TOWSON, Md. (WSVN) — A Maryland man is facing additional charges after he was seen lunging at a judge during a court appearance, all because he refused to provide a DNA sample.
While in handcuffs and leg irons 27-year-old Gabriel Ballentine appeared to try to attack Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge Jan Alexander back in October.
Law clerk Mike Brown Jr. said he saw it all unfold.
“You could sense his frustration, kind of grow more and more contentious. He was becoming a little hostile,” he said, “So, again, at that point, my only thought was to keep an eye on him.”
But Brown did more than that. Cameras rolled as he jumped across the bench trying to stop the attack.
“So I moved, you know, and there really wasn’t time to think or hesitate. I just reacted,” he said.
Ballentine had been taken into court for failing to comply with a DNA collection.
The defendant refused, even after the judge told him it was required by Maryland law.
“I’m not giving my DNA sample,” Ballentine told Alexander.
“Then I will give you the order, and I will sign the order forcing him to be compliant. You can do it the easy way or the hard way, sir,” said Alexander.
“I’ll do it the hard way, then. Y’all going to have to kill me. I’m not with that,” said Ballentine.
“Well, we’re not going to kill you, sir,” said Alexander,
According to a court document, “Mr. Ballentine became angry and loud, and after numerous attempts to explain the law, he was escorted out of the courtroom.”
But while leaving with sheriff’s deputies, the motion Ballentine made got Brown to try to intervene.
The deputies pulled Ballentine away and took him to the floor.
The court record indicates Ballentine head-butted one of the deputies trying to restrain him.
Now Ballentine is charged with two counts of assault involving the sheriff’s deputy, disorderly conduct and making a threat to injure a judge.
“The plan was never to fight the guy. My plan was really to just intercept him, and I think I shocked him more than anything,” said Brown.
In the end, Ballentine still had to give a DNA sample following the judge’s order.
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