It's the only state where the judges are more violent than wild animals. Welcome to this week's edition of ONLY IN FLORIDA.ONLY IN FLORIDA is our weekly roundup of the strange, bizarre and just plain ridiculous headlines from right here in the Sunshine State.
ONLY IN FLORIDA do judges punch out public defenders, in court!
Down in Brevard County, Judge John Murphy was caught on tape having it out with an attorney.
After Murphy verbally berated public defender Andrew Weinstock, they took things outside, or actually into the courtroom hallway, where Murphy reportedly punched Weinstock in the head.
WATCH: Courtroom surveillance footage of the altercation between Judge John Murphy and public defender Andrew Weinstock (WARNING: video contains strong language)
Murphy has since taken a temporary paid leave of absence and will undergo anger management counseling. (TIME, LiveLeak, Florida Today)
ONLY IN FLORIDA do fake cops try to pull over a real sheriff’s deputy.
Matthew McMahon, 20, was driving on International Golf Parkway on Monday when he activated a red and blue light bar on his 1999 Ford Crown Victoria.
A detective in an unmarked car pulled alongside him, after which McMahon gave the officer “a slow down look” and pointed his finger at him.
At that point the real cop pulled over the fake cop and demanded to know why he was in possession of emergency lights.
The ironic thing? The detective’s work actually includes catching police impersonators.
McMahon has also been charged with unlawfully displaying blue lights on his vehicle. (New York Daily News)
ONLY IN FLORIDA are bears caught on camera lounging around in backyard hammocks.
Down in Daytona Beach, photographer Rafael Torres noticed a black bear knocking over trash cans in his neighborhood.
Eventually the creature needed a rest so he climbed into a hammock in the Pebble Creek neighborhood and got comfortable.
Torres snapped away as the bear chilled in the hammock for about 20 minutes before heading back into the woods. (The Huffington Post)
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You can follow Melissa Ross on Twitter @MelissainJax and Patrick Donges at @patrickhdonges.
