COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A 24-year-old man accused of spitting on a Cook County judge during a hearing on a minor offense now is facing a major charge — felony aggravated battery to a judge.
According to prosecutors, Christian Brown first appeared before Cook County Circuit Court Judge Peggy Chiampas on June 24 during a routine bond hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse, 2650 S. California Ave.
He was there for a misdemeanor trespassing charge.
The judge at the time ruled Brown could be released on his own recognizance pending trial, meaning he did not have to post any cash.
Brown responded by spitting on the judge, hitting her arm and chest with his saliva and soiling her black robes, court records say.
Chiampas held Brown in direct criminal contempt and sentenced the south suburban Lynwood man to 30 days in Cook County Jail. The judge could have jailed Brown for up to six months.
With his sentence complete, Brown appeared in bond court again this week — where Judge James Brown ordered him held on $150,000 bail on a felony charge of aggravated battery to a judge.
