Bailiff Shoots Man Who Stabbed Attorney in Court

A Redondo Beach man convicted last month of assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon stabbed his attorney this morning as he awaited sentencing in a Torrance courtroom, authorities said.

Investigators said John Laurence Proudfoot, 39, attacked his attorney, Kenneth Kahn, 45, after the two began arguing about his case minutes before Proudfoot was scheduled to be sentenced by Torrance Superior Court Judge Gary Hastings. A witness said the defendant stabbed the attorney with an ice pick.

Sheriff’s investigators said Proudfoot pursued Kahn as the wounded attorney attempted to flee the courtroom through a back door, where Proudfoot was confronted by Bailiff Julius Tabb. Investigators said Tabb shot Proudfoot in the right knee after the man ignored repeated requests to drop the ice pick and then “began advancing” toward the bailiff.

Kahn, whose office is in Santa Monica, and Proudfoot were taken to the emergency ward of nearby Little Company of Mary Hospital, where they were listed in stable condition. Kahn later was admitted to the hospital and Proudfoot was taken to the prison ward at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, a hospital spokesman said.

Judge Hastings, who was in his chambers at the time of the incident, said Proudfoot had been convicted of assaulting a Redondo Beach police officer after a four-day jury trial in February. He faced a maximum sentence of five years.

Sheriff’s spokesman David Tallez said Proudfoot had been free on his own recognizance and, in line with normal procedures, had not been searched before entering the courtroom.

“We were scared to death,” said Robert Fritz, an attorney who was in Hastings’ chambers on a separate case. “It was probably about five minutes, but it seemed like forever.”