A White Lake Township man in court on charges of domestic violence found himself with a tenfold increase in bond and five new charges after assaulting a judge in 52nd-2nd District Court on Wednesday.
Judge Dana Fortinberry told police she felt something whiz by her ear, but had looked down to close a folder and didn’t see the handcuffed, leg-shackled assailant grab a microphone stand and narrowly miss her head as he sent it smashing into the wall behind her.
Paul Christopher Klimek, 42, peppered the judge with obscenities and hurled the weighty metal microphone stand after asking for clarification of his bond, which, at the time, stood at $100,000.
He was tackled to the ground and placed in belly chains by sheriff’s deputies.
According to statements filed with the Oakland County Sheriff’s department, Klimek had previously told a witness that he doesn’t like women in authority, nor did he want a woman telling him what to do.
He also stated that if he were sentenced to anything he believed was too harsh, he would let the judge ‘have it.?
Klimek was transported to Oakland County Jail with a $1million bond, and is now facing charges of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, felonious assault, assault on a public official, and two counts of assault on a police officer.
As a witness, Judge Fortinberry declined comment on the case, but did note that nothing of this nature has occurred before.
‘Not in my courtroom,? she said.
Klimek’s criminal history includes an indecent exposure charge, as well as the above-mentioned domestic assault charge, in Michigan, as well as charges of aggravated robbery and DUI in Texas.
Klimek also faced a rape charge in Illinois, said Sgt. Matt Baldes of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department Independence Township substation, who is investigating the case.
The case was removed from Fortinberry’s docket after the assault, and moved to the 52nd-1st District Court in Novi when Judge Kelley Kostin recused herself.
A pre-exam conference was set for 9:15 a.m. today.