Dad attacks child's killer in courtroom
This is the moment a grieving father attacked the man who murdered his baby daughter in a US courtroom.
Dwayne Smith was in court to read a victims impact statement after the death of his three-year-old daughter Jamila Smith at the hands of her mother and her boyfriend Clifford Thomas.
Mr Smith had been asked by the court to read out his victim impact statement when his emotions took over.
In video released from the courtroom, Mr Smith can be seen walking up to Thomas shouting and punching him square in the head.
The distressed father is instantly restrained by officers from Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.
Ms Gordon can be seen screaming and yelling out "Jesus" multiple times as she is comforted by her lawyer.
"It was pretty scary," Ms Gordan's lawyer, John McWilliams, said.
"I'm glad nobody was seriously hurt".
“No charges were pursued against those involved as the judge declined to hold Dwayne Smith in contempt of court,” a Wayne County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman told Detroit Free Press.
Authorities said the three-year-old girl had bruises on her head and chest, which were consistent with abuse.
She died last September of multiple blunt force trauma injuries. Her death was ruled a homicide.
Jamila's mother was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and resisting and obstructing a police officer.
She was sentenced to seven to 15 years for involuntary manslaughter and 14-25 years for first-degree child abuse.
Her boyfriend was sentenced to about six years to 15 years for involuntary manslaughter and one to two years for resisting and obstructing a police officer.
This isn't the first time a courtroom brawl was captured on camera.
A US man accused of a fatal stabbing has been attacked in a courtroom by a witness who was one of his alleged victims.
On a lighter note, sometimes courtroom incidents can be quite entertaining in this case courtroom judge Mindy Glazer recognises a courtroom defendant.
If you think this is unlikely, the same judge Mindy Glazer recognises another defendant standing in front of her.
This time the encounter ends in tears.
