Hey guys and welcome to today's video. Today we have a sovereign citizen in court who railroads his ability to represent himself in a criminal matter and a nononsense judge who has no time for softset and plays an uno reverse card landing our resident brain donor in jail. So let's begin.
State of Indiana versus Michael Aliggretti 64D01 259F210947. Uh defendant is prosay state is represented by deputy prosecutor hammer. We were set today for I believe it was a Fetta hearing.
It is Fetta. Mr Aliggretti wants to represent himself. Sir, did you get a copy of our uh prosay representation form?
Yes, I did your honor. Did you have a chance to review that? Yes.
Do you sign it and stuff? No, I did not. No.
Do you have it with you? No, I'm not going to sign it. I'm uh here if I may if I may speak, your honor.
Um I'm appearing in persona uh propia personana especially not generally. I do not submit to the jurisdiction of the court as a defendant. Okay, Mr Aligretti, that's all you need to say.
If you're not going to submit to the jurisdiction of the court, you cannot represent yourself per se. I'll appoint the Porter County Public Defender Service to represent you. No, you will have I'm sorry, sir.
Uh what you're saying is that you will not subject yourself to the jurisdiction of the court. What that tells me is that you're not capable of representing yourself because when you represent yourself in this court, you become uh to the same level as an attorney. Okay?
Because you are unwilling to rep uh to subject yourself to the jurisdiction of the court, you cannot hold that status. Do you understand, sir? No, I do not.
Well, that's all you need to know. I'll appoint the Porter County Public Defender Service to represent you. You're welcome to hire.
I will not be accepting that, your honor. You are accepting it, sir. You know what?
Direct my other stuff on the record if you if you don't mind. I will not allow you to put any garbage like what you're about to say on the record. Okay.
You have filed documents in front of this court. You have uh boogered up my uh court docket with your uh prosay filings over the last couple of weeks. I've had to write orders that struck those from the record.
None of that is of record because it was stricken. And I have your mail here that you apparently don't even have the correct address for the court. What's your address, sir?
Do you know what direct contempt to court is, sir? Yes. Direct contempt to court is when you are in contempt of these proceedings.
And one way that you can be in contempt of court is if you refuse to answer questions and you delay the proceedings. in front of this court. Yes.
And you're refusing to answer questions that are as simple as what is your address? And we need to know the address for the official court record. I understand that, sir.
Yes. What's your address? 702.
Indianapolis, Indiana. What's the zip code? 46 46260.
Just so you're clear, do you know what the uh penalty is I can give you for direct contempt to court? No. Up to six months in jail with no good time credit.
You understand that? Yes, your honor. Okay.
So, you're clear. I struck your frivolous uh proceedings from the uh record a few uh days ago. Officer Ball, can you give him this?
Sure. In that I wanted to make sure that you were explicitly warned that well firstly I'll consider this conduct during the Fetta hearing as evidence of an inability or unwillingness to abide by the rules of procedure which may result in the denial of your request to represent yourself which I have already done. Okay.
So I denied your request to represent yourself. I've appointed counsel for you. I do not understand those what' you say.
I don't understand this proceeding and I don't understand the charges. Your nonunderstanding of what's going on is exactly why the judge is not allowing you to represent yourself in these matters. Believe it or not, he's doing everything in his power to ensure that you get a fair chance at trial while protecting your constitutional rights at the same time.
I'll get back to that in a minute. Okay. Uh, the second thing I notified you is that you may exercise that I may exercise my inherent authority to impose filing restrictions on you to prohibit you from filing any future prosay documents without prior judicial screening and approval.
I've taken care of that because I've appointed counsel for you and you're not allowed to do what's called hybrid representation. You're not allowed to also file things at the same time you're a lawyer's filing things because they're responsible for anything that would come to this court. Do you understand?
So any motion that what what did you not understand the words I used or what they mean? Everything. What's your level of education, sir?
Uh I didn't I have some college. Okay. So you graduated from high school?
No, I did not have a GED. You have a GED. So you graduated from high school.
You have a equivalency? Yes. Of a high school graduation.
