Courtroom outburst leads to man being held in contempt of court

When people show up for a court appearance for a failure to appear charge, most of them don’t plan on going to jail that day. At least that was the case for Texarkana, Arkansas, resident Bret Wayne Anderson.  

But that’s exactly where Anderson landed - all thanks to his actions in and outside the Ozark County courtroom - actions that led to him being jailed for contempt of court.

Anderson  was in court that day, last Wednesday, July 23, for a failure to appear charge. He came before the Circuit Judge Craig Carter, pleaded not guilty and was ordered to reappear in court for the case at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 24. Because Anderson must commute six hours to appear in the hearings at the Ozark County courthouse, his attorney, public defender Chase Opolka, asked that the court take the man’s commute into consideration when scheduling his future appearances. 

Judge Carter considered the request. Before deciding, he ordered Anderson to take a urinalysis, testing for substance use. 

Anderson objected, telling the court that he didn’t think he should have to take a urinalysis because the failure to appear charge was for a crime that he was “falsely accused.”  He said the original charge had nothing to do with drugs and had been dismissed anyway. He continued insisting that he shouldn’t have to ever come to court for his failure to appear charge due to the dismissal of the original case.

“You’re creating a hardship on my finances and my job,” he angrily told the judge.

Carter once again told Anderson that he needed to take the urinalysis before any accomadations would be considered.

“I was being falsely accused and that charge was dropped,” Anderson once again told the court, raising his voice. “There’s no drugs involved in my case. I’ll drop [a urine sample], but I’m not going to pay for it.”

Anderson was ordered to return to his seat to wait for the testing. At one point, while the judge was taking up other cases, Anderson tried to slip out of the courtroom and was stopped by the bailiff. He returned to his seat. He then moved closer and spoke with Opolka. 

After confering with his client, Opolka asked to speak to the court and told the judge that Anderson had just informed him that he wanted to represent himself instead of allowing Opolka to represent him. The judge denied the request.

A few minutes later, Anderson was escorted out of the courtroom by a baliff and escorted to a restroom for the urinalysis. However, as he headed out of the courtroom, he began arguing and yelling, continuing to say that he shouldn’t have to take the test.

“You need to lose the attitude or I won’t need a negative UA to keep you,” Carter told him.

“I’m not paying for it,” Anderson said angrily.

“You should really consider shutting up,” Carter said as Anderson continued a tirade before going out the door. 

As Carter continued with the next case, Anderson could be heard loudly arguing with the deputy in the hallway. After hearing Anderson yelling for a few minutes, Carter ordered the bailiff to bring Anderson back into the courtroom.

“You’re not talking to my people like that,” Carter told the defendant.

“I’ve been treated unfairly ever since I came to this state,” Anderson said loudly. 

“Well, you’re going to jail now,” said Carter.

“I’ll drop a UA, but I smoke weed or take CBD every day,” Anderson said. “I’m a veteran and need it.”

“I find that you’ve been horribly contentious,” Carter told him as he waved for the deputy to take Anderson into custody.

“That’s wrong and unconstitutional,” Anderson yelled. “I’m an American citizen! You’re really going to put me in jail? My children depend on me.”

“You should have thought of that before your actions [in the courtroom],” Carter responded. 

As he was led to the side of the courtroom to await transportation to the Ozark County Jail, Anderson attempted to fight being handcuffed and refused to put both hands behind his back. After several attempts to handcuff the man, the bailiff strode to the side of the courtroom. “Put your hands behind your back,” he yelled at Anderson, who finally obeyed.

“Please don’t do this,” Anderson said. “Do you really want to take me to jail? My children depend on me. 

“I’ve done nothing wrong,” he shouted. “You’re incarcerating an innocent man.”

Anderson continued to argue with the judge for several minutes. Finally, Carter had enough. “Just take him [to jail] now,” he told the deputy.

Anderson continued yelling as he was being led from the courtroom. As he entered the room just outside the courtroom, he began an expletive rant at Opolka, who was in the room speaking with another client. “You didn’t do your [expletive] job! You [expletive] didn’t even [expletive] represent me!”

In an entry filed the next day, Carter wrote that he reviewed the case and the courtroom appearance. He said that he thought Anderson was showing signs of intoxication or substance abuse while in court and had ordered a urinalysis. 

“The defendant then began a ridiculous display of histrionics, as well as exhibiting belligerence to court personnel, the court and the bailiffs” he wrote. “The court noted the defendant exhibited uncontrollable shaking, and as the outburst continued, it was clear that the defendant was under the influence of controlled substance(s)…the court finds that the defendant’s controlled substance use was obvious and extreme. Specifically, anyone that belligerent with court personnel to the point several bailiffs were required to [subdue] him has serious dependency issues.”

Because of his actions in court, Anderson was released at midnight Friday, July 25, with several extra conditions including being supervised by a private company at his own expense, drug testing at least twice a week, being prohibited from using controlled substances, alcohol, marijuana or THC, and that the private company inform the court immediately about any substance use which will result in an immediate seven-day shock incarceration.

According to a story in the Feb. 5, 2025, edition of the Ozark County Times, Anderson’s original charge was in connection with the theft of $815 from a coin-operated gaming machine at the Tobacco Warehouse, located near the Missouri-Arkansas line on Highway 5. The case no longer appears on Missouri’s online court website CaseNet and appears to have been dismissed.

Anderson is scheduled to appear in Ozark County Circuit Court at 9 a.m. Aug. 6.