By Michael Allen
Judge Geary Kull was reportedly
attacked by defendant Michael Ganter in court last Thursday, and accidentally
tased by a police officer.
The bizarre incident happened
in Maywood, Ill., near Chicago (video below).
Ganter, who was not handcuffed
or shackled, was being taken out of the courtroom by two deputies when he
allegedly went after Judge Kull and punched him several times.
When a police officer fired a
taser at Ganter, Judge Kull was hit by one of the taser’s prongs.
Ganter was in court because he
was charged with aggravated battery and attempted murder, but has now been
charged additionally with a second count of aggravated battery and resisting
arrest.
“The gentleman who struck him,
struck him in the head and the face. Judge Kull told me that he was pummeled by
this gentleman,” Cook County Chief Judge Tim Evans told CBS Chicago.
"[Judge Kull] was struck
by one of the taser prongs that went awry when they were attempting to remove
the defendant from attacking the judge," Chief Judge Evans told ABC 7
Chicago.
Cook County Jail Executive
Director Cara Smith told the Associated Press that Judge Kull was taken to a
nearby hospital and released.
