The courtroom of the Miami-Dade County criminal court experienced a scene of tension and disbelief when an inmate, identified as Franky Padilla, 42, deliberately crashed into the glass of a door during a hearing.
The impact was so great that it created a hole in the glass and caused Padilla to collapse to the ground while the officials present quickly reacted to what was labeled as a "medical emergency."
Everything happened on the afternoon of this Sunday, during an appearance before Judge Bertila Soto, in relation to a charge of aggravated harassment.
The session was proceeding, seemingly, with a degree of normalcy when Padilla repeatedly requested to intervene.
“Can I explain it?”, asked the defendant.
The judge Soto responded firmly: “No. You can explain it to your lawyer.”
However, Padilla -whose nationality of origin has not been disclosed- insisted on speaking, which led the authorities to cut off his microphone.
The tension in the room escalated, and within seconds, the defendant crouched down by the wall, prompting his public defender to request a recess.
Immediately after, he stood up abruptly and, with a single thrust, dived headfirst into the glass door.
The result was immediate: a hole the size of a man's head in the glass and Padilla lying on the floor, seemingly stunned by the impact.
Head injury and response from the staff
The scene was captured on video, which was shared by local media.
In the images, Padilla is seen handcuffed and wearing an orange prison uniform, walking back and forth before violently throwing himself against the glass.
After the impact, the public defender, visibly shaken, exclaimed: "Your Honor, we have another medical emergency. Please, wait."
The prison officials reacted quickly, pressing a towel against the detainee's bleeding head and applying a large bandage before taking him out of the room.
According to the statements from the public defender, the incident was treated as a medical emergency, and at this time it has not been confirmed whether the inmate will face new charges for their conduct in court.
Background of the accused and the restraining order
Padilla had been arrested the previous Friday on a charge of aggravated harassment and remains behind bars until Tuesday morning.
According to court documents cited by Univision, the defendant has a criminal record dating back to 2006, related to theft and drug possession.
Additionally, there is a protection order in effect against him until May 2030, requested by the alleged victim of the case.
According to the arrest report cited by NBC Miami, Padilla allegedly violated that order by sending text messages and making multiple calls.
In the absence of a response from the woman, the accused is said to have requested a "wellness check" from the police, which raised suspicions of harassment and led to his arrest.
During the hearing, Judge Soto firmly reminded him: “She does not exist for you, there is no contact”, referring to the restraining order issued in favor of the victim.
After the incident in court, a bond of $7,500 was set for Padilla in relation to his current charge of aggravated harassment.
However, it remains unknown whether the act of violence that occurred in the courtroom—putting both his integrity and the safety of those present at risk—will lead to new charges for disturbing the peace or damaging public property.
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