LittleJohn
A local defendant being sentenced in Bartholomew Superior Court 2 attempted to escape the courtroom and led sheriff deputies on a pursuit while a stun gun was used repeatedly in an attempt to stop him.
Sheriff department spokesman Sgt. Dane Duke said courthouse security was sent to Superior Court 2 at 2:30 p.m. Monday in anticipation of a defendant, identified as Trevin LittleJohn, 35, Columbus, being taken into custody after receiving a jail sentence.
During the proceedings, Judge Jon Rohde was giving LittleJohn a sentence of 200 days in jail for violation of probation on a conversion conviction when the defendant said loudly that he was not going to jail, Duke said.
As the court security officer approached LittleJohn to take him into custody, he ran towards the rear courtroom door. The court security officer ordered LittleJohn to stop and made attempts to physically restrain LittleJohn, but courtroom chairs were used to obstruct the officer and he made it to the hallway, Duke said. The security officer then attempted to tackle LittleJohn, but was unsuccessful. The court security officer told other officers by radio LittleJohn attempting to escape.
A probation officer who had also been in the courtroom had grabbed LittleJohn near the top of the stairs. The security officer warned he was going to deploy his stun gun if LittleJohn did not stop resisting, Duke said. LittleJohn was able to escape the probation officer, who deployed the stun gun but LittleJohn began to move down the stairs.
The court security officer again warned LittleJohn that if he did not stop resisting he would use the stun gun again. As LittleJohn continued to attempt to make his way down the stairs, the court security officer reactivated the already deployed stun gun prongs but these had little to no effect on LittleJohn.
After the second attempt to subdue LittleJohn, he approached the court security officer, who retreated believing that LittleJohn was attempting to take his stun gun, Duke said. The court security officer then deployed his stun gun device’s second cartridge after LittleJohn turned and began to attempt to escape again, Duke said.
After this, LittleJohn fell to the floor. LittleJohn grabbed a sign pole in the area however the probation officer began to wrestle it away when additional court security officers arrived. LittleJohn was placed in handcuffs during which he was uncooperative, Duke said.
There were no serious injuries although the initial responding court security officer suffered minor injuries in the form of abrasions to his arms.
LittleJohn was transported to Columbus Regional Hospital for evaluation/treatment and was later released. As LittleJohn was being transported from CRH to the jail, corrections staff found him attempting to strangle himself using the seat belt of the corrections transport van, Duke said. He was taken to jail on the charge of resisting law enforcement where he remains in custody, Duke said.
