TULSA, Okla. — A Tulsa County prosecutor is recovering after being attacked in the courtroom last Friday.
Assistant District Attorney Kevin Gray was struck by a defendant, Dameon Leathers, moments after he was found guilty of first-degree murder.
“I mean quite frankly surprise," Gray said. "My head hurt. I had a whale of a good headache.”
Gray has been practicing law for 10 years, but he had something completely unexpected happen for the first time this past Friday. Judge Dawn Moody had just read the guilty verdict when suddenly Leathers attacked Gray with a water pitcher.
“The first hit was in the top right-hand portion of my head," Gray said. "And so I started turning my head to see what was going on. The second hit kind of hit me on the right hand side of the head. By that point I had at least turned a little bit so that I could see that it was him. And I think by that point, logically, it was occurring to me what was happening.”
Gray said Tulsa County Sheriff’s deputies tased Leathers within seconds of the attack. He was able to continue with a portion of the sentencing before going to the hospital. He is going to be okay. He said he never expected something like this to happen.
“Once we get here to the courthouse, once we get into the courtroom, I think we are lulled into a sense of safety and security," Gray said. "And when something like this happens, it’s definitely not the norm.”
Leathers was sitting at a table just behind Gray when he struck him with the pitcher. This is the second attack with a water pitcher in four years. Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said another prosecutor was hit in the face after a defendant threw it from the witness stand. Kunzweiler said the pitchers are no longer allowed in the courtroom. He is asking to make the rooms safer.
“It’s very frustrating for me to know that my people are being attacked," Kunzweiler said. "Some people say that’s kind of the cost of doing business, but nobody ever signs up to be assaulted for anything. It’s totally inappropriate.”
When asked if he forgives Leathers, Gray said he does. He also said cases like this are hard for everyone.
“The problem here is, that in a room like this and a case like this, there’s loss on both sides," Gray said. "And the tragedy of the work that I do is that there are no winners, there are simply losers. And here in the courtroom we see that played out in a very real way.”
Leathers has a history of felonies.
A jury sentenced Leathers to life without parole for the first-degree murder charge and 45 years for a weapons charge. A formal sentencing will take place on Dec. 13.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Download our free app for Apple and Android and Kindle devices.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines and Daily Forecasts.
