From a man who became known as the flying felon, to a woman accused of murdering her husband then attacking her own lawyer, today we look at some of the most brutal courtroom attacks caught on camera.
10 – The Flying Felon
Being sentenced by Judge Mary Kay Holthus for the crime of attempted battery with substantial bodily harm, 30-year-old Debora Redden’s day was not going well as he faced considerable jail time having been denied parole.
Seething with rage at his prison sentence, Redden launched himself over the Judges table in a frenzied attack before she could even finish reading the sentence.
Multiple court and law enforcement officials were then seen attempting to restrain Redden and a marshal in the courtroom suffered a gash on his face that required 25 stitches.
Judge Holthus received medical attention at the justice centre and was taken to a hospital by a family member due to continued pain from the sustained attack.
Redden, who was dragged from the courtroom spitting and swearing, was charged with six brand new felonies.
These included coercion with force or threat of force, extortion, intimidating public officers/others with the use of force, disregard of the safety of person/property, and battery by prisoner, probationer, or parolee.
This was later upgraded with seven counts of battery and an attempted murder charge on Judge Holthus, a charge that carries a life sentence if convicted.
Holthus was to face Judge Holthus again less than a week later, but never showed at court and was surrounded by seven armed officers and was forced to wear both a spit mask and gloves at a later hearing.
He was remanded into custody to await a further charge and placed on a $51,000 bond.
9 – The Nicholson Case
Arrested on weapons charges in Australia, Adelaide criminal Daniel Nicholson was hoping to be released on bail, however things went downhill slightly when his bail was revoked.
The perp, who was later revealed to be high on certain substances, then leapt into a drug-induced rage, throwing two officers who tried to overpower him and launching himself over the dock.
Landing on the bar table, he was then tackled to the floor by the police prosecutor before breaking free and being restrained by the same officers he had managed to avoid.
Witnessed by the man’s lawyer and family members, including Nicholson’s son, the scuffle finally ended and Nicholson was removed from court.
He was later charged with escaping custody and recklessly causing harm to the sheriff’s officers, one of whom suffered a broken foot.
He was later jailed for at least 12 months for his substance-fuelled violent escape attempt.
8 – Harding’s Retaliation
Waiting for the jury to return from their deliberations, Joshua Harding, who was accused of attacking a 10-year old girl in a cemetery decided that the case was not going to go his way.
As the jury began to return their verdict, he rushed towards assistant prosecutor Jonathan Roth, trying to plunge the weapon into his head which he had been hiding up his sleeve.
Roth managed to leap out of the way just in time before several officers jumped on Harding, pinning him to the ground.
After being hauled away by officers, Harding was later charged with terrorism offences and attempted murder.
He was later sentenced to between 19 and 38 years in prison for sexual assault on the original charge, with the terror charge later being dropped, but his sentence upgraded to a minimum of 25 years.
7 – Attack on Counsel
With extra security in place for a quadruple murder case, a Florida courtroom was about to be the scene of absolute chaos.
When the jury announced a sentence of life imprisonment for defendants, Travis Davis and Kelvon Grimmage, they decided that their legal team had failed them.
Davis immediately kicked things off things off by attacking his own lawyer, launching punches against the attorney who was writing on the ground.
Grimmage joined in on the sustained assault, before struggling bailiffs managed to stop the fight.
Security officers ended up having to discharge tasers to bring the chaotic scenes to an end before Davis and Grimmage were forced down and handcuffed and dragged from court.
The murder sentences against the defendants were later upheld and they later faced further charges of battery and attempted escape from custody.
6 – The Schabusiness Case
Appearing in court and charged with the murder of her boyfriend, Taylor Schabusiness grinned as details of the case were read out, later stating that the police would have trouble solving the case without parts of the body.
As the Judge decided that a delay in the trial was needed, Schabusiness was less than impressed and proceeded to launch an attack on her own lawyer, Quinn Jolly.
A fight ensued, before an officer in the room scrambled to restrain her, later taking two officers to finally stop the attack.
