Florida Judge,Public Defender Fight In Courtroom (1 Viewer)

[tom22406]

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. —


Court deputies had to break up a physical fight between a Brevard County judge and a public defender after an argument during a hearing on Monday.

Judge John Murphy is accused of punching veteran public defender Andrew Weinstock after the two had words during court in which Murphy allegedly pressured Weinstock to get his client to waive his right to a speedy trial.

"You know, if I had a rock I would throw it at you right now," Murphy tells Weinstock. "Stop pissing me off. Just sit down."

"You know I'm the public defender. I have a right to be here and I have a right to stand and represent my client," Weinstock said in the video.

The judge allegedly asked Weinstock to come to the back hallway, an area where there are no cameras, which is where the fight broke out.

"If you want to fight, let's go out back and I'll just beat your ###," Murphy tells Weinstock before the two head out of the courtroom.

While Murphy and Weinstock could not be seen, the courtroom camera captured audio of the scuffle and several loud thuds that accompanied it.

Those inside the courtroom sat uncomfortably and then clapped when the altercation sounded as if it ended.

Weinstock's supervisor told Channel 9 Weinstock thought they would just talk out the problem, but he said there were no words exchanged, just blows thrown by Murphy.

"The attorney said that immediately upon entering the hallway he was grabbed by the collar and began to be struck," said Blaise Trettis, public defender of the 18th Judicial Court. "There was no discussion, no talk, not even time for anything. Just as soon as they're in the hallway, the attorney was grabbed."

Two deputies broke up the fight, and the attorney was immediately reassigned to another area so he and the judge would not have to interact with each other.

After the confrontation, Murphy went back into court and finished ruling over first appearances.

"I will catch my breath eventually," Murphy said. "Man, I'm an old man."

Murphy wasn't arrested, and it doesn't appear charges will be filed. However, the public defender's office said the incident will be reported to the Florida Bar.

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/brevard-judge-accused-punching-public-defender/ngCGC/

Video,you don't see the fight but you hear it in the background,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCe8D3TSFGk

 

[mquinnjr]

this state.

 

[gump]

I love how the defendant doesn't blink an eye the entire time.

 

[3C's]

Florida, thanks for always entertaining the rest of us.

 

[tom22406]

Judge:"You want to fight?,lets just go out back and I'll beat your ###!

He then beat his ###.

New name is Judge KickAss.

GB Florida!

 

[3C's]

Must be some history between those 2. Lawyer seemed like he was egging him on...and then got what was coming.

 

[MaxThreshold]

Judge:"You want to fight?,lets just go out back and I'll beat your ###!

He then beat his ###.

New name is Judge KickAss.

GB Florida!

Re-election now completely guaranteed.

 

[tom22406]

Must be some history between those 2. Lawyer seemed like he was egging him on...and then got what was coming.

I would hope this is the case,if not the judge won't be around much longer IMO.

 

[Rayderr]

"If you want to fight, let's go out back and I'll just beat your ###," Murphy tells Weinstock before the two head out of the courtroom.

Weinstock's supervisor told Channel 9 Weinstock thought they would just talk out the problem, but he said there were no words exchanged, just blows thrown by Murphy.

Lawyer is clearly at fault here. It's not the judge's fault he's dumb as a box of rocks. The judge specifically said what he was going to do.

 

[Zow]

Must be some history between those 2. Lawyer seemed like he was egging him on...and then got what was coming.

Generally public defenders are assigned to a particular courtroom or a small number of courtrooms. So I'm sure there is some history.

 

[Zow]

Just got a chance to watch the video. Undoubtedly there's some history, likely stemming from a longstanding customary procedure in that courtroom which may violate a defendant's rights but has just always been done and complied with it because there is no practical detriment to the defendant. My guess is that this public defender, in the past, nonetheless voiced his concerns over the potentially unconstitutional procedure While I couldn't really tell what the issue was nor am I aware of particular Florida procedure, the lawyer's comment "I'm not waiving" implies to me that the local practice had been for the defense to customarily waive a right to make the process run smoother. Likely, this lawyer has taken his own policy, ideally from his duty to his client, to refuse to abide by the practice. To give some benefit of doubt to the judiciary and the system, there probably isn't a major detriment to the defendant to waive whatever it is the court wants them to waive. By not waiving this probably throws an unforeseen or unaccounted for cog in his docket, yet the judge cannot obviously force the defendant to waive. This "battle" has probably been going on for several court sessions and came to a head here.