When a judge heard a “cock-a-doodle-doo” in the background during a conference call with a gay man who said he was in jail in the Philippines, the rooster’s crowing brought the proceedings to a halt.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Aaron Katz was conducting a long-distance court hearing and he asked Peter Alex Dreier, 45, if that was a rooster crowing in the background—and more importantly—wasn’t he in a Philippines jail? “Why would a rooster be there?”, was the judge’s unstated question.
This all played out on the court’s online live streaming in June while Dreier was attempting to resolve his criminal case of making a telephoned death threat to an airline worker in 2018.
His attorney, Randall Page, quickly spoke up and told the judge Dreier was in custody at a locked Philippine’s farmhouse. Page asked Dreier to describe the facility, but his words could not be heard.
Page said they use locked farmhouses for jails in the Philippines, and he assured the judge that Dreier was in custody. Page said it was 4:30 a.m. in the Philippines at the time and that it would not be unusual to hear a rooster crow.
Deputy District Attorney Amy Colby responded and told the judge her records showed that Dreier was in immigration custody in the Philippines.
Dreier worked as an architect when he was here in San Diego, and he lived in Hillcrest. He described himself in a previous court case as sometimes getting anxious and that his boyfriend was usually able to calm him down.
Page said Dreier was arrested in the Philippines because of the no bail bench warrant from San Diego for his arrest involving the 2018 incident. Court documents say Dreier got into an argument on Dec. 3, 2018 on the phone with an Air New Zealand agent.
The call was recorded, and Dreier became upset when he was told he had to pay additional fees in rebooking his flight with a boyfriend. Dreier threatened the agent when he said he is going to get a “semi-automatic handgun and we’re gonna walk into your (obscenity) office, and see what you have to say then,” according to court records.
The airline employee told him his words would be reported as a threat. Dreier then added “I am a convicted felon,” which is true, because in 2017 he was convicted of assaulting a police officer in La Jolla by ramming his police car after the officer wrote Dreier a ticket.
The officer was injured and went to a hospital. Dreier was sentenced to 90 days in a work furlough center on three years probation after pleading guilty to felony assault.
During the phone call with the judge, Page attempted to resolve the case by having Dreier plead guilty and get credit for the eight months previously spent in jail.
However, Katz said “I’m really not comfortable in proceeding.” The judge said he wanted more confirmation about whether Dreier was really incarcerated in the Philippines.
The hearing ended without the case being resolved. However, several weeks later, Page had another conference call with Dreier and Judge Polly Shamoon, who handled Dreier’s previous case.
Page filed documents that explained Dreier’s custody status. Dreier pleaded guilty to attempting to make a criminal threat and asked for immediate sentencing.
Court records show that Dreier was sentenced to 309 days in a “Philippine’s jail” and Shamoon gave him credit for time served. No fine or fees were ordered.
Dreier was released from custody. The judge wrote an order that said if the “defendant returns to San Diego County, he must report to parole office.”
