Frustrated Yohn says judge is ‘piece of s**t’ after status hearing, calls MRN afterward to say, ‘I’m to the point where I’ve had enough’

QUINCY — What started out as a simple status hearing and an opportunity to set a date for a hearing to review eight motions filed by Bradley Yohn ended with Yohn being escorted from an Adams County courtroom Wednesday morning yelling obscenities at Judge Roger Thomson, calling him a “piece of s**t.”

Yohn, 35, is defending himself against charges of home invasion, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated vehicular hijacking and aggravated criminal sexual assault with a weapon. He allegedly committed the crimes on Nov. 9, 2021, at the home of Christina “Tina” Schmitt. Yohn could be sentenced to serve between six and 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections if he’s found guilty of any Class X felony.

The Adams County Circuit Clerk’s office filed five motions from Yohn on Oct. 20, two motions on Nov. 16 and three motions on Monday, Nov. 28. Yohn said Wednesday he also had filed information about securing a DNA expert and a fingerprint expert along with the motions filed Monday.

When Thomson asked when information about the experts was filed, Yohn replied, “It should have been filed by the court, probably in the past four or five days.”

Assistant state’s attorney Josh Jones said he had not received that information. Yohn said he put it in the mail last Wednesday night or the morning of Thanksgiving Day.

“That may explain why it’s not been received,” Thomson said.

Yohn claimed not to receive order about date to schedule hearing for motions

Thomson then asked when Yohn would be ready to argue the motions he filed. Yohn replied it had been nearly a month since Wednesday’s hearing had been scheduled.

“We’re set today to schedule the hearing for those motions, and that’s what the order says from last time. So how long do you need to be prepared to argue?” Thomson asked.

“Your honor, I’m not aware of that,” Yohn said politely. “I’m sorry. I apologize. I never did get that order.”

Thomson asked again when Yohn would be prepared to argue the motion. “Right now,” Yohn replied.

“If you’re ready to argue now, I assume you’d be ready as soon as tomorrow or any day thereafter,” Thomson said.

Jones asked if the date to argue the motions could be set out “for a couple of weeks” so he could review the motions he doesn’t have. Thomson then set the date to review the motions for Dec. 14.

“Your honor, I object to continue that far off,” Yohn said. “I did not get the order the last time I was here. It was not given to me upon leaving the courtroom.”

However, Yohn appeared to contradict himself as he kept talking.

“The motions from Oct. 20 were filed before that last court date,” he said. “I was told that we would come in and do the motion hearings today. I actually sat right back there in the first pew and agreed to the hearing with Mr. Jones when he came to present the order to me. He said, ‘You don’t have an objection to that?’ I said, ‘It’s not as if I can object. We’re not on the record.’

“I was told the hearings would be today. That’s why I’m here prepared with all these motions.”

Yohn asks about court reporter, objects to media in courtroom

Thomson then read from an order he signed Oct. 26 that said, “Defendant’s remaining motions will be continued for selection of a hearing date to Nov. 30, 2022.”

“That’s exactly what we’re doing today,” Thomson said. “The state has the right to receive those motions in time to prepare to respond to those, so thinking that’s going to happen overnight is not realistic thing.”

Yohn then asked Thomson why a court reporter was not in the courtroom. Thomson said the court reporter was recording the hearing through Zoom.

Yohn then objected to members of the media being in the courtroom. Thomson said he noted the objection for the record and overruled it.

“I have nothing else to take up in your case, Mr. Yohn. You are remanded to the custody of the sheriff,” the judge said.

“Your honor, I am my own attorney,” Yohn said as Thomson was preparing to leave the courtroom. “I have some issues to take up.”

Thomson told him to file a written motion and notify the state of the issues.

“Then we can schedule those for a hearing,” he said.

Yohn loses temper as bailiff collects paperwork

Clearly agitated, Yohn said, “It seems like things don’t get filed, your honor.” 

Bailiff Kyle Ebers then started to help Yohn collect his paperwork and grabbed the back of Yohn’s chair.

“Man, get off me, dude,” Yohn said. 

Thomson then repeated Yohn was remanded to the custody of the sheriff. Yohn then lost his temper.

“Tell the court to start filing my stuff,” he said. “The clerk don’t ever file my stuff. That’s why I’m sitting here trying to argue.”

As the door closed behind Thomson when he left the courtroom, Yohn yelled, “Piece of s**t!”

As Ewers and four other bailiffs escorted him out of the courtroom, Yohn said, “That’s it. He’s done. I’m tired of this s**t. Y’all just railroad the s**t out of me in here. There f***in’ isn’t even a stenographer in here.”

Yohn has filed 10 motions since Oct. 20

Yohn’s motions filed on Oct. 20 were:

• A request for recordings of audio/video recordings of interviews done June 15-17, 2022.
• A request for video of a truck theft from Instant Replay on Nov. 9, 2021.
• A request to suppress evidence, such as money, three credit cards and personal property found on Yohn when he was arrested, and jewelry Yohn claims did not belong to Schmitt.
• A request for phone records of Schmitt and her husband, Timothy Schmitt.
• A request for the release of $1,902 seized from a motor home that Yohn claims belongs to Randy Young.

Yohn’s motions filed on Nov. 16 were:

• A request to suppress information extracted from a cell phone.
• A request to suppress evidence — a Kleenex found on the side of a road, a maroon money bag, a pill bottle and miscellaneous jewelry.

Yohn’s motions filed on Nov. 28 were:

• A request to suppress testimony from eight law enforcement officers.
• A request for the medical records of Schmitt for the past five years, including information about a trip she made to Quincy Medical Group on Nov. 7.
• A request for information from five local news media outlets — two of which met an Oct. 28 deadline Yohn had set.

Phone call made to MRN shortly after hearing

Yohn called Muddy River News about 30 minutes after the conclusion of Wednesday’s hearing to ask if a letter from him sent earlier this month had been received.

“I was under the impression you might not have got it due to things happening here in the jail,” he said.

Yohn then explained why he was frustrated in the courtroom.

“I’m not familiar with all this, to be honest with you,” he said. “I know that in the courtroom today, you were probably like, ‘Wow.’ You know, that’s normally not my persona. That’s normally not my personality or how I act. But there’s been a lot of things that have went on in this county over this whole ordeal that are not fair.

“I kind of got out of hand today, which I didn’t want to, but I’m to the point where I’ve had enough.”