A would-be escapee who barely got his foot out the door before being caught by courtroom security will serve six months in jail.
The defendant, Charlie James King, 44, was sentenced to six months in jail by Circuit Court Judge Bart Stanley, the same judge whose court King tried to flee. King must also pay a $250 fine.
According to witnesses to the foiled escape attempt, King was in court for a hearing on a probation violation charge which was brought about by his former conviction for driving on a revoked license. King came to court on his own the day of his hearing, meaning he was not in custody when he walked in the door and was dressed in street clothes – not a jailhouse uniform.
After sitting through the day in court, hearing several other cases including his own go before Judge Stanley, King was told his probation would be violated and he would have to serve the balance of a prior sentence, believed to be over 100 days. King reportedly thought he would be freed on time served and did not realize his day would end with a trip to jail, thus apparently motivating his escape attempt.
It was as deputy Phillip “Tank” Young had King kneel on the back bench to have leg chains put on that King tried to make a dash for the door. King was able to make it through the nearby door and was making a burst toward the stairs when he was snagged around one of his legs by Young, the grab tripping King up and leaving him sprawled on the floor. King was then covered by other officers.