In Shackles, Rip Torn Appears In Court
By CHRISTINE DEMPSEY Actor and comedian Elmore "Rip" Torn made his first, brief appearance in Superior Court in Bantam this morning after his arrest on gun and burglary charges Friday night.
Shortly before 10:20 a.m., he slowly walked into the courtroom with shackled legs. He was chained to three other prisoners. The four sat on a wooden bench while a court staff member read them their rights.
He was wearing cowboy boots, black pants, a blue, plaid shirt, and a Navy blue jacket.
Minutes later, he and the other three walked back to the holding area. His arraignment is expected to take place before the lunch break at 1 p.m.
Torn was arrested Friday night, when, state police said, he broke into a Salisbury bank. Police said they found him inside the Litchfield Bancorp with a loaded revolver. He was arrested on numerous charges, including carrying a weapon without a permit.
This isn't Torn's first brush with the law. Last year, he was sentenced to probation in a Connecticut drunken-driving case and granted permission to enter an alcohol education program. He also has two previous drunken driving arrests in N.Y., the Associated Press has reported.