CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cuyahoga County judge ordered a convicted robber's mouth taped shut during his sentencing on Tuesday. 
 
 Judge John Russo imposed the gag order because Franklyn Williams engaged in multiple outbursts in the courtroom, according to a docket entry. 
 
 Russo eventually sentenced the 32-year-old Williams to 24 years in prison. 
 
 Video shot by WJW Channel 8 shows Williams surrounded by deputies with his mouth covered with red tape. 
 
 A jury convicted Williams in December after he cut off his ankle monitor and left Ohio in the middle of his trial, according to prosecutors. He was arrested in Nebraska earlier this month and brought back to Cleveland to be sentenced. 
 
 Williams originally pleaded guilty to robbery charges in 2016 in the case and was sentenced to 14 years in prison. He appealed his sentence and argued that, because his attorney wrongly told him at the time that he would be eligible for early release after he served just seven years when he actually had to serve his entire sentence, he did not fully understand what he was pleading to. 
 
 The 8th District Court of Appeals sided with Williams and threw out his plea and sentence and ordered the second trial. 
 
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 CLEVELAND-- It was an unusual sight in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday. 
 
 Franklyn Williams, 32, is accused of three armed robberies in Richmond Heights and Euclid. 
 
 During his sentencing hearing, Williams would not stop talking, despite more than a dozen warnings from Judge John Russo over the course of about 30 minutes. Williams even interrupted his own attorneys. 
 
 Russo handled the situation by ordering deputies to tape the defendant's mouth shut. 
 
 Six deputies stood around Williams as one applied the red tape, but he continued to speak. The judge instructed deputies to put another piece of tape over his mouth in order for proceedings to continue. 
 
 Eventually, Judge Russo sentenced Williams to 24 years in prison. 
 
 In December, Williams was convicted on counts of aggravated robbery, kidnapping, theft, misuse of credit cards and having weapons under a disability, according to court documents. 
 
 His trial began late last year, but hit a snag when he cut his ankle bracelet. 
 
 Williams fled to Nebraska, where he claimed he was hit over the head and lost his memory. In court on Tuesday, prosecutors played Williams' phone calls with family to prove he remembered. They also found information on his phone that indicated he researched how to beat criminal charges. 
 
 Williams repeatedly told the judge he is not insane. 
 
 This is his second trial in the case. The first time, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to up to 14 years in prison. Williams was granted an appeal after a court found he was misinformed about when he would be eligible for release. 
 
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 CLEVELAND - An unusual sight in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Tuesday as Judge John Russo orders 32-year-old Franklyn Williams’ mouth taped shut during his sentencing. 
 
 “I will say knowing Mr. Williams due to my handling of his four cases, Mr. Williams was someone who liked to speak. To speak and interrupt. When lawyers were talking, witnesses were talking. More importantly when I was talking,” said Judge Russo. 
 
 Judge Russo says he gave Williams more than a dozen warnings to stop talking over the course of 30 minutes, but Williams refused. 
 
 In fact, he even interrupted his own attorney. 
 
 “Everybody has the right to go on the record with my court reporter. But we can’t do it at the same time or yelling over each other. My intent was never to silence Mr. Williams,” said Judge Russo. 
 
 But Judge Russo says he was forced to extreme measures to keep a clear record and maintain courtroom decorum. 
 
 “I gave him an opportunity to speak at the appropriate time. More than not, he continued to speak over me and others in the courtroom,” said Judge Russo. 
 
 Eventually, Judge Russo sentenced Williams to 24 years in prison. 
 
 In December, Williams was convicted on counts of aggravated robbery, kidnapping, theft, misuse of credit cards and having weapons under a disability, according to court documents. 
 
 His trial began late last year, but hit a snag when he cut his ankle bracelet and fled to Omaha, Nebraska. 
 
 “It’s something we try to advocate in any courtroom, any hearing. That it is not chaos and there’s transparency, justice, and an equality of everyone getting a chance to speak their mind,” said Judge Russo. 
 
 Judge Russo adds it is perfectly legal for a sheriff’s deputy to gag a defendant when they are in contempt of court. 
 
 Williams’ attorney had no comment. 
 
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– A report on a judge imposing a gag order has likely never been so literal. Cleveland.com reports Franklyn Williams' mouth was covered with red duct tape as he was sentenced to 24 years in prison Tuesday after being convicted on armed robbery charges. The 32-year-old reportedly repeatedly kept speaking over a 30-minute period in the courtroom, even as Cuyahoga County Judge John Russo warned him to stop at least a dozen times. Russo eventually issued the order that Williams' mouth be taped shut. Video taken by FOX 8 Cleveland shows a deputy pulling a piece of tape from the roll in preparation to tape Williams' mouth as Williams speaks out, saying he didn't get a fair trial or any justice and the judge is not allowing him to "speak how I need to speak." FOX 8 reports he kept speaking even after the tape was put on, and so a second piece was applied. Cleveland.com reports Williams was originally handed a 14-year sentence on robbery charges in 2016 but was granted an appeal and a second trial. That one began in late 2017, but midway through, prosecutors say Williams cut off his ankle bracelet and fled to Nebraska, where he was apprehended in July. A jury had convicted him on charges that also included kidnapping, theft, and misuse of credit cards in December, and he was returned to Cleveland to be sentenced. Judge Russo tells FOX 8 it's legal to gag a defendant who's in contempt of court, which he says Williams was. "I gave him an opportunity to speak at the appropriate time," Russo says. "More than not, he continued to speak over me and others in the courtroom."