County courtroom erupts (Murder victim's father dives across table, attempts to strangle perp)

Herald Star ^ | August 7, 2007 | Mark Law

[Stoat]

 

County courtroom erupts

By MARK LAW, Staff writer

 

Mark Law

COURTROOM CHAOS – The father of a Weirton man shot in the back of the head during a July 29, 2006, robbery on South Court Alley attacked the defendant during a sentencing hearing in Jefferson County Common Pleas Court on Monday. Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla, left, is pulling Mike Sweat, the father, off Antonio Clifford, the defendant. Sheriff’s Deputy Troy Devore, right, is pulling on Clifford. Defense attorney Francesca Carinci is to the right, while defense attorney Peter Olivito, left, walks away. Mike Sweat’s wife, in the white blouse, is shown running toward the defense table.

STEUBENVILLE — The father of a murdered Weirton man who attacked his son’s killer in a Jefferson County courtroom was released by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department about 45 minutes after being dragged out of the courtroom in restraints on Monday.

Antonio Clifford, 20, of Cincinnati pleaded guilty before Common Pleas Judge Joseph Bruzzese Jr. to single counts of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and tampering with evidence and was sentenced to life in prison, without parole eligibility until after 33 years.

Joshua Ryan Sweat, 28, of 123 Sherwood Road, Weirton, came to Steubenville on July 29, 2006, looking to buy drugs, county Assistant Prosecutor Jane Keenan said. He was taken behind a bar, about a block from the Steubenville Police Department, and met by several men who came from inside the bar, Keenan said. The men decided to rob Sweat, but he resisted.

Police said Sweat was shot once in the back of the head. He was taken to Trinity Medical Center West and then transported to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where he died about 11 hours later.

Two other codefendants have already pleaded guilty in the case.

Keenan told the judge the prosecutor’s office was removing a death penalty specification as part of the plea agreement. Jury selection in Clifford’s death penalty murder trial was scheduled to begin on Wednesday.

Sweat’s family members were in the process of giving victim impact statements to the court when Mike Sweat, who was walking to the witness stand, suddenly turned and charged toward Clifford. Mike Sweat jumped onto the defendant, while county Sheriff Fred Abdalla grabbed the father.

Families of the victim and defendant were screaming and crying and began to argue amongst themselves.

Abdalla yelled for the courtroom to be cleared while deputies and responding Steubenville police officers worked to get the father on the ground and in restraints.

The father was crying and screaming the whole time, even shouting obscenities at Clifford.

“There was frustration over his son’s murder. As a father, I can understand that,” Abdalla said. “This happens in courtrooms across America everyday.”

Abdalla said Mike Sweat calmed down after a time at the county sheriff’s department. Mike Sweat kept crying and saying he had to tell his grandkids that their father was dead, Abdalla said.

“My heart broke for the guy,” the sheriff said.

Abdalla said Mike Sweat did attempt to grab the sheriff’s gun that was in a holster on Abdalla’s side. The sheriff said he held Mike Sweat’s hand until other deputies could assist in restraining the father.

“All we wanted to do was restrain him,” the sheriff said.

Sweat’s sister, Erica Lallone, and Sweat’s mother, Ginger Sweat, had finished their victim impact statements prior to Mike Sweat attacking Clifford.

“You are a murderer, plain and simple,” the victim’s mother told Clifford.

Both the sister and mother said the robbers had other options besides shooting Sweat in the back of the head.

“I don’t know why he was shot execution style,” the mother said. “It was not an accidental shooting. You put the gun to the back of his head and pulled the trigger, all for a couple hundred dollars.”

The sister told Clifford that she no longer has her big brother. She said Joshua Sweat was a two-time national motocross champion. She showed Clifford pictures of Joshua Sweat’s sons.

“I can’t tell you how much this hurts. I will never forgive you for murdering by brother, Josh. I can’t wait for the day you are in hell for eternity.”

Keenan, after the courtroom disruption, read Mike Sweat’s victim impact statement.

“You are the one who sentenced Joshua to death and his family to a life of misery. Therefore, I expect nothing less for you.”

Byron T. Johnson, 20, of 423 Highland Ave. pleaded guilty in December to single counts of murder, complicity to aggravated robbery and tampering with evidence and was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison.

Patrick Thurman, 20, of 341 S. Seventh St. pleaded guilty in July to complicity to aggravated robbery and tampering with evidence. He is still awaiting sentencing.

