Watch: Defendant Reaches For Gun In Dramatic Courtroom Outburst

NEWPORT, OR — The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office on Thursday released dramatic courtroom footage showing a defendant unsuccessfully attempt to grab a Newport police officer's service weapon during a hearing. The incident, according to LCSO Sgt. Josh McDowall, is the first since the county last year revised its practice of restraining defendants without cause.

Scott Patrick Lemmon, 27, of Newport, was attending his sentencing hearing on Oct. 10 when the incident occurred. He'd previously been convicted on nine counts — including burglary, robbery, coercion, theft, and menacing — stemming from an incident in August at the Nye Stay Private Condos, 507 N.W. Alpine St. in Newport.

According to court documents obtained by Patch, Lemmon on Aug. 19 confronted two guest staying at the condos, held a gun to the head of one guest, and demanded both leave their room. After they'd gone Lemmon availed himself of the victims' belongings, which reportedly included an iPhone, debit cards, a Kindle Fire tablet, cash, and identification.

Lemmon ultimately failed in his robbery attempt as he was spotted by officers and arrested before he could even leave the condominium parking lot. When police recovered the gun Lemmon used in the robbery, they found it was a replica — not a real weapon.

The weapon Lemmon attempted to grab on Wednesday was very real, however.

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In the video shared on Facebook by LCSO, Lemmon can be seen sitting before the Lincoln County judge on the far right of a table, joined by his attorney as well as the officer testifying in the case.

As the officer provides his testimony, Lemmon can be observed leaning around to apparently look at the weapon moments before lurching from his seat, reaching across his public defender, and nearly getting 'hold of the officer's gun. In a split second, Lemmon is tackled to the ground and subdued by multiple courtroom officers as well as the officer who was testifying.

No serious injuries were caused during the scuffle, though one deputy sustained minor scrapes and bruises, officials said.

Lemmon was reportedly allowed to appear in court without restraints due to a change in the rules for when defendants should be required to wear shackles, McDowall explained.

The Ninth Circuit Court, representing U.S. states west of the Rockies, in 2017 found the use of restraints on criminal defendants unconstitutional if done without a specific finding by a judge, McDowall said, noting a special hearing is required for the judge to make such a determination. If the judge does not hold a hearing, the defendant is allowed to appear unrestrained.

To provide assured security during hearings involving unrestrained defendants, the court is required to provide at least two deputies to stand watch during the unrestrained defendant's courtroom appearance.

Lemmon's recorded outburst was the first to occur since the new rule took effect, McDowall said.

Images via Lincoln County Sheriff's Office