Yes. Okay. So what I said was that you're not allowed to do hybrid representation.
Do you know what hybrid means? Nope. Hybrid means that there are two ways, right?
Hybrid would give the understanding that you're also representing yourself per se. At the same time, you have a lawyer. I have a lawyer though.
I just appointed a lawyer for you. Well, I don't want it. You have it because I denied your right.
can't afford one and I don't want a courtappointed attorney that's under represented under the bar association. Sir, the first words you told me was that you don't plan to submit yourself to the jurisdiction of the court. As a result, I wasn't able to finish.
As a result, I said as a defendant. Well, sir, you have to submit yourself to jurisdiction of the court. That's the kind of nonsense that uh I think you're involved now with uh uh some program that you probably don't want to be if you want to try to uh represent yourself in front of this court.
But in any case, the third thing I told you is I can impose further sanctions for contempt or abusive litigation practices upon you. You understand what that means? No, I do not.
I can hold you in contempt to court for delaying these proceedings and I can sanction you for abusive litigation. All right. And the fact that you've now tried twice to file the documents that I've had to strike from the record tells me that you're willing to be an abusive litigator.
Do you understand that? I do not. Okay.
So, I have time that I work on cases. Everything's pretty streamlined for the most part. People understand how the rules work.
uh when they represent themselves, they make themselves apprised of all those rules and they're held to the same standard that lawyers are held to. Uh as a result, things run fairly smoothly and we have some thousands of cases that we handle each year. Because people follow the rules, they abide by our processes.
We're able to get our work done in a relatively streamlined fashion. What you're suggesting to me is that I shouldn't do that. What you're suggesting to me is that I should for your specific case only have some special rules and allow you to somehow opt out of your given name, opt out of the processes and procedure of this court and allow you to proceed as your own sovereign or something of that nature.
Is that correct? Yes, your honor. Correct.
Right. And we can't have that. You know what?
If you just let me doesn't follow the rules of court procedure and I'm in equity going to follow the rules of court procedure and if you want to abide by those procedures, you'll be fine. If you don't abide by those procedures, you'll be in contempt. You understand?
I still don't understand the proceedings proceedings and the charges of this matter. Well, let me break it down for you in the most simplistic way possible. either quit playing your stupid games or win the stupid prize you deserve and spend some time in jail for contempt.
Back on November 3rd, 2025. And at that hearing, I went through all the charges with you. And I made sure at that hearing that you understood all three charges that were filed against you and you acknowledged each and every time I went through a charge that you understood both the charge that's alleged against you and the potential penalty for that charge.
Do you not recall that hearing, sir? I recall the hearing, but I still don't understand the charges of the nature or the proceeding. Okay, sir.
I just want to put that on the record. Well, we're going to sit here until you understand or until you at least acknowledge you understand. And if that's fine, your honor.
I have the day off of work. Say what? I have the day off of work.
I can stay. Okay. So, count one says that you're charged with dealing cocaine.
It alleges that on or about September 28th, 2025 here in Porter County, you did knowingly or intentionally possessed with the intent to deliver or finance the delivery of cocaine or narcotic drug and the amount was at least 10 grams contrary to the form of statute. You understand the charges in count one? No, I do not.
What do you not understand, sir? The words I used or what they mean? What What is the definition of understand in the law?
Uh, sir, you have to just acknowledge whether or not you understand. I don't understand, though. Which part do you not understand?
I don't understand all of it. Okay. Well, let me go through it again.
Count one suggests that you dealt cocaine, a level two felony. You understand what a date would be? September 28th to 2025.
I still don't understand. Uh, sir, do you not understand what date would be September 28th, 2025? I accept your date, but I don't understand the natures of these charges.
Okay, sir. Um, you're about this close to being held in contempt to court. You understand that?
I understand your honor. And if you're held in contempt, I'm going to put you in jail, sir. And I'm going to jail you in forcing me to understand the charges.
Well, I'm not forcing you to, sir. Yeah. just if you're just going to give me an to go through the statutory and constitutional procedures required of me in this court and that's for me to make sure you have a knowing and voluntary uh well not knowing and voluntary but you have an understanding of the charges filed against you.
