BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A Brevard County judge is facing serious repercussions stemming from an outburst in his courtroom that ended in a confrontation with a public defender.
Judge John Murphy is accused of punching a former assistant public defender, a charge that he denies.
A panel heard from the judge's psychologist on Tuesday, who described what happened in Murphy's courtroom on June 2 as a "perfect storm."
The incident started with an angry exchange in the courtroom after a question about a waiver of speedy trial, but then escalated after Murphy called former assistant public defender Andrew Weinstock into a hallway.
Raw: Judge tells attorney 'I'll beat your ass' (Warning: Graphic language)
Weinstock said that's where Murphy punched him, but Murphy said he only grabbed the attorney by the shoulders after he was shoved in the chest.
Four days after the incident, the judge sought counseling with Dr. Michael Ronsisvalle.
WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said it's clear some punishment is in order but because of the judge's apology and action he took after the incident, it's not likely Murphy will be removed from his bench at the Moore Justice Center.
"We know from the testimony that at least eight defendants appeared before this judge after the public defender was dispatched without a lawyer, and the judge just proceeded to handle their cases," said Sheaffer.
"I'm confident this was atypical for him. My best clinical judgment says he's safe to return to work," said Ronsisvalle.
"If you want to fight, let's go out back and I'll just beat your ass," Murphy told Weinstock in video from the courtroom.
"Underneath this anger is this compulsion to make sure that justice is served," said Ronsisvalle.
Ronsisvalle told the panel that on the date of the incident, Murphy was fatigued. He had recently lost his father and had previous issues with the assistant public defender, who wasn't playing by the courtroom rules that the men had earlier established, Ronsisvalle said.
Attorneys made their closing arguments in the case Tuesday afternoon.
It's likely to be weeks before a recommendation is sent to the Florida Supreme Court, which will then decide an appropriate punishment.
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