The fight happened after a hearing in a case in which a man is accused of shooting and killing two brothers, James and Joel Kun, outside a St. Cloud night club last year. The defendant, Jason Clair, is claiming self-defense, using Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law.
Relatives on both sides had shown up as witnesses for the hearing, but after it was canceled the fight broke out outside the courtroom.
St. Cloud Detective Christian Anderson told a local reporter that in the 17 years he has been on the job, he has never seen anything like that incident.
"Obviously, emotions ran high. I stepped in to intervene, just based on the hostile actions, and while trying to stop it, I ended up getting struck in the back of the head," said Anderson.
Officials said one of the Kun brothers' friends, Jeremy Milyon, left the courthouse on a stretcher with a possible broken jaw. Police said Milyon was placed under arrest on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer.
Investigators said the brothers' father, James Kun Sr., and the defendant's stepfather, James Barker, were taken away in handcuffs on misdemeanor charges of being involved in a fight.
Court officials later admitted they should have escorted the families from the courtroom separately.
