Man downs cup of bleach in courtroom after armed robbery verdict is read
Warning: This article contains discussion of self-harm which some readers may find distressing.
Shocking footage filmed in a Florida courtroom shows the moment a man drank a cup of bleach after hearing the verdict in his case.
The scene unfolded in Miami-Dade County, Florida, where Jermaine Bell was waiting to hear his verdict on the armed robbery charges which had been placed against him three years earlier.
Bell, 38, had been put behind bars after being accused of going into a tech specialists disguised as a courier in December 2018.
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Once inside, the suspect pulled out a gun and pointed it at employees at the Millennium Engine Plating centre in Miami.
Bell attempted to fight the charges for the entire time he was behind bars, but when the verdict was read in the courtroom, he learned he had been found guilty by a jury.
Immediately after the verdict was read, Bell responded by picking up a white disposable cup and drinking from it.
It soon emerged that the substance in the cup was bleach, and after realizing what was going on, a guard quickly went over to Bell with a trash can and attempted to try and get him to spit out the substance.
Instead, Bell continued to finish the contents of the cup before taking his seat again, but it wasn't long before he became ill from the bleach.
Bell was swiftly taken out of the courtroom on a stretcher, after which he was transported to the hospital.
He did survive the ordeal, though Bell's family members were left with questions as to how he got his hands on the bleach in the first place.
Reverend Jerome Starling, a distant relative of Bell, told Local10 News: “I see him drinking something that’s not right. His attorneys are letting him drink it. Corrections letting him drink it.
"All of a sudden I see him collapse. And I said how could this happen.”
Bell's cousin was the one who caught the whole thing on film, and she admitted to press later that she thought Bell was going to die as a result of the move.
"I was the only one like that jumped up and tried to get him help," she said. "[It’s] very emotional for the whole family. We thought we were going to lose Jermaine that day."
Authorities launched an investigation into the incident, which a spokesperson for the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department (MDCR) told UNILAD is still ongoing.
In a statement, MDCR said: "Safety and security is a top priority for the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department (MDCR). In keeping with our mission, we strive to provide a safe, secure, and humane detention of all individuals in our custody.
"Our review of the circumstances surrounding this incident is ongoing, to include a full internal investigation. The Miami-Dade Police Department will also conduct a full third-party review of the incident as well.
"Due to the on-going nature of the investigation, no further comment can be made at this time."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
If you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Emily Brown