Attorney, Detective In Courthouse Scuffle

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One-Legged Lady Knocked Over
posted May 9, 2007

An attorney and a city police detective were involved in a scuffle at the City-County Courts Building late Wednesday morning.

During the melee, a woman who has only one leg and was on crutches was knocked to the floor. That happened when court officers were rushing to the scene and she was hit by a door that was suddenly opened.

The altercation was between attorney Lloyd Levitt and Det. Kenneth Freeman.

Det. Freeman declined comment. He said no charges would be filed in connection with the third-floor incident.

www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_107050.asp

[Longshot! [ Saint ]]

I believe they BOTH made their point.

[emanon]

The message I got is that they are immature and unprofessional. Think that was the point they were making?

[LimitedRecourse]

That certainly was one of them....

[stray]

I'd almost pay for some camera footage of the -comedy gold- of the 'one legged woman' saga.

[LimitedRecourse]

I'm sure there are several defendants listed in that upcoming legal fracas...

[Chattanooga Police]

05/10/07

Chattanooga Police Internal Affairs investigators have completed their fact findings investigation into the incident that occurred on Wednesday morning at the Hamilton Courthouse building.

Statements taken by investigators and confirmed by video surveillance cameras have cleared Police Detective Kenneth Freeman of any wrongdoing.

Investigators state that Detective Freeman was standing in a Courthouse hallway talking with another City Detective when they were approached by attorney Lloyd Levitt in an aggressive manner.

Detective Freeman admits pushing Attorney Levitt off of him, when he was so close that he invaded his personal space. Other police officers separated the attorney and detective as heated words were exchanged.

Officer Freeman did nothing to provoke this altercation and only acted in a self defense manner.

---
Sgt. Kim Noorbergen
Chattanooga Police Department
Police Information Officer

[plasticone]

I'm surprised someone wasn't arrested for assult.

[xterragirl]

From the "one-legged woman":

Just to set the record straight - the scuffle at the courthouse yesterday had the potential to be deadly and those of us who were in the line of fire were ducking to keep from being shot at by what turns out to be a professional who should have behaved more professionally.

If you have the privilege of carrying a weapon into the courthouse, you should have better control of your temper and conduct yourself in a responsible and safe way.

I wasn't actually "knocked to the ground" when the door swung into my face - it was more like doubled over in pain.

The policemen who were present in great numbers were all very kind and apologetic about the incident - unlike the gentleman who caused the whole affair.

www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_107111.asp

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Police Say Freeman Acted In Self Defense In Courthouse Scuffle
Detective "Cleared" After Run-In With Attorney Levitt
posted May 10, 2007

Chattanooga Police said Thursday they have cleared Det. Kenneth Freeman of any wrongdoing in a run-in with attorney Lloyd Levitt at the Courts Building on Wednesday.

Det. Freeman acted in self-defense, police said after reviewing a video of the clash that sent nearby courthouse visitors scrambling for safety.

Police said, "Internal Affairs investigators have completed their fact findings investigation into the incident that occurred on Wednesday morning at the Hamilton Courthouse building. Statements taken by investigators and confirmed by video surveillance cameras have cleared Police Detective Kenneth Freeman of any wrongdoing.

"Investigators state that Detective Freeman was standing in a Courthouse hallway talking with another City Detective when they were approached by attorney Lloyd Levitt in an aggressive manner.

chattanoogan.com/articles/article_107169.asp

No wonder lawyers really, really hate video tape.

[Longshot! [ Saint ]]

-Detective Freeman admits pushing Attorney Levitt off of him, when he was so close that he invaded his personal space. Officer Freeman did nothing to provoke this altercation and only acted in a self defense manner.

-I'm surprised someone wasn't arrested for assult.
--

The lawyer got lucky.

And if anyone believes the Detective should have, read the above; the first line is a defense, in law, of 'Assault'.

People don't GET to 'get all up in your face' in a clearly threatening and Intimidating manner. Awesome.


...and I ASSURE you, if the DETECTIVE had been the one to start that and do it, he'd be the recipient of a hat being passed around because the CPD IAD would have had a month of his pay put back into the coffers.

[Kordax]

Help the laymen understand the law, Misters Officers.


1. The detective initiated physical contact, not the attorney.

2. The detective makes a "my space" (personal space) violation claim that somehow entitled him to initiate physical contact with the attorney.


Isn't this (in so far as the events are characterized in the media account) a license to duke it out with anyone who happens to be near you & who happens to be talking in a forceful manner?

What left out information should be elaborated on for this situation to make sense?

