SUPERIOR COURT -- The hope that identified sovereign citizen Edwin Roman would be willing to undergo a preliminary evaluation to move forward his case to trial failed Tuesday after the 36-year-old called an assistant prosecutor a liar.

SUPERIOR COURT -- The hope that identified sovereign citizen Edwin Roman would be willing to undergo a preliminary evaluation to move forward his case to trial failed Tuesday after the 36-year-old called an assistant prosecutor a liar before being escorted out of the courtroom.

Roman, who was ordered detained on July 26 after accruing new charges in New York, again read through prepared statements in court Tuesday, which included him interrupting Judge Thomas J. Critchley several times to cite admiralty law -- the law of the sea and international commerce -- before turning his attention to Assistant Prosecutor Jerome Neidhardt, whom he has accused of lying and failing to rebut a "negative averment affidavit."

According to a published report on the Southern Poverty Law Center, sovereign citizens believe that the American government was, at some point, secretly replaced by an illegitimate corporate government based on admiralty law.

Indicating he was not Edwin Roman, but instead present by "special appearance," Roman said he was in the courtroom "under duress" and told the court it had "no authority to move forward with this case, whatsoever." As he was being led out of the courtroom and into a holding cell, Roman stopped and continued speaking, his voice increasing in volume until several sheriff's officers escorted him out.

Prior to his departure, Critchley said that while he would be "willing to entertain" a motion to reconsider Roman's detention, since Roman expressed disdain that he was locked up, he feared that he and Roman may never see eye-to-eye.

"I doubt we are going to be making any progress or that we are going to agree," Critchley said. "We need to communicate on a basic level, and right now I don't think we can have a meaningful discussion."

Critchley was hoping to evaluate Roman Tuesday to determine if he was fit to represent himself at trial, but instead indicated that there was a "disconnect," though he hoped to bring the case back next week to try again.

During the hearing, Roman also cited the Uniform Commercial Code; the Department of Hasienda, which is the department of treasury in Puerto Rico; and referenced an international maritime law of contract.

The Bristol, Conn., resident and Army veteran was initially arrested in December 2018 in Newton during a motor vehicle stop when he was found with a loaded and chambered .45-caliber gun with hollow-point bullets on his person. He had loaded magazines in his glove box and lied to officers at the time, stating he had no weapons, Neidhardt said.

While Roman was released from jail after the arrest, on July 24, Judge N. Peter Conforti granted Neidhardt's motion to detain him after Roman violated his pretrial monitoring conditions by accruing new charges. Roman was arrested on July 11 in Nichols, N.Y., after being found with multiple weapons, including several tactical knives, during a motor vehicle stop for speeding. He was charged with obstruction after he failed to disclose his weapons along with aggravated operation of a motor vehicle without a license and speeding in a construction zone.

In Sussex County, he was indicted on and faces charges of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, two fourth-degree charges of obstruction and possession of hollow-point bullets.

Roman is expected back in court on Aug. 6.

Lori Comstock can also be reached on Twitter: @LoriComstockNJH, on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LoriComstockNJH or by phone: 973-383-1194.