A grieving father has apologized after he attacked his son's killer in court.
South Carolina dad Willie Fields was arrested after he lunged at Lindy Lamond Jones, 22, who pleaded guilty to murdering his teenage son in 2019.
The altercation happened during a hearing at Orangeburg County courtroom last week. Surveillance video footage shows the moment that the bereaved father punched Jones from behind and tackled him to the ground while other family members addressed the court.
Per CBS 46 News, officers pulled the two men apart and arrested Fields, taking him to the Orangeburg County Jail. An incident report from the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office noted that Fields was later released on bond and that Jones did not want to pursue charges against him.
Jones pleaded guilty to the murder of 18-year-old Willie Antonie Fields in 2019. He admitted to shooting the teenager once in the head and three times in the back, per The Times and Democrat.
In the aftermath of his altercation with his son's killer, Fields' lawyer released a statement on his family's behalf.
Attorney Justin Bamberg said that his clients were sorry for the incident and that Fields was seeking "prayers and support".
Per his statement, the Fields family are "extremely apologetic for his outburst, and he is asking for prayers and support during this difficult time in their lives."
Bamberg went on to say that, despite his unacceptable behavior, it was important to remember that Fields was a victim of a terrible tragedy.
"No father should have to bury his innocent son. Mr. Fields is not a criminal. He is a victim of senseless violence that occurs far too often in our communities," the attorney said.
“I don’t expect everyone to understand how it must feel to sit there reliving the moment you first found out your son had been murdered for absolutely no reason,” he added.
Although Jones decided not to press charges against Fields, the grieving dad still faces charges of contempt of court and third-degree assault and battery. He is reportedly set to appear before a judge next week.
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