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Father of murder victim attacks killer in court

Michael Madison, 38, received the death penalty from the Cuyahoga County court, Ohio, at his sentencing hearing for murdering Shirellda Terry in 2013 when she was just 18 years old.

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Van Terry, the father of Shirellda Terry, had walked to the front of the courtroom to give a victim-impact statement in the sentencing of convicted killer and sex offender Michael Madison.

Van Terry, the father of Madison’s final victim, was asked by the court to speak about his family’s loss.

“I guess in our hearts we’re supposed to forgive this clown who’s touched our families taken my child”, Terry said.

A spokesman for the Cuyahoga County prosecutor said the office will review the incident and decide whether to charge Van Terry with a crime.

Van Terry, father of Shirellda Terry, jumped on Michael Madison during the sentencing Thursday afternoon.

Authorities were able to contain Terry, while Madison was escorted from the courtroom.

After pausing briefly he turned to look behind him at Madison, who was sitting behind the defence table, before running towards the convicted killer and leaping full length over the table at him.

Madison was arrested at his mother’s Cleveland house in 2013 after a body was discovered wrapped in plastic in a garage.

“I call it a father feeling his pain”, Terry continued.

“Their deaths were not the result of any planning by Mr. Madison, they were the result of spontaneous eruptions of violence, that were so characteristic of his behavior at that time”, his attorney, David Grant, said in court, Cleveland.com reported.

Madison was also convicted last month of multiple counts of aggravated murder and kidnapping.

According to the Associated Press, Terry was removed from the courtroom, and a spokesman for the Cuyahoga County prosecutor told the news organization that the incident is now under review.

Terry lunged at Madison and was immediately swarmed by sheriff’s deputies as Madison and his attorneys scrambled to get out of the way.

“If there was ever a man who deserves the death penalty, this is him”, McGinty said.

“She can rest in peace now”, Padgette said.

Any execution is likely to take years because of lengthy appeals and Ohio’s lack of lethal drugs.

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He was found guilty in 2011 and sentenced to death.

Dad of woman slain by serial killer attacks him in court