It's part of your constitutional uh requirement and if it is I do have rights too, right? Well, I've gone through your rights with you. You understand that you have certain rights in this case?
Yeah, I do. I'm required to advise you of your various rights in this matter. You have the right to hire an attorney to represent you.
You understand that? And I do want an attorney. Well, you understand that you have the right to one or you wouldn't be able to suggest that you don't want one.
Correct. I don't want one. So, you understand the right to one.
Correct. Correct. Okay.
And you understand that uh uh if you can't afford one, the court will appoint one for you. Correct. If that's what you say.
Oh, no, sir. You either understand or you don't. You understand?
I understand that you want to give me a courtappointed attorney. No, no, no, no. I already appointed a courtappointed attorney for you because you can't get through the Ferretta hearing.
You understand why you can't get through the Ferretta hearing? No, I I do not. What were the first words out of your mouth when you read off your card earlier?
I said I'm in Pria persona and then specially and not generally. I do not submit to the court's jurisdiction of the court as a defendant. And that's all I need to hear, sir.
That's all I need to hear. Because if you're not willing to submit yourself to the jurisdiction of court, you cannot represent yourself in front of this proceeding. Do you understand that, sir?
You know what jurisdiction is? Yes. Tell me about it.
You You think that you have jurisdiction over my body and I'm a living human being? Human being, sir. Are you here to practice court?
Are you I I don't understand what this has to do with anything. I'm asking the questions and I don't care whether you think you understand it or not. You've come up here with your sovereign citizen.
I'm not a sovereign citizen. I did not claim to be a sovereign trying to bring I'm using the law in equity. Using uh sort of pseudo legal jargon into the court arguing things that aren't even based on criminal law.
I didn't even get that you're not willing to subject yourself to the jurisdiction of the court. As a result, you can't have a lawyer. I'm sorry.
You can't represent yourself. You have to have a lawyer. Somebody who understands how the court proceedings work and is an officer of the court already.
You understand that? No, I do not. Which part don't you understand, sir?
Everything. Why is it not so hard for me to believe that he has no idea what's going on? Maybe it's because he's an idiot.
Or maybe it's because he's done so much cocaine that, well, he's an idiot. I can't even state my statement. I want to just put my statement on record.
What's your statement? Why is that? Why is that so hard to Because the first part of your statement, this is a Ferretta hearing.
I'm here for a Fetta hearing. I've already denied your Ferretta rights based on the very first words that came out of your mouth, which was that you're not willing to subject yourself to the jurisdiction of the court. If you're not willing to subject yourself to the jurisdiction of the court, you're not capable of representing yourself and you must have counsel.
I said as a defendant, your honor. Sir, I don't care how you try to qualify it. All right, sir.
Do you understand the allegations in count one? No, I do not. Related to the uh possession of cocaine?
No, I do not. Okay. I'm going to give you um another chance to explain to me what do you not understand?
I don't understand the charges. I don't stand under the charges. If that's what we're talking about, I do not stand under these charges.
I'm willing to hold you in contempt and we can uh handle this again tomorrow. Okay. So, what I will do, Mr Allegedi is find that you've unduly delayed these proceedings.
All I want to do is find you in direct contempt of court for your continual continuous delay of the proceedings. I'll sentence you to a day in the Porter County Jail for your I have a job. It's so funny to me how these idiots always complain about going to jail because they have something important they need to attend to like housing they're going to lose, family that depends on them, or selling booger sugar on the corner.
Funnily enough, none of these things are as important to them as being a sovereign citizen loser. Please take Mr Aligretti into custody. We'll try again tomorrow, sir.
Yeah. We'll be adjourned in F210947 and I'll open a new case on the contempt proceeding as required by rule. Bye.
Have a great time. All right. So, that's the end of the first hearing and he did return for a second attempt at his Ferretta hearing yesterday.
Now, the audio started a few minutes into the hearing with the judge asking him the necessary Ferretta questions which would qualify or disqualify his ability and right to self-representation. All right, sir. Lawyers are trained to recognize objectionable and unfavorable evidence and promptly object to their use.
