Cops Mistakenly Confront a Judge, Her Family at Gunpoint
Broward Circuit Court Judge Ilona Holmes, her sister and her sister's family says they were ordered at gun point by several Broward Sheriffs Deputies on Easter Sunday to come out of her sister's home with their hands up.
It was no evening of peace for the Deerfield Beach family, who'd just finished dinner with friends and family, and sent extra Easter dinner to a needy family connected with their church. Then, at 8:20 p.m., police got a call about a possible burglary next door. But a bad address caused police to go to the wrong home.
"Do I feel safe?" asked Carmita Scarlett, the homeowner and sister of Judge Holmes. "No, absolutely not. No, no. So much confusion, so much anger. So much, almost like, resentment. You know, 'you made the mistake and,' I told them, 'I'm the victim and you're upset with me?'"
The call to police said there might be a burglar inside 235 Southwest 4th Street. But there is no 235. Only 236 and 230.
Arriving police outside spotted someone inside 230 – Neville Scarlett was in the kitchen cleaning up the Easter dinner plates - and thought he might be the burglar.
He was not…
"There's a man with a gun and he's going to shoot me!!" yelled Carmita. "I thought it was the robber!" Her sister, Judge Holmes, came running to the kitchen. The judge carries a legal firearm and immediately pulled it out and held it in her hand.
"She said 'Who are you!? What are you doing?!' He said 'this is BSO.' She said, 'this is Circuit Court Judge Ilona Holmes!!'" Carmita said.
"'I'm the owner of this home. I'm Carmita Scarlett. Why are you at my home?' I kept saying that. They said 'put your hands up and come outside,'" she said.
If this had been a drug raid and the police had actually broken into the home, we'd probably be looking at a body or two.
