VIERA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida judge accused of punching an assistant public defender during an altercation outside a courtroom isn’t on the bench.
Another judge on Tuesday was taking over the caseload of Judge John Murphy in Brevard County.
Murphy allegedly hit Andrew Weinstock on Monday after the two exchanged words over whether his client could have a speedy trial.
Court spokeswoman Michelle Kennedy says the circuit’s chief judge will issue a statement about the altercation later Tuesday.
She says no decision on Murphy’s status has been made.
A courtroom video moments before the fight shows the judge ordering Weinstock to sit down. The judge says he would throw a rock at Weinstock if he had one.
The judge then asks Weinstock if he wants a fight to step outside the courtroom.
___
Information from: WFTV-TV, http://www.wftv.com/index.html
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
As one does when one is a judge…IN FLORIDA.
P.s. I am beginning to feel sorry for the 3 sane people that live in Florida having to read stories like this day after day after day.
Yup, every time I’m tempted to move back to FL something bizarre and of course violent happens. In this case I’m with Judge Murphy.
Good lawyers are worth their weight in gold. The rest simply take your money.
They were arguing over whether his client deserved a speedy trial? Kinda thought that argument was settled by the Bill of Rights.
Punching in Florida? We are lucky one of them didn’t feel threatened and decided to stand his ground with a Glock.
Day after day we hear stories about the Florida judiciary. Last week there was the story about the judge picked up for DUI (the third drunk judge this year in her county.) Now this. Does anybody think about judicial temperament when selecting judges in Florida?
A couple of well placed open-carry AR-15s would have shut that whole thing down…