Dramatic footage shows the moment a grieving father lashed out at the man convicted of killing his three-year-old daughter.
Dwayne Smith was in court in Detroit, Michigan, U.S. to watch the sentencing of the child’s mother Jasmine Gordon and her boyfriend Clifford Thomas when he launched the attack.
Courtroom security cameras caught the incident as Smith charged at Thomas and punched him repeatedly in the back of the head while security guards leapt in and attempted to separate the pair.
Gordon and Thomas were both convicted over the death of toddler Jamila Smith in September last year. Her father was in court to read out a victim impact statement but it appears he wanted revenge instead.
The authorities found three-year-old Jamila had bruises consistent with abuse to her head and chest, ultimately ruling her death a homicide.
The mother Gordon was sentenced to seven to 15 years for involuntary manslaughter and 14 to 25 years for first-degree child abuse, as an aider and abettor, to be served concurrently.
Thomas was sentenced to four-and-a-half to 15 years for involuntary manslaughter and one to two years for resisting and obstructing a police officer.
The girl’s father was banned from the courtroom for his actions but was not charged with any offence for the attack.
