Upon being arrested early Friday morning on charges of resisting arrest and related offenses, Shaheem Rochester was taken before District Judge James H. Sortman.
The arraignment was very quick because the 29-year-old man refused to answer any of the judge's questions.
"I will not answer any of your questions. I am sovereign," Rochester replied when Sortman began asking him routine questions that are part of every arraignment.
With that, Sortman dispatched Rochester, who had no address, to the Lycoming County Prison, where he was committed in lieu of $7,500 bail.
Rochester was taken into custody by Pennsylvania College of Technology police following a scuffle with another man in the 900 block of West Fourth Street about 12:50 a.m.
Rochester, who was intoxicated, repeatedly refused to provide his identification and yelled profanities at officers. It took three Penn College officers to get him under control, police said. Once he was handcuffed and placed in the back of a cruiser, Rochester kicked out the rear passenger window.
In addition to resisting arrest, police charged him with criminal mischief, public drunkenness and harassment.
