Now we all know the jokes about lawyers. And sometimes, you just want to punch them. Well, in Kentucky, a public defender who was punched in court by a disgruntled, low-life K-Mart store burglar, said Thursday he doesn't blame the man who gave him with two black eyes. The disorder in the court, captured on video, happened Monday at Scott County Circuit Court after the judge refused defendant Peter Hafer's request for a new attorney.
Hafer told the judge he didn't trust his court-appointed lawyer, Doug Crickmer. As Crickmer began to tell Judge Rob Johnson that Hafer couldn't choose his public defender, As Crickmer began to explain to the judge that his client couldn’t choose his public defender, Hafer lunged at him and connected with a roundhouse right to the jaw. After Crickmer fell to the ground, Hafer added some body shots to the stomach before being restrained by the bailiff and others. Despite having been pummeled, Crickmer said he understands how Hafer may have felt. Hafer told reporters, "I just couldn't take it anymore and I just snapped."
Crickmer went on to say that, “Mr. Hafer had been in jail for some time. He’s looking at some significant jail time if he’s convicted. He’s got some new charges coming at him. He has some anger-management issues. I think he just snapped.” Crickmer,suffered a cut on his cheek and a black eye, was taken to the Hospital and released later in the day. “He definitely one-shotted me, that’s for sure.”Now heres a good excuse that people must hear on Springer and Dr. Phil so much it's become cool to use it. Hafer’s mother told the judge that her son might have bipolar disorder. Yeah, let's use that. For now, Hafer appears to have fought the lawyer, and the lawyer didn’t win. As for his request for a new attorney, Hafer apparently will get his way and authorities said a new one will be appointed. When Crickmer was asked if he would still defend Hafer, he said, “Well, I definitely think there’s a conflict of interest now.” You think so?
