HILLSBORO, Texas — A man recently sentenced to 60 years for the brutal assault of his elderly grandmother is facing trial once again, this time for assaulting his own attorney. Christopher Donte Loud, 39, is charged with aggravated assault on a public servant, a first-degree felony that has been elevated due to a prior conviction for aggravated assault.
The trial is set to begin in the 66th State District Court, with jury selection scheduled for Monday morning at the Hill County Courthouse Annex, presided over by retired Judge Rex Davis. Loud’s previous courtroom conduct has raised serious concerns, as he has already disrupted proceedings multiple times.
In a shocking incident during jury selection for his previous trial, Loud’s outburst resulted in a mistrial when he attacked his attorney, Pat Dohoney, striking him in the face while Dohoney was seated. This violent action was witnessed by approximately 80 potential jurors and was recorded by courtroom surveillance cameras. The assault caused severe injuries, including a shattered eye socket, resulting in the loss of vision in Dohoney’s left eye.
During the upcoming trial, District Attorney Mark Pratt plans to present video footage of the assault and call on deputies who were present to testify. The courtroom will be on heightened alert as Loud is expected to be under strict supervision to prevent further disruptions.
In his earlier trial for the assault on his 87-year-old grandmother, Loud displayed disorderly behavior, which prompted the courtroom deputies to take precautionary measures. He was shackled and wore an electronic monitoring device designed to restrict any further violent acts. Despite these precautions, Loud still attempted to confront the presiding judge and his attorney, demonstrating a pattern of aggressive behavior.
Judge Dib Waldrip, who oversaw the earlier proceedings, instructed deputies to obscure Loud’s restraints with a blanket to mitigate any potential impact on jurors. Throughout his initial trial, Loud was kept away from his attorney and surrounded by law enforcement officers.
Should Loud be convicted in this latest incident, he faces a sentence ranging from 15 years to life in prison. The prosecution is expected to request that any sentence handed down be consecutive to the 60-year term already imposed for his earlier crime.
The unfolding events highlight alarming concerns about courtroom safety and the behavior of defendants with a history of violence, raising questions about how such incidents might influence legal proceedings in the future.