AN ENGLEWOOD MAN IS BEHIND BARS AFTER BEING ACCUSED OF HANDING A JUDGE A SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE IN A PUNTA GORDA COURTROOM YESTERDAY. CHARLOTTE COUNTY MAJOR CRIMES DETECTIVES SAY 67 YEAR OLD JOHN EMERY III AND HIS WIFE WERE REPORTEDLY DRIVEN TO THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY JUSTICE CENTER IN DOWNTOWN PUNTA GORDA JUST AFTER 9AM. EMERY WAS TO APPEAR BEFORE JUDGE PAUL ALESSANDRONI FOR A HEARING TO POSSIBLY MOVE HIS TRAFFIC RELATED CASE TO A SEPARATE VENUE. EMERY HANDED THE JUDGE AN ENVELOPE SUSPECTED OF CONTAINING A BIOLOGICAL OR CHEMICAL AGENT. THE ENVELOPE WAS IMMEDIATELY GIVEN TO THE COURT BAILIFFS WHO ORDERED THE COURTROOM CLEARED AND THE BUILDING EVACUATED JUST BEFORE 9:30. EMERY WAS TAKEN IN FOR QUESTIONING AND THEN TO JAIL, CHARGED WITH MANUFACTURE, POSSESSION, DELIVERY, ATTEMPTED OR THREATENED USE OF A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION. HE IS BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND. EVERYONE WAS ALLOWED BACK INTO THE JUSTICE CENTER JUST AFTER 1PM.
