A 20-year-old Chattanooga man was sent to jail overnight for mooning a judge during an appearance in General Sessions Court on Wednesday.
Judge Christie Mahn Sell initially sentenced Michael Dwayne Knight, of 2801 Taylor St., to three days in jail for contempt of court.
She decided to release him on Thursday morning after he had spent the one night in jail.
Court observers said Knight dropped his pants below his rear at least three times after the judge asked him to pull his pants up. He purposefully dropped them at the bench each time below his buttocks, it was stated.
The judge told him if he dropped them again he would be in contempt and could go to jail for up to 10 days. Knight then turned around and “mooned" the judge.
Judge Sell called the Administrative Office of the Courts prior to putting down the contempt ruling, which was the first she had issued in her years on the bench.
She said Knight "defied court rules of decorum, the court system and my multiple requests. Court is the last place we have any rules, decorum or consequences."
Knight was in court on a charge of possessing a firearm with intent to go armed.