‘I’ll do it the hard way’: Maryland man charged with assault after lunging at judge, head-butting deputy

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 -year-old Gabriel Ballentine appeared to try to attack Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge Jan Alexander back in October Law clerk Mike Brown Jr mentioned he saw it all unfold You could sense his frustration kind of grow more and more contentious He was becoming a little hostile he commented 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 disclosed Ballentine had been taken into court for failing to comply with a DNA collection The defendant refused even after the judge communicated him it was required by Maryland law I m not giving my DNA sample Ballentine recounted 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 announced Alexander I ll do it the hard way then Y all going to have to kill me I m not with that disclosed Ballentine Well we re not going to kill you sir announced 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 declared Brown In the end Ballentine still had to give a DNA sample following the judge s order