In a Shelby County Juvenile Court order detailing the contempt charges against Brown, he was accused of "willfully and intentionally baiting the court" and indulging in "willful misconduct clearly intended to embarrass, hinder and obstruct the administration of justice."
Before his arrest, the magistrate had told him inside the courtroom that he was "very close" to finding himself "in contempt." The following argument ensued, as seen in court records and heard in audio posted by WREG:
BROWN: "Excuse me, on what authority do you sit by the way? As a former judge here, we have a rule in the 30th Judicial District—it says every single Magistrate Referee has to be unanimously approved by every Circuit, Chancery, and Criminal Court Judge. I don't recall that your name's ever been submitted, sir. This tribunal on a General Sessions Court's authority is insufficient to establish you. Therefore, I challenge your authority to hear it. And by the way, what is that, Magistrate, sir, with due respect."
MAGISTRATE: "Mr. Brown, the Court finds you in contempt."
BROWN: "Here. Ten dollars. That's all you've got on me."
MAGISTRATE: "I sentence you to 24 day...for 24 hours in the Shelby County jail."
BROWN: "You're out of it. The maximum-"
MAGISTRATE: "You may have a seat."
BROWN: "I'm not. Ten dollars. That's all you got. Twenty. Take the two."
MAGISTRATE: "Get the bailiffs."
BROWN: "Go find the law or I'm reporting you to the Court of 3 Judiciary. I'll have you charged with violation of process. Now, you want to get into this, let's get into it. This sorry operation needs to stop."
MAGISTRATE: "Twenty four hours, Shelby County jail for contempt. You may have a seat."
BROWN: "Excuse me."
MAGISTRATE: "Do you wish to have another 24 hours?"
BROWN: "If you try to do this, you need to straighten yourself up and you need to cite your authority."
MAGISTRATE: "Do you wish to have a second day, Mr. Brown?"
BROWN: "What did you say?"
MAGISTRATE: "Do you wish to have a second day?"
BROWN: "A second date?"
MAGISTRATE: "Day."
BROWN: "Day?"
MAGISTRATE: "Yes, sir."
BROWN: "I'll tell you what. You cite the authority. You find it. I looked it up before I came in here. You have 10 dollars maximum contempt jurisdiction. Now you jump in here."
MAGISTRATE: "That's two days in the Shelby County jail. Do you wish to continue?"
BROWN: "OK, OK, I'll tell you what. Ill be out of here very shortly on a Petition for Habeas Corpus and I'll bring up all these problems and guess what, you might not be operating tomorrow."
MAGISTRATE: "Have a seat, Sir."
BROWN: "OK, as a courtesy to the officers, I'll do that. Mmmhuh."
MAGISTRATE: "Alright."
BROWN: "It's a circus, Sir."
MAGISTRATE: "That's three days."
BROWN: "You can do all you want."
MAGISTRATE: "Four days."
BROWN: "You don‟t have the jurisdiction I had to do it. You've got to be up above a trial judge. You've got 10 dollars."
MAGISTRATE: "Five days."
BROWN: "I offered you 10 dollars."
Security officers then remove Brown from the courtroom and escort him to jail. He was soon released of his own recognizance.