Shocking courtroom video footage shows a convicted domestic abuser knocking his lawyer unconscious after receiving a 45-year prison sentence.
Judge Nancy Margaret Russo had just handed down a 47-year sentence, minus credit for the two years Chilston has already spent in custody, when the 42-year-old launched a surprise “sucker punch” attack on his defence attorney, Aaron Brockler.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Chislton is seen striking Brockler across the face with his cuffed hands before being subdued by officers, in footage captured on a body camera worn by a sheriff’s deputy.
Brockler was taken to hospital, where he was treated for a broken nose and severe concussion as a result of the punch, WTOL reports.
Eyewitnesses told Cleveland.com that the defendant “was cuffed with his hands in front of him, instead of behind him, as is more customary”, enabling him to strike
Chislton “spurred an hours-long police standoff in 2017 when he pistol-whipped his girlfriend and set his apartment complex on fire after she accused him of sexually abusing a teenage girl”, Cleveland.com reports.
He now faces additional prison time for the brutal assault.
In a statement, administrative judge John T. Russo said that the incident was “unfortunate”.
“We are thankful that Attorney Aaron Brockler was not more seriously injured. We wish him the best in a speedy recovery,” he said.
-
Should you add your child to your credit card?The Explainer You can make them an authorized user on your account in order to help them build credit
-
Cracker Barrel crackup: How the culture wars are upending corporate brandingIn the Spotlight Is it 'woke' to leave nostalgia behind?
-
'It's hard to discern what it actually means'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Texas’s abortion law: the Republicans get their way, at lastSpeed Read SB8 authorises private citizens to sue anyone who performs, ‘aids or abets’ an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy
-
Changing legal gender: what’s new and how does it work?Speed Read Cost of a gender recognition certificate application is reduced from £140 to £5
-
America’s bloodiest state votes to ban the death penaltySpeed Read Virginia has executed more than 1,300 people in its 400-year history
-
FBI accused of ‘fake’ background check on Donald Trump Supreme Court nomineeSpeed Read Democratic senator calls for ‘proper oversight’ over Brett Kavanaugh investigation into sexual assault claims
-
Family of Malcolm X claims letter proves FBI and NYPD involved in his murderSpeed Read Daughters of assassinated civil rights leader demand reopening of investigation
-
Meghan Markle granted nine-month delay in Mail on Sunday privacy caseSpeed Read Duchess of Sussex had applied for summary judgement in battle over letters sent to her estranged father
-
Meghan Markle to pay £67,000 after losing first round of legal battle against Mail
Speed Read Duchess of Sussex is suing the newspaper’s publisher for printing parts of private letter to her father
-
MI6 agents tried to stop judge seeing secret documents in ‘licence to kill’ caseSpeed Read Intelligence agency was forced to apologise for ‘any misunderstanding’, court documents show
