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Terrica Hendrix
Assistant Editor

NASHVILLE—“Contempt” in the legal sense is a “willful disobedience to or open disrespect for the rules or orders of a court (contempt of court) or legislative body” or “an act showing such disrespect.”

While testifying in a lengthy case on Wednesday afternoon, Barry Stark, 30, learned the hard way exactly what contempt meant.

Stark’s wife, Crystal, (acting as her own counsel), questioned him about a past judgment. He replied that “there was some money being exchanged,” for the judgment to be in the favor of attorney Daniel Graves’ client, David Stearns.

Howard County Circuit Judge Ted Capehart asked Stark “Are you saying the court took a bribe.” He responded “David [Stearns] tried to bribe someone.”

Judge Capeheart said that he took offense to the insinuation and found the Dierks resident in contempt.

He ordered Stark to serve 10 days jail for contempt.

Howard County Chief Deputy Eric Wakefield and Deputy Todd Tallant escorted Stark to the county jail to begin his sentence.

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