NEVER JIVE A JUDGE. Sutter Superior Court Judge H. Ted Hansen brought Frank D. Soucek up short as the youth launched into an explanation of why he hadn't come up with the money to hire the private attorney, as he said he intended to do when he asked for a continuance at his previous court appearance.

Hansen cut Soucek off by tartly entering a not guilty plea on his behalf and assigning his case to the public defender. The judge then instructed the bailiff to hand Soucek a financial disclosure form to fill out. And as soon as that was done, calendared further hearings.

It's sometimes OK to shuck a judge, but never to shuck and jive him.

Here's the whole story:

YUBA CITY (3/10/03) -- A Sutter County judge Monday directed a plea of not guilty be entered for Frank D. Soucek, 18, accused of lying to a grand jury investigating a drug-related death.

Superior Court Judge H. Ted Hansen appointed a public defender for Soucek and ordered him back to court 1:30 p.m. March 19 for further proceedings. A preliminary hearing was set for March 21.

In the meantime, Soucek remains free in lieu of $5,000 bail.

Soucek -- pronounced soo'-chek -- is one of three teenagers suspected of making false statements to a grand jury looking into the April 27, 2002 death of Nicole A. Crowder, 17.

Crowder died after allegedly ingesting the dance drug Ecstasy at a party at the Yuba City home of Tomio A. Izumi, 19.

Izumi pleaded no contest in January to one count each of maintaining a place where drugs were distributed, obstructing justice and child endangerment. Sentencing is set for March 20.

Also charged with perjury in connection with the grand jury probe are Brian N. Skousen and Yousef Nassiri, both 18. All the defendants in the related perjury cases are from Yuba City.

Skousen pleaded not guilty to the charges last month. Nassiri is expected to enter a plea March 19. All three cases are expected to be ultimately joined, attorneys have said.

AND WHAT A GREAT BEAT IT WOULD BE... The International Criminal Court opened in The Hague today despite deep hostility from the Bush Administration and other serial human rights violators afraid of being hauled before a judge or three for high crimes and tacky misdemeanors.