Norristown woman convicted of threatening Plymouth district court staff

NORRISTOWN — A Norristown woman who police said was angry about losing a civil case in district court in Plymouth Township was convicted of charges she threatened court staff that she would come to the court with guns and “somebody’s going to die.”

Dehaviland K. Smith, 66, of the 1100 block of Swede Street, was convicted in Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas of charges of terroristic threats, harassment and disorderly conduct in connection with an October 2023 incident at the office of District Court Judge Jodi L. Griffis, who presides over cases in the Conshohocken section of Plymouth Township.

County Judge Thomas P. Rogers rendered the verdict after hearing testimony at a non-jury trial.

The judge deferred sentencing until September so that court officials can complete a background investigation report about Smith, who will undergo drug, alcohol and mental health evaluations.

The judge increased Smith’s bail to $20,000 cash and she was remanded to the county jail to await sentencing. The judge ordered Smith to have no contact with Griffis or the district court staff as a condition of the bail.

Smith faces a possible maximum sentence of 3½ to 7 years in prison on the misdemeanor charges. However, state sentencing guidelines could allow for a lesser sentence.

The investigation began on Oct. 16, 2023, when Plymouth Township police responded to the district court office in the 600 block of West Ridge Pike for a report of threats made to court staff.

At that time, a court clerk told police “that she received multiple threatening calls from Dehaviland Smith, who recently had a civil case that was not ruled in her favor,” according to the criminal complaint filed by Plymouth Township Police Officer Jacob Hennessey.

Smith called the clerk six times between 2:31 p.m. and 3:24 p.m. that day and made multiple threatening statements over the phone including, “I have two guns…I am coming over there right now…Somebody’s going to die…Someone’s going to get hurt,” according to the criminal complaint.

During the phone calls, Smith also said, “I am going to shoot him,” allegedly referring to the defendant in Smith’s civil case, police said.

The clerks “felt so threatened that they shut court down for the rest of the day, locked all of the doors and did not feel safe to leave without escort from officers,” Hennessey alleged.

Shortly after police arrived at the court office, Smith allegedly drove onto the parking lot at a high rate of speed. Police said Smith was acting “erratically and visibly distraught.”

While being questioned by police, Smith admitted to the phone calls and to telling the clerk that “somebody is going to get hurt” and “you tell the judge she made a big mistake,” according to the criminal complaint.

“While speaking with officers, Smith stated, ‘I don’t know what my mind and heart is going to do if I do not get compensated’ and ‘I said someone is going to die but not her’ and pointed at the courthouse,” Hennessey alleged.

Assistant District Attorney Jordan Christopher Rhone handled the case. Defense lawyer Cary Bartlow Hall represented Smith during the court proceedings.