[Felix]

I am ingnorant of the legality or otherwise of the officer "initiating contact," but considering that the officer was armed, the lawyer getting that close to him is a different order of threat than if there were not a gun on the officer's hip.

Remember Julie Jacks.

[emanon]

But is that a valid comparison? With Officer Jacks, she was looking for a person who was either "on something" or had a mental problem and had fled. At the courthouse, that was a much different situation - two supposed "professionals" that have knowledge of one another, although there was bad blood between them.

Not trying to start anything, just thinking it is two completely different situations. As the saying goes "apples and oranges".

edited for my odd use of language, although it still seems odd

[tcrashfx]

Somebody charges up to me in a courthouse, in an obviously aggressive manner, and invades even the outer reaches of my "personal space", a mere shove-off is the least of their worries.

Remember this was on video tape and Mr. Levitt has sure been silent since he "located" it.

39-13-101. Assault.

(a) A person commits assault who:

(1) Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another;

(2) Intentionally or knowingly causes another to reasonably fear imminent bodily injury; or

(3) Intentionally or knowingly causes physical contact with another and a reasonable person would regard the contact as extremely offensive or provocative.

(b) (1) Assault is a Class A misdemeanor unless the offense is committed under subdivision (a)(3), in which event assault is a Class B misdemeanor.

[Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; 1990, ch. 1030, § 11; 2002, ch. 649, § 1.]

So, according to the LAW, MR. Levitt was the one that assaulted the Detective and the Detective merely deflected the initial assault. Mr. Levitt instigated the entire thing according to all accounts and the video tape.

The only thing I disagree with the Detective about is that Mr. Levitt wasn't loaded so he could represent himself and have a fool for a client.

[tcrashfx]

Attorney Levitt Says Ruling On Courthouse Scuffle Smears Him
Police Say Freeman Acted In Self Defense
posted May 10, 2007

Chattanooga Police said Thursday night they have cleared Det. Kenneth Freeman of any wrongdoing in a run-in with attorney Lloyd Levitt at the Courts Building on Wednesday morning.

Attorney Levitt, after viewing a video of the incident on Friday morning, said he was not the aggressor and that Det. Freeman assaulted him.

The attorney said, "They are trying to smear me, and I'm not happy about it."

He said he has hired attorney Mike Raulston to represent him in the matter.

City Police said they found that Det. Freeman acted in self-defense after reviewing the video of the clash that sent nearby courthouse visitors scrambling for safety. The incident was caught on a nearby security camera and made available on Friday morning by the sheriff's office.

chattanoogan.com/articles/article_107169.asp?imgID=18910

[tcrashfx]

Video: Courthouse Scuffle

We now have video of this week's scuffle at the courthouse between an attorney and Chattanooga police detective. The action is centered in the top right of your screen.

You can definitely see some arguing but it appears to be more of a shouting match than anything. The police department's internal affairs has cleared detective Kenneth Freeman of any wrong doing. Investigators say attorney Lloyd Levitt approached the detective in an aggressive manner.

Detective Freeman admits pushing Levitt when he says the attorney invaded his personal space. Levitt tells Eyewitness News that he was not the aggressor, and the police are trying to smear his name. He says he's hired another attorney to represent him.


Link has the actual video of the incident.

wrcb.com/news/index.cfm?sid=8276

[Babs]

I'm glad it worked out for Freeman. Levitt seems a little sleazy.

[stray]

You can imagine how torn I was....'black vs. jew'...wow. In the end, I broke it down to 'cop vs. lawyer' and my choice was clear. Sometimes you have to take it up a level before the choice is clear...

Plus, it lets me wonder where the family name 'Freeman' came from. Always a big plus.

[stray]

(I just got laid so pardon my abiguity...I'm still 'in the glow.' I was pulling for Freeman.)

[Kordax]

I must be blind because I didn't see any "altercation" on this tape. The attorney, in relation to the tiles on the floor, never appears to move toward anyone; if anything, he looks like he's either moving backwards, standing still or being waltzed away. I can't see that the officer did anything plus I can't tell which officer is THE officer.

If you can't call someone an A Hole in the courthouse, what can you do out there? I'd like to see more -- the Chattanoogan has several freeze frames of this & I'll be damned if the attorney looks like he did a thing wrong. And what in the hell is the legal interpretation of one's personal space? Do I get to strike someone with impunity any time I can say I subjectively "felt" my "personal space" threatened? I think not.

Internal affair findings notwithstanding, this looks like it's going to get jucier as time passes....