In a wild turn of events at 39th District Court on Wednesday, a defense attorney punched a Roseville police officer.
According to police, Nijad Georges Mehanna was in court representing a person charged in a drug case. He had "words" with the officer in charge of the case over his access to a co-defendant of Mehanna's client.
Witnesses told police both the officer and Mehanna "exchanged insults" when Mehanna walked up to the officer, pushed him and tried to push past the officer and into a restricted area.
Police say when Mehanna was blocked in the office area, he punched the officer in the face, and then threw "several more punches before being wrestled to the ground by the officer involved."
The officer suffered several loose teeth, a fat lip and bloody nose.
According to police, Mehanna was charged with Assaulting a Police Officer and Assault and Battery. He will be arraigned on those charges Thursday afternoon.
