Man Involved In Courtroom Scuffle Remains In Jail

Ernest Burch resisted arrest in a Broward courtroom Thursday.

The man who was accused of resisting arrest and putting his hands on a deputy in a Broward courtroom appeared in court again Friday but will remain in jail.

Ernest Burch, 32, faces new charges from Thursday's getaway attempt that include battery, resisting arrest and release violations. He got $95,000 bond for those charges, but will remain in jail because prior charges against him have no bond.

In court on Thursday, Burch had been at a hearing for domestic abuse when he became violent with a deputy. An assistant state attorney and a defense lawyer intervened to secure him.

“This was just one of those things where the client … just didn’t want to go into custody, and he tried to make a break for it,” defense attorney Nirav Jamindar said. “Unfortunately he was out of luck, because we got him.”

He also tried to kiss the victim of the domestic violence dispute. That's when Judge Jeffrey Cohen asked that he be held without bond.

In court Friday, Judge John Hurley asked that a deputy stand by Burch to prevent any similar actions.  Burch was reminded that he was to have no contact with the domestic violence victim.

A prosecutor in the case read Burch's prior arrests that dated back to 1998 and included three prior batteries.

"The court has great concern for your history of violence," Hurley said.

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