Woman Held In Contempt for Trying to Fire Attorney During Sentencing Hearing: ‘This Is Not a Town Hall’

A woman already facing punishment after a jury found her guilty of theft added contempt of court to her rap sheet during the sentencing hearing after she repeatedly interrupted to try and fire her court-appointed attorney.

Sirena Schroeder of Madison, Nebraska, was in Madison County District Court on Friday, October 23, alongside her defense attorney, Marty Klein, following an August 14 conviction for felony theft by unlawful taking.

She was facing up to two years in prison, according to a courtroom report from Norfolk Daily News, for allegedly stealing $2,218 in cash from a former employer. District Judge Michael Long waited until after he handed down an 18-month prison sentence for that charge before he held Schroeder, 45, in contempt of court.

“You need to understand this is not a town hall meeting,” Long told the defendant, per the Daily News. “You don’t get to get up and yell and speak out of turn because it makes it impossible for us to take down what is being said.”

She was then slapped with an additional 30 days in jail for contempt, which Judge Long said she would serve consecutively to her 18-month prison term.

Schroeder reportedly spoke out of turn continuously throughout the hearing, according to the Daily News, interrupting Klein, challenging his legal judgment and accusing him of failing to represent her best interests. She also demanded repeatedly that the court appoint her a different attorney, saying she wanted “competent counsel.”

When she claimed that Klein had not adequately reviewed the pre-sentence investigation report with her — a claim Klein denied, saying they spent two hours going over it — Long took a recess to give them more time, per the paper.

The interruptions reportedly resumed as soon as court reconvened, with the Daily News stating Schroeder accused her attorney of withholding information and disregarding her instructions when he tried to speak on her behalf. Long repeatedly attempted to quiet the defendant, per the paper, explaining she was expected to follow courtroom procedure and communicate through her council instead of over him.

Despite her continued objections, Long denied her demands for the sentencing hearing, the newspaper reported, telling her she would have to either keep Klein as her attorney or represent herself.

In addition to jail time, Schroeder was also ordered to pay the money she’d stolen from her employer back in its entirety as restitution, according to the Daily News, which noted she intends to appeal both the conviction and sentence.