Judge: Couey coloring OK

Circuit Judge Ric Howard denied a request Monday morning from prosecutors who asked the judge to stop Couey from coloring in court.

"The man is on trial for his life and if this is how he calms himself down" then its fine, Howard said. "To me its as troublesome as a cloudy day."

As reported in The St. Petersburg Times this morning, Couey started coloring Feb. 13, when the court took a break from jury selection so defense attorneys could present evidence that Couey is mentally retarded. He has been coloring ever since.

It has sparked emotional reactions from Mark Lunsford and diverse interpretations by legal experts, the Times article revealed.

At the start of court, Assistant State Attorney Ric Ridgway asked the judge to order Couey to stop, saying it amounts to "unsworn, nonverbal testimony."

Ridgway said the timing of when Couey began coloring was not inadvertent.

The defense argued that Couey's behavior wasn't bothering anyone. "We think it's his normal behavior and I think he should be allowed to do it," said Assistant Public Defender Alan Fanter.