Friday, September 19, 2008

Defendant Tosses Excrement at Markham Courthouse Judge

From Friday's Chicago Tribune:

Murder wasn't the only thing most foul at the Markham Courthouse on Friday.

Cornell Tyler, 37, of Robbins was hauled away after he announced his name was "Self Destruction" and flung human excrement around the courtroom.The incident took place shortly after noon as Tyler appeared before Circuit Judge Kathleen Panozzo during a routine status hearing. He is charged in the 2005 slaying of Ghada Elayyan in Robbins.

"He was in the back prior to his appearance before the judge, and he was given some lunch and then used the bathroom and used one of the lunch baggies to store the excrement," said Penny Mateck, a spokeswoman for the Cook County sheriff's office.

Assistant State's Atty. Ted Lagerwall, who is handling Tyler's case, said the defendant appeared disheveled when he was led into the courtroom."The judge said, 'Is your name Cornell Tyler?' " Lagerwall said. "He said, 'My name is Self Destruction, but you can call me Smitty—well, I mean [expletive].'

"Tyler then quickly reached down the front of his pants and pulled out the baggie but the deputies beside him pounced on him."In that scuffle, he did throw the excrement toward the front of the courtroom," Mateck said. "The judge was not injured, but unfortunately our deputies were . . . adversely affected."After Tyler was removed, the judge finished the court call in a back hallway.

"The courtroom stunk to high heavens," Lagerwall said. Mateck said charges were expected to be filed next week.

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