They're capable of presenting, as I mentioned, favorable sentencing information and attacking unfavorable sentencing information. In a jury trial, a lawyer will give an opening statement and make a closing argument, and they're capable of doing that very artfully. Have you ever had experience speaking in front of people?
I'm doing it right now. Uh, have you ever had experience speaking in front of a large group of people such as Okay, tell me about that. I can't remember.
Okay. I don't know how to articulate it is what I experience. Well, you would articulate it by telling me what experience you have.
I've been in front of people where I have spoke to a group of people before. How many people do you think were in that group? At least 25 plus.
Okay. And how many uh how presentation? How how often have you had the opportunity to do that?
More than a handful of times. How many is more than a handful? Six.
I have no idea. I cannot give you that be that would be lying. Okay.
The other thing that a lawyer would do in a trial is help the court prepare jury instructions and select a jury. You understand how to select a jury? Yes.
What would you do in that circumstance? I would uh cross-examine them. You would um lawyers have the training, knowledge, and skill at properly preserving the record of a case for appeal.
You ever been involved in an appeal? No. An attorney can also evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the case against you and give you expert advice on whether you should attempt to seek a plea agreement which might result in a dismissal of some of the charges or a recommendation of a favorable sentence in return for your plea of guilty.
This is an important part and I would ask you to take note that you will uh if you decide to not have an attorney, you'll not receive any special treatment with your defense. You'll have to follow all the same rules and procedures in your case as an attorney would have to. The state will have a competent attorney and they'll have that advantage that an attorney represents for them.
If you decide to represent yourself and the result turns out badly, you need to know that you will not be able to complain that you were ineffective as your own attorney in your defense. As I told you, you have a right to decide against having an attorney, but you must be aware that deciding not to have an attorney can turn out to be a very bad decision. Experienced lawyers almost would always decide to be represented by another lawyer in a criminal case.
There are some of the things that you should consider uh before you appear at trial without an attorney. And I want to go through a little bit more now. uh tell me more about your skills and uh knowledge that you have that you believe would be helpful in representing yourself.
Where do you want me to begin? Ask me a question and I'll answer it. Uh I ask you a question, sir.
What skills or knowledge do you have that would be helpful to you in this regard? I'm able to learn quickly and I can I know I can represent myself. What's your um college work in?
You mentioned you had some college work. Personal training. As a personal trainer.
Okay. Like in a gym or something like that. When you work in the gym, do you work with people, interact with people?
Yes. All the time I did. Do you still have that job?
No. What other uh work have you done? What other career have you had?
I worked at a pharmaceutical company where I uh led teams. I uh developed drugs and I uh I uh was promoted multiple times as team leader to a supervisor. Let me guess, you were promoted to the supervisor of the Huffable Glue testing department.
To what degree did you uh lead people? Uh we met we led multi-million dollar studies that had my name attached to those to where I had a lot of responsibility and I had to learn fast and move fast. Have you ever studied criminal?
Go ahead. Well, I never I never was in the pharmaceutical company, so I learned fast and I only had that job for three years and I I was able to propel myself that quickly with the the little knowledge I had. Have you ever studied criminal law?
I'm studying it now. Have you ever studied criminal law previous to now? No.
Have you ever had previous experience in the criminal justice system? Yes. What's the experience you've had in the criminal justice system?
When I was dealing with um previous cases in the early 2000s. Okay. Tell me more about that.
I submitted to whatever the court told me to do. What do you mean? What type of case were you involved with?
Uh drug cases. Okay. And is that a case or cases where you were charged with crimes?
Yes. And are those cases where you came to court? What's that word mean?
Caped. Where they represented me? I said came.
Oh, came. Sorry. Came to court.
Did you have to come to court for those? Yeah. Yes, I did.
And did you have an attorney? Yes, at that time. Okay.
Uh, did you go to trial? No. So, what was the result of the case?
We pled I plead guilty to those charges. Okay. Uh, is that the limit of your experience in a criminal case?
Yes. All right. You believe you're able to uh read a lot of information and digest a lot of information?
Yes. What about your writing ability? Yes.
