Judge Tells Lawyer, 'I'll Beat Your Ass,' Does So

A judge in Florida got testy during a hearing, and his feud with a public defender ended with a hallway scuffle. Video shows a disagreement in court between the two, with Judge John Murphy telling lawyer Andrew Weinstock, "If I had a rock, I would throw it at you right now. Stop pissing me off. Just sit down." Weinstock cited his "right to stand and represent my client." Murphy replied: "If you want to fight, let's go out back and I'll just beat your ass." It seems he did, after the two went into a hallway where they can be heard on the video shouting at one another; deputies had to break them up.

"The attorney said that immediately upon entering the hallway he was grabbed by the collar and began to be struck," Weinstock's boss tells WFTV. Murphy doesn't look likely to face charges, though the incident will likely be reported to the Florida Bar, but Weinstock has been assigned elsewhere. The initial disagreement stemmed from Weinstock's refusal to waive his client's right to a speedy trial. "I will catch my breath eventually," said Murphy upon returning to the courtroom. "Man, I'm an old man." (More judge stories.)