Keenan said the fact that Clifford will spend the rest of his life in prison is justice in the case.

“The family was right. He (Clifford) put a gun to the back of their son’s head and killed him for no reason. The victim was unarmed and did nothing to provoke the attack. (Clifford) is a cold-blooded killer who got what he deserved.”

Defense attorney Francesca Carinci said Clifford faced the death penalty and her job was to save his life.

“He has accepted responsibility for what he did. It was a just result in light of the circumstances,” Carinci said.



(Law can be contacted at mlaw@heraldstaronline.com.)

[Tx Angel]

"You aren’t actually going to try to tell me this kid was ‘happy’ and ‘productive’ and a ‘family man’ now are you?"

He may have been. I know many that smoke the occasional joint.

[Tx Angel]

"I’m very familiar with what you are citing, and in fact I’m for legalization, or at least decriminalization of some ‘drugs’ like marijuana.

But this kid wasn’t in that neighborhood looking for a quarter ounce of grass, as I suspect you probably know."

But how do you know that? After all, weed is supposedly the evil gateway drug.

[Stoat]

UPDATE

Video of courtroom scene available at this page (WARNING:  Heartbreaking footage, IMO)

WBNS-10TV, Central Ohio's News Leader - News - Victim's Father Attacks Slaying Suspect In Courtroom

[epow]

“He has accepted responsibility for what he did

Yeah, right, and he's no doubt really sincere about that too. After all, he didn't really mean to stick a loaded gun in the back of the boy's head and pull the trigger, it was all just a joke that went wrong somehow.

He also loved his sick mother, brought flowers to his crippled kid sister when she was feeling bad, donated time and money to the neighborhood boys club, and was trying hard to turn his formerly troubled life around to please his ailing mother. (insert tearful sobs and moans of sorrow HERE)

I hope he also accepts the treatment he will get as a fresh young slab of meat by the older and more seasoned prisoners. If there's any justice in this world he will wind up as the "wife" of a lusty 270 lb weight lifter with a 60 IQ and a catastrophic body odor problem. After a few months spent in that cozy arrangement the death penalty might not look all that bad from his POV.

[goldstategop]

I'd have strangled the murderous SOB with my bare hands too. What is he going to get- a lifetime behind bars? I don't think that is justice. I have to admire what the father tried to do.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[ladyjane]

Does anybody have a picture of the killer?

[Brucifer]

I tried marijuana once. It made me crazy. I wanted to rob a bank and get into a high speed car chase and shootout with the cops. But then I couldn’t find my car keys, or the car... or even the front door.

I did find about a half gallon of chocolate ice cream in the refrigerator. All’s well that ends well.

[driftdiver]

“Debatable. Especially when you realize just how much crime, of all types, are traced back to them.”

Billions of dollars are spent fighting drugs. Those dollars are completely wasted except for putting many otherwise good people in prison. The ban on drugs has not decreased use and has bred crime and unconstitutional laws.

Perhaps we should question our government instead of saying this kid deserved what he got.

[monday]

“How much of a father was this guy?”

stupid post of the day.

[lowbridge]

The sheriff said he held Mike Sweat’s hand until other deputies could assist in restraining the father. “All we wanted to do was restrain him,” the sheriff said.

Spoilsport.

[monday]

“You aren’t actually going to try to tell me this kid was ‘happy’ and ‘productive’ and a ‘family man’ now are you?”

He was two time national motocross champion. He clearly had some productive years and a family with kids and for all we know was very happy. Who are you to judge his life? You know virtually nothing about him.

[Liberty Valance]

ROFL - Go Brucifer!

[reagan_fanatic]

The murdered kid was buying drugs. How much of a father was this guy?

He didn't deserve to be executed in such a brutal manner.

May God comfort those hurting relatives and ease their pain.

[mpackard]

Mr. Noble, I agree completely. I’d simply add that sometimes it happens after they are grown, so keep on praying.

[Dianna]

Anyone’s kid can make some stupid choices, but there’s always a chance to turn him back around while he’s still alive.

Amen. Prayers for the family.

[Ptarmigan]

The perps should be infected with the Ebola virus.

[Stoat]

The perps should be infected with the Ebola virus.

