Inmate pulled from court during outburst as he is sentenced for raping Mahoning County deputy
A Cleveland man who pleaded guilty instead of going on trial Monday for allegedly raping a Mahoning County Sheriff's Deputy was escorted from court following an outburst.
Rondell Harris plead guilty to rape, kidnapping, tampering with evidence, and disrupting public services after being accused of sexually assaulting the deputy at the Mahoning County Justice Center.
Before the court session began, Harris attempted to fire his attorney but was told by Judge Anthony D'Apolito that the case was moving forward.
"I’m going to take this plea bargain because I know for a fact y’all are going to smoke me no matter how I am going to plead," Harris said.
Throughout the proceeding, Harris didn't hold back with several profanity laced outbursts.
Just put this on the record, I’m saying f*** y’all, like f*** all of you, f*** the police, f*** this whole situation," Harris said.
Harris even continued to speak as the victim in the case was making a statement to the court, and was removed by deputies.
"The person that I was before was murdered while I was being strangled and raped, she is dead and forever gone," the female victim said. "I am haunted with feelings of worthlessness, uncontrollable images of the attack gripping my mind depression, anxiety, grief, anger, hate."
The victim's step-father also addressed the court.
"Emotional trauma is going to last a long, long time for my daughter, longer than any sentence that could be handed out. Long after the physical scars have healed, there will always be a reminder of this heinous act ready to rear its ugly head in any given moment that she wont ever be prepared for."
Harris was escorted back in the courtroom where he gave everyone an obscene gesture. Judge D'Apolito immediately sentenced him to a prison term of 26 to 31-and-a-half years.
Harris gave one last parting shot.
"I feel like I was mistreated all the way through this by even having to go to court in the same community as the alleged victim but it is what it is," Harris said. S*** she just said out of her mouth about all these injuries and all this, that wasn’t in my report like all that, that is a felonious assault for sure, all these broken bones and all this extra, that’s a movie, she was faking like s***, that is why I said what I said. Y’all just put me in a situation where basically I’m going to have to cause more harm to be able to survive in my environment. Every time I come back in front of your court for a stabbing or killing somebody or some s*** like that, y’all brung this on because y’all forced my hand."
In addition, Harris was declared to be a Tier Three sex offender and a violent offender.
The Mahoning County Grand Jury handed up a 12-count indictment last year, charging Harris with rape, kidnapping, felonious assault, and other charges.
In December, Harris was sentenced to one-and-a-half years in the Ohio Penitentiary after being convicted of disrupting public service.