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.)

[Stegall Tx]

He/she won’t live to serve the sentence.

Not that I would suggest anything, but I think it would be much more just for the perp to spend many, many years behind bars, then catch a bullet 30 minutes after his release.

That, or be put up in a house next door to either the judge who sentenced him to such a short term, or the board members who let him out early. Or both.

[t_skoz]

This is a good example of why we should discuss legalizing drugs. Buying drugs is not a criminal act, it is only temporarily illegal. Harmful to the user, absolutely. But criminal in itself, certainly not.

The victim was trying to enter into a contractual agreement, as an adult and with other adults, to purchase (I will presume with his own hard-earned money) a substance that will probably hurt nobody except himself (if at all).

Drugs are available everywhere. They are available in our schools, in our prisons, even in the military. They are available in back alleys. Millions (probably billions) of dollars in black money changes hands every day by people who live their entire lives outside of the law, completely unregulated and sold to anyone of any age.

We need to discuss establishing some way to regulate and control the trade of substances that are everywhere. Jail time is not a deterrent against selling or buying these substances. Even the possibility of death is obviously not enough of a deterrent for sellers and users. We need to reschedule drugs such as marijuana and “magic” mushrooms immediately so that these substances are no longer for sale next to much more dangerous drugs like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamines.

We need to recognize that the drug war can never be won by fighting it from the supply side, and that by doing so enlarges and empowers government while eroding many of the Constitutional liberties enjoyed by citizens not involved in any capacity of the drug trade.

It is my prayer that this man’s family can find peace and justice, and that Americans can begin a dialog that will help our young people make positive life choices and end the harm caused both by substance abuse, and the temporary illegality of these substances.

[Stoat]

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

I understand; but we'd need to make sure that you have a VERY protective isolation suit if you want to watch up close   :-)

 

[t_skoz]

Hi Laz, I’m glad to see you left NY! You probably remember me from an old screen name, but we used to chat about Rochester related stuff.

Anyways, hope you’re well.

[RightOnline]

Haven’t seen the video (I tried), but why is it that I can only guess the race of the perps..........

It’s all so predictable nowdays.

[Rembrandt]

“I have given this situation some thought and if I’m ever in the gallery, watching the murderer of my relative sitting before me I have a solution.”
—
“Relative” includes a sister-in-law, a nephew, an uncle. This was the CHILD of this guy. No one could really condemn the guy for any action he chose to take, whether in the throes of agony or with pre-meditation.

[Stoat]

 

Haven’t seen the video (I tried), but why is it that I can only guess the race of the perps..........

It’s all so predictable nowdays.

 

I'm very sorry to hear that you had trouble with the video....I just now tried it again and it plays fine on the stoatputer.  A couple of things that I'm thinking may be a problem....did you click on the little blue bar on the page immediately below the article's date that says "play video"?  The thumbnail photo image on that page is not a video link, it is only a picture.  If you clicked the little blue "play video" bar and it doesn't open up a player in a new window, I'm thinking that there may be a firewall on your system or network that is blocking it. Turning off the firewall, playing the video and then turning the firewall back on again after the video is over may be one approach.

Alternatively, there are several other TV "News" websites that are hosting that video, so if you do a search for important names within the article (such as "Antonio Clifford") you may be able to find other pages hosting the video that will play on your system.

And no, the video doesn't show a clear picture of the perps....it only shows the father clearly, and he is white.

 

 

 

[primeval patriot]

She said Joshua Sweat was a two-time national motocross champion.

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.

Analysis.

Hotshot motocross star attempts to buy narcotics at some dive bar and gets his head blown off.

Whoops, made the wrong choice.

[primeval patriot]

I will presume with his own hard-earned money.

I wonder who financed Jr's motocross adventures?

Mommy and Daddy maybe?

[Badeye]

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

This guy wasn’t killed over pot, and I have the same experiences you do in that regard.

Its almost impossible to find anyone thats ever been killed over pot, come to think of it.

[Badeye]

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

Uh huh, and milk is the ‘gateway liquid’ to alcoholism...(sarcasm)

[Badeye]

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.

lol

[Badeye]

“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.

You mix irrelevant facts here. The kid screwed up.

[Badeye]

‘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.’

I know enough to make a comment. And sorry, this shying away from personal responsibility is a notion I can’t fathom.

I know lots of liberals that can, but thats not me.

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

Politicians, are you listening? The public perceives that our “criminal justice” system is too lenient! Do you get that? Shape up or there will be more morally justified instances of the public doing what the “criminal justice” system doesn’t do.

[driftdiver]

“You mix irrelevant facts here. The kid screwed up.”

Sure he screwed up. He didnt deserve to die and its not something to celebrate.

[Badeye]

Sure he screwed up. He didnt deserve to die and its not something to celebrate.

I never said he deserved to die, nor did I suggest a celebration, so I’ll take it you’ ve confused me with a poster that did.

[Ptarmigan]

Isolating would be a good idea, so it won’t spread beyond the corridords.

[Paved Paradise]

I’m surprised this kind of stuff doesn’t happen more often. I think I’d have a hard time controlling myself in this situation. Can’t help being fiery, feisty me.

[Paved Paradise]

I echo your sentiments. Not only do kids do bad things but we all do.