Photo: Dan Jamieson/Shutterstock.com

Sometimes, you will hear about some crazy “I can't believe someone did that or said that” moment in our justice system and wonder, did that really happen or is this some courthouse tall tale? Well, the good news for you is that the following “I can't believe it . . .” incidents really happened, and we've vetted them for your reading enjoyment.

Timing Is Everything (Part 1)

Joseph McInnis and Tyree McCoy probably thought that Monaghan's, the Baltimore-area bar they allegedly tried to rob in late August 2017, would make for a good haul that fateful evening. Afterall, the watering hole seemed especially busy with thirsty customers. Unfortunately for McInnis and McCoy, however, the reason it was so busy was that Monaghan's was hosting a retirement party for a local police sergeant and, as a result, the establishment was full of police. The fact that Monaghan's is right near a county police station probably didn't hurt attendance, either. The ill-fated armed robbery attempt ended badly for the party-crashing pair, who were quickly apprehended and subdued (to the point where Baltimore County is reviewing potentially excessive use of force). The phrases “timing is everything” and “location, location, location” come to mind.

Timing Is Everything (Part 2)

Another pair of armed robbers was also cursed with bad timing. In April 2017, two men attempted to rob a Domino's Pizza store in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. As the pair escorted the manager to the back office to retrieve the cash, security camera footage revealed another pair of armed robbers in masks entering the pizzeria—apparently bent on robbing the place, too. The security footage shows the second duo forcing the first pair of thieves to the ground, slapping one, and then taking off with bundles of cash. Dutch police called the incident “a bizarre situation,” and asked for help in catching both sets of perpetrators. The security camera footage has been uploaded to YouTube and viewed thousands of times. For added entertainment value, speed up the footage and add the audio for “Yakety Sax”; you'll think you were watching a “Benny Hill” comedy. And if that doesn't strike you as bad timing, how about Maryland's Tony Barber and Mike Boswell-Johnson, who allegedly attempted to rob a pizzeria in January 2018 in Lanham, Maryland. Unfortunately, when the would-be thieves got there, they were met by police who were already there—investigating a previous robbery of the restaurant! Yes, timing is everything.

A Tip of the Hat

Judges understandably seek to encourage proper courtroom decorum, such as showing up in proper attire or taking off one's hat. But now there's a whole new reason for such formalities, thanks to Juan Jose Vidrio Bibriesca. The 43 year-old Bibriesca was one of three defendants appearing in the Eagle County, Colorado, court of Judge Katharine Sullivan on drug charges in November 2017. Unfortunately for Bibriesca, when he went to remove his cap, a packet of cocaine fell out. A local police officer sitting in the gallery noticed this and quickly investigated. Now Bibriesca is facing additional felony charges of narcotics possession and bond violation. He will probably keep his hat on next time.

That's Why We Have Miranda Warnings

Vincente Rodrigues-Ortiz may just be the poster boy for why we have the whole “You have the right to remain silent” instruction in the first place. In January 2018, the 22 year-old Grand Rapids, Michigan man was in court being arraigned for a shooting death earlier that month. Toward the end of the arraignment proceeding, Rodrigues-Ortiz asked the judge about his “other murder case.” There was just one teeny little problem: Rodrigues-Ortiz had no other pending murder charge against him. During the brief but awkward silence that ensued, detectives in court that day began thinking about an unsolved murder in Grand Rapids with similar facts that had occurred the previous March. Shortly thereafter—and before Rodrigues-Ortiz could say, “I was thinking about something I saw on 'Law and Order'”—detectives questioned him, leading to an arrest warrant for that murder, too.

Where We're Going, We Don't Need Roads, Marty

You could probably fill an entire book with examples of the bizarre things witnessed by Texas Department of Public Safety troopers. But most would pale in comparison to the state trooper who pulled over Humble's Mark Shields near San Antonio last December. You see, Shields is a huge “Back to the Future” fan who drives a Delorean outfitted just like the one featured in the popular film franchise and takes it to events all over the country. The trooper asked Shields questions about the custom car before writing him a speeding ticket for going—you guessed it—88 miles an hour. The irony was not lost on Shields, who said he plans to go to court dressed as Marty McFly and bring a friend dressed as Doc Brown.

John G. Browning is a shareholder at Passman & Jones in Dallas, where he handles a variety of civil litigation in state and federal courts.