The Region - News from June 5, 1987

A man who stabbed his attorney in a courtroom while awaiting sentencing for assaulting a police officer was sentenced to five years and four months in state prison--for both incidents. John L. Proudfoot, 39, of Redondo Beach pleaded guilty in April to charges of assault with a deadly weapon and assaulting a court bailiff stemming from the incident that occurred during an argument with attorney Kenneth Kahn just before Proudfoot was to have been sentenced. Proudfoot suddenly stabbed Kahn in the chest with an ice pick and attempted to chase the wounded attorney, but he was cut off near the back of the courtroom by Bailiff Julius Tabb, who shot Proudfoot in the right leg when he ignored orders to drop the ice pick. Kahn continued to represent Proudfoot.