the courtroom, to suck a part of his anatomy as he was led by in chains.

Upon hearing of the remark, Judge Ross ruled the hearing would go on without Partridge despite protests from his attorney, Steve Roller, who suggested the State Supreme Court has ruled such hearings, in the absence of the defendant, should not be held.

However, Ross said he was not going to allow a person to intimidate a witness or victim in his court, noting the Supreme Court can review the case if it wishes.

‘That’s just not going to happen in this court,’ Ross said of permitting Partridge’s return after his statement to the woman.

Roller renewed his objection saying that while the court could order his client to be muzzled to ensure his quietness during the hearing, case law does not permit simply barring the defendant from the hearing thereby preventing his right to face his accuser. Ross refused a continuance, noting the victim is from Florida and requiring a return trip would cause undue hardship on her.

Partridge was in court for allegedly taking a purse belonging to Crystal Nash while they were at Club Manhattan (New York Grill) downtown. Nash testified she was shooting pool when she saw Partridge, who she knew, reach into her purse for what she thought was a lighter. However, she said he then took out her wallet and headed for the door.

Nash said she followed Partridge out to confront him but then he jumped into a vehicle and took off. Nash noted the wallet contained over $1,400 cash and several credit cards, adding she flagged down a police officer and reported the incident immediately.

Along with the purse snatching, Partridge is accused, along with Brian Little, 45, of having possession of a trailer reported stolen out of Florida. The warrant, taken the next day after the purse snatching warrant, came after the men were found with the trailer.

Witnesses told police they had seen the men cutting locks of the trailer outside a local motel earlier in the day, with one witness saying that Little had reportedly tried to sell him the trailer for $4,000. Little reportedly claimed the trailer was borrowed.