Tell me more about your ability to write. I wrote up all those I I wrote up all those notices. You didn't read them.
You wrote uh some documents and filed those with the court on two separate occasions. Yes. I struck both of those filings from the record because Yes.
That's that's the degree that I'm I'm on. Okay. So, how did you compose those?
I I wrote them. And what did you use as reference? equitable law.
Okay. You understand this is not a court of equity? You're telling me that we don't that all courts are not with equity?
No court in Indiana is equitable. This is not an equitable proceeding here. Absolutely not.
This is a proceeding at law. Okay. Well, I I represent myself under equitable law.
Well, we make a I think fine distinction in Indiana between what are equitable cases and what are cases at law. Uh, and this one most assuredly is a case at law. You're entitled to a jury trial.
You understand that in an equitable case, you're not entitled to a jury trial. Do you understand that? Yep.
You do. You're telling me now? Learning as I go.
Okay. Anyway, so you along that same vein had filed some documents with the court. Uh, in those documents, you attempted to distinguish between your physical self and a capitalized corporate version of your name, not even your legal name.
Do you understand that the court doesn't recognize that distinction? No, I do not. Okay.
You understand that if you represent yourself, you'll be proceeding as the single legal entity named in the charging information, specifically Michael Corleone Aligretti. That's not my name. You understand that the court won't entertain any arguments to the contrary?
if that's what you're telling me. Okay. Is that a yes or a no?
I understand that. No. What I asked was whether or not you are aware that the court will not entertain arguments to the contrary.
Your name is Michael Corleion Aligretti. That is your legal name. That's not my legal name.
I changed it. Do you have documentation that you Yes, I do. Please don't cut me off.
I'm sorry. Where did you get that uh documentation? in Michigan.
In the state of Michigan? Yes. You have a court order that changes your legal name?
Yes, I do. Where's that documentation? Uh, in my files.
I had it in my possession yesterday. Okay. Well, I in this order today will order you to provide the change of name order from the state of Michigan to the court.
I have no problem. Within say 10 days. I can do it today.
And then well, I'm going to give you 10 days. Okay. Thank you.
And then if have you not changed your driver's license? Not yet. I'm still in the process of doing everything.
When did you have the hearing that resulted in the name change? Uh I I put it on my documents when I gave you the notice of intent. I put it on my documents then.
Do you still have the copies? How recently was it? I don't remember the exact date.
Did you have to go to court in Michigan for it? Yes. You don't remember when it was?
I don't know. know the exact date? No.
Were these charges? I gave you I gave you all the documents, sir. Were these charges already filed at that time?
Yes. Well, then it doesn't matter whether you changed your name or not. A lot of SAB sits will do this incorrectly thinking that if they change their name officially, it will negate the history and current charges they're facing, which is not how that works.
You also in those filings suggested you're making a special appearance or that you do not consent to this court's jurisdiction. You understand that in a criminal proceeding, your personal consent to the court's jurisdiction is not legally required. Say it again.
Do you understand that in a criminal proceeding in Indiana, your personal consent to the court's jurisdiction is not legally required? No, I don't understand that. Okay.
Uh, do you understand that the state of Indiana has jurisdiction over the charges filed against you and this case will move forward regardless of whether you agree with that jurisdiction? I don't understand that either. Okay.
You seem to be clever enough to understand these things. I asked you earlier whether or not you're suffering from a mental health condition. I predict that it's a certain point if you continue to suggest you don't understand simple terms that your attorney will suggest to me that I need to have you evaluated for competency.
Do you understand that that's a a possibility here? Nobody's speaking for me. He's not he's he's not my legal representation.
Oh, he is. Do you believe that you are incompetent and incapable of proceeding on uh because of a mental incapacity? No.
Do you believe you understand the players in the courtroom? What players? You believe you know what I do as the judge?
I believe you're an actor. Well, currently he is an actor acting as the real life arbiter of whether you can represent yourself or not and whether to throw you back in jail for another contempt of court sentence. Now, personally, I'd be careful because the last time we covered this judge, he put someone in jail for 6 months due to the same disruptive behavior that you're displaying.
