ATTORNEY SLASHED IN MS-13 TRIAL.Byline: Jason Kandel Staff Writer SAN FERNANDO - A man suspected of being an ``enforcer'' for the notorious Mara Mara (mâr`ə) [Heb.,=bitter], in the Bible, punning name taken by Naomi out of sorrow. Salvatrucha gang allegedly slashed his attorney's arm with a razor blade in court Monday during his murder trial. The courtroom attack came just three days after county officials assured area residents that their courthouses were secure. It also came the same day authorities announced an unprecedented nationwide roundup of more than 100 members of Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13. The defendant, Erick Isaac Morales, 24, allegedly slashed the right arm of Deputy Public Defender Linda Wieder at 11:35 a.m. Wieder was treated at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills for a 2 1/2-inch cut and was released. Morales, who was classified as a dangerous defendant and isolated in his own jail cell, had been shackled to his seat, but authorities said he had some free movement of his hands and stabbed his attorney seated next to him. At least two bailiffs bailiff n. 1) a court official, usually a deputy sheriff, who keeps order in the courtroom and handles various errands for the judge and clerk. 2) in some jurisdictions, a person appointed by the court to handle the affairs of an incompetent person or to be a "keeper" of goods or money pending further order of the court. quickly detained Morales, and the trial was suspended for at least a day, officials said. No other injuries were reported. Sheriff's officials, who are responsible for courtroom security across the county, suspect that Morales broke a razor out of its holder at the Men's Central Jail. ``It just slipped through,'' said sheriff's Capt. Ricardo Cotwright, who oversees court services. ``It's one in a million chances, and it just happened to get through. I don't know what happened there. We search all these inmates thoroughly.'' Sheriff's officials screen each inmate upon arrival at court. The inmates do not go through metal detectors and are not required to strip, but deputies search the clothed inmates and their property, Cotwright said. Officials were unsure whether the courtroom attack was connected to a federal crackdown announced Monday on Mara Salvatrucha gang members across the country. ``We're looking at all aspects of the assault,'' Cotwright said. Morales will face an additional charge of assault, officials said. He was returned to custody. Jason Kandel, (818) 713-3664 jason.kandel(at)dailynews.com |
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