A JUDGE HAS declared a mistrial for a Massachusetts murder suspect who punched his lawyer in the face in open court.

The Telegram & Gazette reports that the jury was not present when 35-year-old Janleer Povez hit his appointed lawyer, Elliot Levine, at a hearing on Monday.

Murder defendant slugs lawyer in #Worcester court; judge declares mistrial https://t.co/Q0ibSgTTlR @GaryMurrayTG
— telegramdotcom (@telegramdotcom) June 29, 2015

Telegram & Gazette / Twitter

Povez said he didn’t want Levine as his lawyer.

Povez is facing a second-degree murder charge for allegedly stabbing a Westborough man during a drug deal in 2008.

Povez was removed from the courtroom following the outburst and Levine moved for a mistrial. Levine suffered a fat lip.

The prosecutor objected, saying Povez deliberately tried to cause a mistrial. The district attorney says Povez could face additional charges.

A new lawyer will be appointed for Povez, whose case will continue in August.

Watch: Officers high-five as the US’s most wanted man is calmly arrested by small-town cops >

Read: ‘They had legs ripped off … faces missing’: An eye witness recalls the horror of Okinawa >

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make sure we can keep reliable, meaningful news open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Support us Learn More