In court after missing anger management courses, man attacks his public defender, authorities say
In court Tuesday because he failed to attend court-ordered anger-management classes after an assault conviction, a South Dakota man wound up facing new charges after he attacked an assistant public defender in a conference room, according to the local sheriff’s office.
Kelly John Lange, 34, “tipped over the conference room table and struck the female public defender in the face,” said Sgt. Jim Hoekman of the Minnehaha County sheriff’s department. Responding to the commotion, nearby law enforcement officers arrested Lange, the Argus Leader reports.
Lange now faces a new felony assault case, The public defender sustained a cut and swollen lip but refused treatment.
At a Wednesday court hearing, Lange’s new lawyer opted to reserve a bond argument for a later date. Several lawyers from the public defender’s office were in the audience, as well as a judge, the newspaper reports. The case is being turned over to the Lincoln County state’s attorney for prosecution because employees of the local state’s attorney’s office are expected to be witnesses in the case.
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