Southern Indiana man gets 5 years for courtroom outburst

COLUMBUS, Ind. (AP) - A southern Indiana man who pleaded guilty in connection with chairs hurled at a judge and others in a courtroom has been sentenced to five years in prison.

A special judge sentenced 21-year-old Jordan Rhoades of Columbus after he pleaded guilty to battery resulting in bodily injury to a public safety officer.

During a Feb. 9 hearing, when a judge sentenced him to a year in jail for probation violations, the judge added time for contempt of court after Rhoades was heard uttering an obscenity. Rhoades then hurled a chair that hit a prosecutor on the leg and threw other chairs in an outburst recorded on surveillance video.

The Republic reported Rhoades appeared remorseful during his sentencing Wednesday and when he became tearful, a court security officer handed him tissues.

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Information from: The Republic, http://www.therepublic.com/