Summary: A criminal defense attorney and a district attorney investigator allegedly got physical inside of an Orange County, California courthouse.
This week, there was an alleged fist fight in an Orange County courthouse—but it wasn’t between criminals, it was between an attorney and a district attorney investigator!
Buzzfeed reports that California defense attorney James Crawford said he was brutally attacked inside an O.C. courthouse on Wednesday. His attorney Jerry Steering said that Crawford “was thrown into a bench, then punched in the head around 10 times.”
In a statement, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said that they are working with the Sheriff’s department on an investigation. Once that investigation is complete it will be reviewed by the California Attorney General.
KTLA’s Chip Yost posted a photograph on Twitter of the bench where Crawford was allegedly thrown. There were sprinkles of what looked like blood on the floor.
The incident allegedly happened around 10:30 am in a courthouse hallway. Crawford was headed to meet a woman he was advising when an investigator from the D.A.’s office allegedly dissed him, calling him “sleazy.” Instead of taking the high road, Crawford clapped back with a mention of an informant scandal at the D.A.’s office. The investigator then called Crawford a “douchebag” in which Crawford responded, “F*ck you.”
Then in an act of maturity and grace (*sarcasm), the investigator threw a binder clip at Crawford who then threw it back.
After the great war of binder clips, all hell broke lose.
James Crawford after the alleged brawl. Photo courtesy of Buzzfeed.
Buzzfeed reports that defense attorneys in the area allege systematic misconduct by the D.A. office because of its use of jailhouse informants. This has created a lot of tension between the two parties in Orange County.
Despite the location and severity of the fight, no one was arrested. Lt. Mark Stichter of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said neither men required hospitalization and he would only confirm that a verbal altercation resulted in the physical one. However, Crawford said he will sue the district attorney’s office and the investigator.
The Association of Orange County Sheriff’s Deputies, a union that represents investigators, said Crawford’s account was one-sided and “not true.”
Source: Buzzfeed