Convicted murderer Taylor Schabusiness erupted in a shocking courtroom outburst Friday morning, lunging at her own attorney during a brief hearing in Wisconsin.
Unbelievably, this marks the second time she has attacked her legal counsel in a courtroom setting.
Schabusiness, 27, is currently serving a life sentence at Taycheedah Correctional Institution for the gruesome 2022 murder of her boyfriend, Shad Thyrion, during a meth-fueled sexual encounter that ended with his decapitation and mutilation, the New York Post reports.
Now, she faces an additional charge of battery by prisoner following an alleged assault on a prison nurse in July 2024.
Dressed with her hair styled in half-up pigtails, Schabusiness had only been seated for a few minutes at the court hearing in Fond du Lac when she suddenly screamed an indecipherable word and launched herself at attorney Paul Julka.
According to footage aired by Court TV, at least five court officers rushed in to restrain her before she could strike him.
Julka, who had been seated beside Schabusiness at the time of the attack, appeared unfazed as he threw up his hands while she writhed on the courtroom floor.
The judge called for an immediate recess, and when court resumed, Schabusiness appeared remotely via video feed.
Criminal Defense Attorney and former prosecutor Joe Tamburino later broke down the footage, telling Court TV: "Number one: We should not be surprised.
"Number two: She looks at the camera first [...] this is all a show. And, next, she has put herself in a position where the court would be well within their right and authority to remove her from the courtroom. That she would be seeing this trial and participating as she can from her cell through a video feed."
Friday’s incident echoed a similar courtroom attack in 2023, when Schabusiness lunged at a different lawyer during a pre-trial hearing for Thyrion’s murder. That violent history has further fueled public shock over her continued outbursts and raised concerns over courtroom security.
The latest charge against Schabusiness stems from a July 2024 incident at the Taycheedah Correctional Facility.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE, she allegedly assaulted a nurse who was removing a staple from her arm. Schabusiness is accused of swinging a metal tray at the nurse after claiming she "jumped out of surprise due to the pain of the tweezers" and could not remember what happened afterward.
A not guilty plea was entered on her behalf Friday. Her attorney, Julka, who did not respond to media inquiries, formally withdrew from the case later that afternoon, court records show.
Schabusiness’ violent history and disturbing crimes continue to captivate and horrify the public. She was convicted in September 2023 of first-degree intentional homicide, third-degree sexual assault, and mutilating a corpse in the February 2022 killing of 25-year-old Shad Thyrion in Green Bay.
During the trial, Detective David Graf of the Green Bay Police Department testified that Schabusiness told investigators she and Thyrion had used meth before engaging in sex, during which she began choking him. She admitted she “enjoyed” the choking and “wanted to see what would happen” if she didn’t stop.
After Thyrion died, Schabusiness proceeded to sexually assault his body, then used a bread knife to decapitate and mutilate him. His mother later discovered his severed head and genitals in a bucket inside their home, according to the complaint.
Despite entering a plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, Schabusiness never denied the charges. The jury ultimately found she was of sound mind and rejected her insanity defense.
Since her conviction, Schabusiness has remained a volatile presence. Her Friday hearing was initially intended to address the new battery charge, but due to the outburst, proceedings were moved to Zoom for security reasons.