Top 10 Times Courtrooms Got Violent
#10: All Fall Down
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Although Timothy Hall was being arraigned for assault, no one expected the young man to lash out suddenly as he was about to leave the courtroom. Hall whacked a bailiff in the face with his cuffed hands, sending the officer staggering and unleashing chaos. Two more bailiffs jumped in to subdue the prisoner, including seventy-year-old military veteran Don Webb, who struggled to put Hall in a headlock as other prisoners yelled from the sidelines. They got Hall up against a table, which slid, bringing everyone down. At last, Hall was removed from the court, with several new counts of assault added to his charges; and while three bailiffs had to go to the hospital for evaluation and treatment, none suffered any lasting harm.
#9: Impact Statement Impact
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The atmosphere was tense at the sentencing of Tristan Lamoreaux, convicted of murdering his wife. Many people close to the victim were present, including her brother, Jason Wilson, who came forward to make an impact statement describing how the crime had affected him and his family. Wilson began calmly, but as he turned to address the defendant, anger overcame him – perhaps because Lamoreaux seemed indifferent, rocking idly in his chair. Although the wary deputies moved to intercept an attack, Wilson unexpectedly darted past them, got around the table, and headed straight for Lamoreaux. An officer grabbed Wilson before he reached his target, but perhaps he was slightly mollified when two bailiffs tackled Lamoreaux roughly to the ground – presumably trying to protect him.
#8: How NOT to Get Released
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Daniel Nicholson, an Australian who had been arrested on weapons charges, was dearly hoping to be released on bail. When he found out from the judge that it wasn’t going to happen, Nicholson was quite upset – so upset that he climbed out of the dock where prisoners are kept, jumped onto a table in the courtroom, and fought wildly with several security officers until he was pinned to the ground. We should probably mention that he was reported to be high at the time. Although Nicholson later regretted his behavior and blamed the drugs, that didn’t help the guard who had broken his foot in the melee; in the end, all Nicholson did was further convince the judge that he should be imprisoned.
#7: Love and Thunder
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When the families of a murder suspect and a murder victim get together, it’s bound to be a volatile environment. Toward the end of the arraignment of Pedro Merchant, who was accused of shooting another young man from the area, the judge announced that Merchant would be held without bail. One of the spectators called out, “I love you, Pedro!” It didn’t take long before violence then broke out. Family members from both sides began fighting with each other, creating chaos in the court. Some were taken out, but the fracas only continued, first in the halls, then outside; by the time things finally settled down, six spectators had been arrested, and eleven security officers injured!
#6: A Narrow Escape
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As prosecuting attorney Jonathan Roth waited for the jury to return from their deliberation, he may have been worried about the case, but probably wasn’t concerned for his personal safety. That abruptly changed when the defendant, Joshua Harding, rushed at him from across the room, wielding a makeshift knife. Luckily, a quick-witted police detective who had worked on Harding’s case was present. He swiftly blocked Harding’s knife arm as Roth ducked out of the way, then brought the defendant down with the help of another officer. Harding openly admitted afterwards that he was trying to kill Roth, although he did not explain why – unless it was to get an attempted murder charge added to his other offenses.
#5: A Leap of Vengeance
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At the sentencing of notorious criminal Michael Madison, the father of his last victim came forward to speak. Van Terry, who had lost his teenage daughter Shirellda, was composed when he first began his statement. But when he turned away from the judge and looked at Madison, who had expressed no remorse throughout the long trial, he reportedly saw that Madison was smiling – and that was it. Without warning, Terry launched his body through the air and over the table, determined to punish Madison. But security officers were able to stop Terry before he harmed the defendant. Madison didn’t seem to care; he was still smiling, though he had just been sentenced to death.
#4: Brothers in Arms
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Anthony Dees was in court when Dale Williams, the man who ended his mother’s life, was sentenced. As Dees escorted his aunt forward in the courtroom, it brought him closer to Williams, and he saw his chance. In a flash, he jumped the table where Williams was sitting, and went after him. Despite the efforts of multiple officers, Dees grabbed Williams by the ankle chain and dragged him out of his chair. Then Anthony’s brother Jerome joined the fray, dodging several deputies. The two sons struggled mightily on the floor with the defendant and officers, as their aunt yelled and beat her fist on the lectern, and general chaos reigned. Finally they were subdued, and charged with contempt of court.
#3: Pouncing on Counsel
2016
Four defendants. A murder conviction. Tasers. Florida. Need we say more? To be fair, the courthouse did arrange for extra security; but sadly, it wasn’t terribly effective. When the jury announced a sentence of life imprisonment, Travis Davis started things off by attacking his own lawyer, Daniel Hernandez. Another defendant, Kelvon Grimmage, joined in. As bailiffs struggled to stop the fight, the poor attorney writhed on the ground, trying to avoid punches. Finally, the security officers used tasers, stunning the two assailants and rescuing the lawyer. Davis and Grimmage were forced down and handcuffed. Davis later apologized to Hernandez, who reportedly replied, with composure we find hard to imagine: “That’s OK.”
#2: A Dad’s Anguish
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The trial for Larry Nassar, the notorious former team doctor of the United States women's national gymnastics team, drew a lot of attention for its absolutely horrific scope. And the revelations of the proceedings eventually enraged beyond control one father of three gymnasts, Randall Margraves. After his daughters’ testimony, Margraves asked the judge if he could spend some time alone with Nassar – or as he called him, “this demon.” The judge, predictably, said no. That’s when Margraves lunged towards Nassar, shouting threats mingled with curses. Security officers intervened and managed to stop him, before he could reach Nassar, otherwise who knows what might have followed.
#1: Here Comes the Judge
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Sidney Newsome was a defendant being led out of a Mississippi courtroom when he decided to throw things at the judge. (Pro tip: don’t ever do this.) Since he was cuffed in front, Newsome managed to awkwardly grab loose items and toss them in the judge’s direction. The object of his attack, Justice Aubrey Rimes, did not seem particularly concerned at first. However, after Newsome managed to hurl more serious items, Rimes clearly had enough. The older judge stepped down from the bench, helped pin the defendant to a table, and held him there until more help arrived. Footage of the incident quickly went viral, and we can certainly see why!
