There was a mild drama in the courtroom as a man, convicted of murder 33 years ago, punched his own attorney after a judge upheld his death penalty.
Joseph Zieler, 61, was found guilty of the 1990 murders of an 11-year-old girl named Cornell and her babysitter, Lisa Story, resorted to violence during his final plea hearing.
The court, affirming the verdict on Monday, was met with an unexpected display of aggression when Zieler jabbed his attorney, Kevin Shirley, in the face with his elbow.
The attack occurred moments after Zieler had requested for the cameras in the room to be taken down, seemingly in an attempt to have a private conversation with his lawyer.
However, instead of whispering, Zieler struck Shirley, prompting a swift response from three bailiffs who wrestled him to the ground before escorting him out of the courtroom.
Shirley, speaking about the incident, explained, “It seemed like he didn’t want our conversation to be picked up by the microphones. So he waved me down and I bent over, and he struck me.”
The attorney sustained the blow but assured the court that he had endured worse in the past, according to Fox 4.
Earlier in May, Zieler had received a death sentence from a jury in Lee County, Florida, after being convicted of r*ping and suffocating his two victims.
The arrest in 2016 marked a breakthrough in the cold case, 26 years after the brutal murders took place.
Despite his counsel’s appeal for a new trial during Monday’s appearance, the judge dismissed the motion and upheld the conviction, as reported by WPTV.
Following the attack, captured in viral footage, Lee Circuit Judge Robert Branning expressed concern for the attorney’s well-being, asking if he was okay.
Shirley responded that he had endured more severe blows before, displaying remarkable resilience in the face of the assault.
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