Murder Suspect's Mother Attacked In Philadelphia Court
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Three women are facing contempt and possibly other charges following a melee in a Philadelphia courtroom Wednesday.
Officials said a mob attacked the mother of man charged with murdering two women -- his former girlfriend and her cousin -- in a Valentine's Day attack.
The target was left bleeding and shaken, but it would have been worse if not for the heroic actions of two civilian court officers.
Defendant Shaun Warrick was in court, on one side of the security glass, when family and friends of the victims started screaming "murderer, murderer." A woman then threw a pocketbook, hitting the defendant's mother in the head. Then they mobbed her, punching and flailing at her. But civilian court officers Richard Brandt and Bill Wickert, risking their own safety, bravely pushed through the angry mob, quickly supported by police and sheriff's deputies, and got the woman to safety.
Afterward, a friend of the victims' families explained what the judge called criminal conduct.
"Emotions, two people, our family, were killed. So emotions, definitely, emotions."
Three women, ages 59, 41 and 38, family members of the victims, have been found in criminal contempt.
Hours later, the hearing proceeded and Warrick was held for trial for the murders of the two young women.
Reported by Tony Hanson, KYW Newsradio
