Trial in courtroom fracas opens

There were more security officers than normal on hand in District Judge James Bixler's courtroom Tuesday as the trial for 36-year-old Geoffrey Wells began.

Wells faces five battery charges after attacking at least four bailiffs during his divorce hearing in Family Court Judge Cheryl Moss' courtroom in December.

Bixler's courtroom had a contingent of three bailiffs and two corrections officers watching Wells' every move. Two more security officers were stationed outside the courtroom in an adjacent office.

While the number of bailiffs on hand for criminal trials is discretionary, typically there are one to three.

Video surveillance of the family court hearing shown to the jury Tuesday depicts a testy Wells talking back to Moss, as she tried to rebuke him for failing to lock up his guns.

His 12-year-old son had committed suicide with one of the unsecured weapons.

"I'm getting screwed here, and I'm supposed to just take it?" Wells shouted as Moss' bailiff Norman Adams approached him.

Adams testified Tuesday he placed one hand on Wells' back and another on his wrist as he attempted to cuff Wells to restrain him.

Wells then turned around and threw haymakers at Adams and his assistant bailiff, knocking them both down.

"He saw I was going to place him in handcuffs," said Adams, who received a strong kick to the leg from Wells. "He swung around and at that time became combative."

Additional bailiffs entered the room, tackling Wells, who temporarily was a resilient match for the authorities.

Once he was cuffed, Wells is alleged to have kicked another bailiff on his way to a holding cell, resulting in a felony charge of battery by a prisoner. The four other charges of battery on an officer are gross misdemeanors.

"Geoff Wells had a reasonable reaction to an illegal police action," his defense attorney Jeff Banks said.

Banks stressed in his opening statement to jurors that Wells had not seen his children in 18 months and that his "life has been put through the wringer."

Banks tried to show during Adams' testimony that the bailiff did not follow proper procedures and failed to adequately communicate his intent and authority prior to cuffing Wells.

"Where on God's green Earth in this country do you arrest someone without following these procedures?" Banks said.

Prosecutor Frank Ponticello accused Banks of "cheap theatrics."

The trial continues today.