A man on trial for allegedly stealing a dog was found in contempt of court for an outburst during witness testimony on Monday.

At the conclusion of the court session just after 5 p.m., Tracey Matthew Narron, of Kenly, was led from Superior Court in handcuffs, sentenced to 96 hours in the Beaufort County jail for the trial’s interruption.

Tracey Narron and his nephew, Robert Narron, were arrested in March of last year for a series of interactions between them and an Aurora couple who had found a hunting dog the Narrons claim to have lost.

At the time of Tracy Narron’s outburst, Valerie Baxter was being questioned by the Narrons’ defense attorney, John Bramble, about the events that took place on Dec. 11 and 12 of 2011. During her testimony, an agitated Tracy Narron began vehemently talking to his lawyer and his nephew, interrupting the proceedings and telling the judge he wanted to speak to his counsel.

Superior Court Judge Russell Duke Jr. immediately dismissed the jury from the courtroom and found Tracey Narron in contempt of court. Narron explained to the judge that he didn’t know the rules of the court, but after a look at Narron’s prior court appearances that date from 1991 to 2010, Duke found that could not be the case.

“It appears you’ve been in court several times over the years,” Duke said. “You know to be quiet in court and not to interrupt the proceedings. I give one warning. If it happens again you’re going to get another 30 days. Each time you interrupt court, you’re going to get 30 days.”

The Narrons are pleading not guilty to charges that include assault on a female, common-law robbery, larceny of a dog and assault by pointing a gun. The two men claim they rightfully took the dog away from Baxter on Dec. 11, 2011, because the dog belonged to Tracey Narron, and aimed rifles in self-defense at Baxter and her husband, Richard, at another encounter the following day.

On the witness stand, Valerie Baxter said Tracey Narron, without identifying himself or his nephew or producing any identification for the dog, knocked her down while forcibly taking the dog from her. According to Baxter, the following day, when the husband and wife tracked down the property the Narrons’ were said to own in the area, the Narrons made numerous threats to their lives while aiming weapons at them.

At the time, Richard Baxter also had a loaded .45 pistol, though he did not aim the weapon, she said.

The trial continues today with several more witnesses to be called to testify.