VIDEO: Court chaos erupts after fondling guilty verdict

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Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Defendant attacks prosecutor
Court proceedings turned into mayhem after a defendant attacked a prosecutor

ALAMOGORDO, NM (KTRK) -- A man found guilty of sex crime attacked a prosecutor in an Arizona courtroom right after the verdict was handed down.

Michael Cox, 31, was just found guilty of criminal sexual contact for fondling a girl when charged a deputy district attorney, KRQE reports.

Cox shoved Deputy District Attorney Scot Key to the ground and then tried to punch him.

The move set off a panic with people jumping out of their seats -- including the judge -- as deputies tackled Cox and the prosecutor tried to jump in for some payback.

Kaedea Smith, a transport officer, took Cox down. He told station KRQE, "I was able to get a hold of the defendant and use the least amount of force possible to go ahead and detain him to get him under control."

Cox could now face more charges as a result of the attack.