Although the death rate is not 100% in all cases as is the popular conception, it still is a deadly mutha and would most likely represent a significant downturn in the perps' quality of life, as evidenced by this chart :

Ebola Cases and Outbreaks CDC Special Pathogens Branch

Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever
Table Showing Known Cases and Outbreaks, in Chronological Order
 

 

Year	Ebola subtype	Country	No. of human cases	Percentage of deaths among cases	Situation
1976	Ebola-Zaire	Zaire [Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)]	318	88%	Occurred in Yambuku and surrounding area. Disease was spread by close personal contact and by use of contaminated needles and syringes in hospitals/clinics. This outbreak was the first recognition of the disease.
1976	Ebola-Sudan	Sudan	284	53%	Occurred in Nzara, Maridi and the surrounding area. Disease was spread mainly through close personal contact within hospitals. Many medical care personnel were infected.
1976	Ebola-Sudan	England	1	0%	Laboratory infection by accidental stick of contaminated needle.
1977	Ebola-Zaire	Zaire	1	100%	Noted retrospectively in the village of Tandala.
1979	Ebola-Sudan	Sudan	34	65%	Occurred in Nzara. Recurrent outbreak at the same site as the 1976 Sudan epidemic.
1989	Ebola-Reston	USA	0	0%	Ebola-Reston virus was introduced into quarantine facilities in Virginia, Texas, and Pennsylvania by monkeys imported from the Philippines. Four humans developed antibodies to Ebola-Reston virus but did not become ill.
1990	Ebola-Reston	USA	0	0%	Ebola-Reston virus was introduced once again into quarantine facilities in Virginia, and Texas by monkeys imported from the Philippines. Four humans developed antibodies but did not get sick.
1992	Ebola-Reston	Italy	0	0%	Ebola-Reston virus was introduced into quarantine facilities in Sienna by monkeys imported from the same export facility in the Philippines that was involved in the episodes in the United States. No humans were infected.
1994	Ebola-Zaire	Gabon	49	59%	Occurred in Mékouka and other gold-mining camps deep in the rain forest. Initially thought to be yellow fever; identified as Ebola hemorrhagic fever in 1995.
1994	Ebola-Ivory Coast	Ivory Coast	1	0%	Scientist became ill after conducting an autopsy on a wild chimpanzee in the Tai Forest. The patient was treated in Switzerland.
1995	Ebola-Zaire	Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire)	315	81%	Occurred in Kikwit and surrounding area. Traced to index case-patient who worked in forest adjoining the city. Epidemic spread through families and hospitals.
1996	Ebola-Zaire	Gabon	31	68%	Occurred in Mayibout area. A chimpanzee found dead in the forest was eaten by people hunting for food. Nineteen people who were involved in the butchery of the animal became ill; other cases occurred in family members.
1996	Ebola-Zaire	Gabon	60	75%	Occurred in Booué area with transport of patients to Libreville. Index case-patient was a hunter who lived in a forest camp. Disease was spread by close contact with infected persons. A dead chimpanzee found in the forest at the time was determined to be infected.
1996	Ebola-Zaire	South Africa	2	50%	A medical professional traveled from Gabon to Johannesburg, South Africa, after having treated Ebola virus-infected patients and thus having been exposed to the virus. He was hospitalized, and a nurse who took care of him became infected and died.
1996	Ebola-Reston	USA	0	0%	Ebola-Reston virus was introduced into a quarantine facility in Texas by monkeys imported from the Philippines. No human infections were identified.
1996	Ebola-Reston	Philippines	0	0%	Ebola-Reston virus was identified in a monkey export facility in the Philippines. No human infections were identified.
2000- 2001	Ebola- Sudan	Uganda	425	53%	Occurred in Gulu, Masindi, and Mbarara districts of Uganda. The three most important risks associated with Ebola virus infection were attending funerals of Ebola hemorrhagic fever case-patients, having contact with case-patients in one's family, and providing medical care to Ebola case-patients without using adequate personal protective measures.
2001- 2002	Ebola-Zaire	Gabon and The Republic of the Congo	122	79%	Outbreak occurred over the border of Gabon and the Republic of the Congo. Additional information is currently available on the WHO website.

My only request would be that the perps be quarantined within a secure prison so that it would only have an opportunity to spread to other equally appropriate recipients.

[meyer]

Go easy. We do recover.

Agreed...

[Jimknox]

Mike Sweat belongs in jail, period. He tried to grab the sheriff’s gun—supposing he had accidentally shot an innocent person?

And if one of the defendant’s family members attacks Sweat, you’d be screaming for HIM to die.

The sheriff is a coward for not filing charges.

[Ptarmigan]

Ebola is painful to have the disease. I like watching them wither in pain. :)