Prosecutors: Defendant threatened, tried to attack them in York County court

A York man was charged Wednesday with two counts of threatening the life of a public official, accused of trying to assault two prosecutors in court on Tuesday during his bond hearing for a prior domestic violence charge, police and court records show.

Lewis Albert Warlick, 30, of York was in a bond courtroom adjacent to the York County jail at the Moss Justice Center at the time of the incident, records show. The original charge – domestic violence – was his third charge in two weeks.

Prosecutors Daniel Porter and Ryan Newkirk were at the hearing to ask Magistrate Judge Dan Malphrus to deny Warlick’s bond, due to pending charges and alleged violence, said 16th Circuit Solicitor Kevin Brackett.

During the hearing, Warlick threatened the prosecutors and tried to assault them, Brackett said, adding that jail officials were able to subdue Warlick before he injured anyone.

Malphrus then held Warlick in contempt of court for the outburst and sentenced him to 30 days in jail.

After the solicitor’s office asked the York County Sheriff’s Office to conduct an investigation to see if more charges should be filed, Warlick was charged by deputies late Wednesday with two counts of threatening the life of a public official.

“We take the safety and security of our employees very seriously,” Brackett said, “just as we take seriously the safety and security of all people involved in the court system.”

Prosecutors are not armed in court.

Earlier this month, Brackett promised more aggressive prosecution of domestic violence cases. He also joined Sheriff Bruce Bryant, Clerk of Court David Hamilton and other court officials in backing an $89 million bond referendum that would pay for increased court security. Residents will vote Nov. 3 on the bond referendum.

A different prosecutor’s office will likely handle Warlick’s charges accusing him of threatening Porter and Newkirk in court because local prosecutors would be considered victims in the case.

Warlick is being held without bond in York on the two counts of threatening the prosecutors plus charges of contempt of court, domestic violence and a probation violation, jail records show.

He was first arrested early Tuesday morning outside a Fort Mill bar and charged with domestic violence after allegedly hitting a woman, according to a police report from the incident and Kim Morehouse, a sheriff’s office spokeswoman.

State Law Enforcement Division and court records show Warlick had been arrested on Oct. 1 for alleged domestic violence and was released days later on a $5,000 bond. He was charged again with domestic violence on Oct. 8, according to SLED records.

Warlick has a previous conviction on assault charges and was also arrested in April on domestic violence charges, court records indicate. In 2012, he was sentenced to 18 months in jail and probation for assaulting a police officer, police and court records show.

This story was originally published October 14, 2015 at 11:39 AM with the headline "Prosecutors: Defendant threatened, tried to attack them in York County court."