Her lawyer later filed a motion to be discharged from the case and another court appointed lawyer took his place.
Pleading not guilty to several charges, including first-degree intentional homicide, mutilation of a corpse and sexual assault, Schabusiness was later found guilty on all charges.
She is currently serving life, without the possibility of parole in the city of Fond du Lac with the trial judge stating that the crime offends human decency.
He later told her that she would die in prison.
5 – Family Revenge
Sentenced under a plea deal to 45 years in prison for killing his girlfriend, Frank DeLeon Jr’s life was already effectively over at this point.
While impact statement’s were being read in court, the victim’s stepfather, lunged at Balbuena, landing at least one punch before the two men were separated by court bailiffs.
Being held back by court officials, the convicted defendant looked shocked after the incident with the stepfather was eventually removed from the courtroom.
4 – Merced Court Attack
Accused of fatally shooting a 9-month-old baby, Daevon Motshwane was waiting to be arraigned on first-degree murder and other charges for the shooting.
While the arraignment was taking place, another inmate, who remains unidentified and had his hands shackled, began launching a sustained but brief attack on Motshwane.
He walked up behind the defendant and began launching punches into the back of his head before being restrained by court officials.
The victim, Darius King Grigsby, was in a stroller walked by his mother and her companion when Motshwane allegedly opened fire from a Chevy Trailblazer.
The courtroom was quickly cleared following the brief fight, which led to Motshwane’s arraignment being postponed until later in the year.
3 – Macomb County Attack
Attending his preliminary hearing for murder, Jeffrey Clark was sitting in a Macomb County court while the prosecutor presented evidence in the shooting.
The victim, JaRay Robertson, had got into an argument with Clark in a car park and ended up the victim of a shooting that was said to have been carried out by Clark.
As the prosecution was working to show a video, a sudden outburst occurred in the court as Clark was attacked by Robertson’s twin brother.
A large scuffle occurred which led to Clark being removed from the court and the whole courtroom cleared.
Clark was later set for trial on murder charges while it is unclear what charges Robertson’s brother will face.
2 – Pike County Craziness
Handcuffed and shackled in Pike County Justice Court, Mississippi, Sydney Newsome faces justice Aubrey Rymes who is about to begin proceedings.
Moments later after approaching the bench, Newsome is asked to be removed, to which point he looses his temper.
He begins wrestling with the only court appointed officer in the room, then picks up some papers and throws then at the judge, before next picking up a telephone and throwing that too.
Sick of foreign objects being hurled at his head, Judge Rymes takes matter into his own hands and helps the officer pin Newsome to the table before reinforcements arrive.
Newsome is then restrained, cuffed more securely and removed from the court, while Judge Rymes, sits casually rocking in his chair, almost as if nothing has happened.
1 – Crawford County Courthouse Siege
In one of the most brazen attacks on a courthouse ever, 48 year old James Palmer can be seen entering the upper floor of the building, what you cannot see is the cash of weapons he is hiding in the jacket.
As he moves through the building, its clear he is looking for Judge Gary Potrell, who ruled on a case against him, between Palmer and his ex-wife, a case that ended in divorce.
Palmer stalks the court, managing to avoid staff members and stops briefly to check his weapon before entering Justice Potrell’s office.
Theresa Armour and Vicky Jones, two of Judge Potrell’s assistants are alone in the office, while the Judge seems to have taken the right day to be off work, his life was saved by that decision.
As Palmer enters the office, he fires his first shot, completely missing Jones by inches, he would later shoot her in the leg before realising that Potrell is not inside.
Armour escapes, closely followed by Palmer who is now hell bent on finding Potrell but realises that time is running out.
He leaves the court building, ditches his overcoat and makes a run for it firing wildly at passing deputies and passers by.
Armed officers arrive at the court building, storming it and evacuating members of the public.
A shootout across the town ensues with Palmer eventually shot and injured by armed officers, he later dies in a local hospital.
This case led to many new security features at courthouses across the United States including armed officers at entrances and extra security in courtrooms.
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