Chaos breaks out in courtroom as father attacks killer of three-year-old daughter

The scenes in the Detroit courtroom were caught on video

Chaos broke out in the Detroit courtroom

Court cameras have captured the moment the bereaved father of a three-year-old girl attacks the man responsible for killing her - punching him in the head.

The incident happened during the sentencing of Jasmine Gordon and her boyfriend Clifford Thomas, who were both convicted in the death of Gordon’s three-year-old daughter Jamila Smith, the Detroit Free Press reported.

The girl’s father, Dwayne Smith, was set to deliver a speech to the court about the impact his daughter’s death had on him.

Instead, he came face to face with Thomas and attacked him, punching him in the head. The wild scenes were caught on video

Officers from Wayne County Sheriff’s Office quickly separated the pair as loud yelling erupted in the courtroom.

In the video, Gordon can be seen crying and yelling “Jesus” as her lawyer, John McWilliams, tries to console her.

“It was pretty scary,” Mr McWilliams said.

“I’m glad nobody was seriously hurt”.

Jamila Smith died of multiple blunt force trauma injuries in September last year. Her death was ruled a homicide.

Both Gordon and Thomas were convicted of involuntary manslaughter earlier this month.

Smith was not allowed to return to the courtroom but managed to avoid being charged over the incident.

“No charges were pursued against those involved as the judge declined to hold Dwayne Smith in contempt of court,” a spokesman for the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office told the newspaper.

“Clifford Thomas refused prosecution of Smith.”

Gordon was sentenced to between seven to fifteen years for involuntary manslaughter and fourteen to twenty-five for child abuse.

Thomas was sentenced to about six years to fifteen years for involuntary manslaughter and one to two years for resisting and obstructing a police officer.