Lawyer of the Day: Sucker-Punched D.A. Puts Criminal In The Hospital

Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater: you, sir, are poised to receive the coveted “everybody now knows you’re a bad ass” award. Expect your phone call from Badass-in-Chief President Obama shortly.

The story from the Oklahoman (gavel bang: ABA Journal) starts off in scary fashion. A defendant, Emanuel “E Man” Mitchell, took a swing at prosecutor Prater, after the jury found E-Man guilty of felony murder. Prater never saw the punch coming.

But that wasn’t the end of the fight….

Jurors found that Mitchell sent his 16-year-old cousin into a drug store to commit a robbery. The cousin was shot and killed by the store owner, and the jury returned a guilty verdict against Mitchell and another man. Prater was making an argument to the jury about the punishment phase of the proceedings when Mitchell went after him. Here’s what went down, from Prater’s perspective:

“I got blindsided by Emanuel Mitchell,” Prater told reporters later. “I just saw a fist coming out of the … left corner of my eye. And he nailed me in the side of the face. … I pushed him over backwards into the rail. … All I knew was I needed to get him on his back. … He just nailed me the one time, the cheap shot.

“That’s just the kind of a guy he is. Obviously, if you’re willing to send two kids into a pharmacy to do your dirty work … he doesn’t matter. He’s a coward,” Prater said.

Prater suffered some cuts and bruises, but it was Mitchell who suffered the most serious injury, dislocating a shoulder. Mitchell had to be hospitalized.

Sponsored

Which is pretty much what should happen to any man who throws a sucker punch.

Oh, and where was Mitchell’s defense attorney during the scuffle? The ABA Journal reports:

Jay Trenary, a court-appointed attorney who served as Mitchell’s defense counsel, grabbed a wide-screen television during the fray to prevent it from toppling onto Prater.

Well, we’re glad Prater is all right. As if this wasn’t already obvious, don’t mess with DAs in Oklahoma.

Murderer attacks Oklahoma County DA after jurors find him and cousin guilty in pharmacy robbery case [Oklahoman]
Blindsided in Courtroom Attack, DA Fights Back, Sends Convicted Murderer to Hospital [ABA Journal]

Sponsored