Another thing that you put in the record, you attempted to apply concepts like shyship, subregation, demands for accounting and different things like that in these criminal charges and as recently as a few minutes ago insisted that you're dealing with an equitable case here. You understand that the the uniform commercial code, civil contract law, and commercial equity have absolutely no application in this criminal prosecution? I'm just here to settle the matter and put my stuff on record that you already struck.
How come we're going over it if you already struck it? Sir, it's an important part of the Fetta determination. I can't allow you to represent yourself if you can't answer affirmatively to these questions and you've already not answered affirmatively to two out of the four that I have here that I want to make sure that we go through.
Do you understand that? No. Okay.
Well, what I said was, and I just want to make sure our records clear, the UCCC, civil contract law, commercial equity have no application in this criminal prosecution. And you understand that the only rules that apply here are the Indiana rules of criminal procedure, the Indiana trial rules as they're brought into those uh criminal procedure rules, Indiana rules of evidence and substantive criminal laws of the state along with various other administrative rules uh that we have to abide by including our jury rules. You understand?
Those are the only rules that apply in this case. I understand now. You do understand.
I understand what you just said. Okay. And then I want to make sure you're clear.
The United States Supreme Court has made it clear that the right of selfres self-representation is not a license to abuse the dignity of the courtroom, nor is it a license to ignore the actual rules of procedure. Do you recognize that? Yes.
You understand that if you are allowed to represent yourself, you'll be held, as I mentioned, to the exact same standards as a lawyer, as a licensed attorney. Am I ready to talk? I'm sorry.
I'm just waiting on your response. Oh, yeah. Yes.
And you understand that I will not permit you to waste the court's time or the jury's time by raising the theories that you've raised thus far, commercial law defenses, or challenging, say, the capitalization of your name, for example. Do you want me to answer? It was a question.
You understand that? Yeah. and you understand that if you attempt to use your self-representation to file frivolous documents, disrupt proceedings, or refuse to follow rulings on issues, I'll find that you forfeited your right to represent yourself and will appoint council to take over your defense.
Are you going to give me examples of favor? Because I won't know until I file them. Well, the two attempts you've made to file documents previously were both deemed to be frivolous.
So, should I just bring them to you directly and then you'll let me know? I haven't made that ruling yet to require screening before filing, but it's on the horizon if you continue to file things that have nothing to do with a criminal case. Okay.
So, because you answered no to the first couple questions, uh you really aren't capable of representing yourself. Uh and I do think that my ruling yesterday was correct. It seems that you're unable or unwilling to abi abide by the rules of procedure and substantive law and I don't think that you can make a valid waiver of counsel.
The court had spent some time yesterday afternoon reviewing a caseep l the state of Indiana and I think that's an adequate ferretta inquiry. Um again I think I must deny your request to proceed proay. Uh the court does not well I I'll phrase it the opposite way.
The court specifically finds the defendant's request is not a genuine attempt to present a legal defense but a calculated strategy to obstruct and subvert these proceedings. Uh defendants using utilizing the rhetoric of what is commonly referred to as the sovereign citizen movement including raising nonsysical challenges to subject matter jurisdiction attempting to apply commercial law to a criminal prosecution. Uh the right of self-representation is not a license to abuse the dignity of the courtroom or ignore relevant rules of procedure and substantive law.
Based upon the filings that were previously stricken and the statements in open court today, court finds that uh the defendants unwilling to comply with the rules of procedure and intends to use self representation solely for the deliberate disruption of the proceedings. So I will deny the request to proceed prosay. I will maintain the appointment of council of Mr patent.
And I think that will do it. We need to get some hearings. We need to get a hearing on the uh calendar.
I want to object to your ruling on the record. So noted. Did you want to add anything to your objection?
I can I I know I can represent myself. All right, guys. That's the end of the video.
The rest of this hearing was just them setting up his next court date where he will be represented by council because he couldn't just accept that the court does have jurisdiction over him despite having just spent a night in jail, which should have been the only evidence he needed. So, if you like the video, hit the like button. If you disliked it, hit the dislike.
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