Melee breaks out in child custody hearing

BILLINGS – Bail was set at $50,000 Friday for a man accused of attacking three police officers who tried to calm him down after a judge issued an order in a child custody case.

The officers were summoned to District Court on Thursday after Wesley Wimber shouted profanities at Judge Russell Fagg, court documents said. In a confrontation that unfolded after a ruling by Fagg, the man allegedly charged one of the officers while from the back of the courtroom his father yelled, “Take ‘em, Wes! Take ‘em!”

“A full brouhaha commenced,” Ed Zink, a county prosecutor, said in court documents.

Wimber, 42, of Lockwood, threw punches at Officers Mike Guy and Dale Brewington and choked Sgt. Jay Berry by the necktie, prosecutors allege. Officers discharged a stun gun twice to calm him down. Wimber was charged with three counts of assault on a police officer.

Wimber appeared Friday before Justice of the Peace Pedro Hernandez, who set the bail amount.

Wimber appeared via video from the county jail on Friday and at one point told Hernandez he didn’t remember what happened in court a day earlier.

Wimber later told a legal representative he understood the charges, and he requested a court-appointed attorney for his arraignment, scheduled for next Thursday before District Court Judge Susan Watters.

Prosecutors said the melee broke out Thursday after Judge Fagg ordered that Wimber allow his daughter’s mother visitation with the 4-year-old. Wimber called out, “Bite me, your honor!”

The officers, who had responded to the courtroom after an earlier outburst by Wimber, intervened.

Ron Wimber encouraged his son, appeared ready to enter the fight and at one point threatened to kick Brewington in the face, prosecutors allege. Prosecutors are reviewing whether to file criminal charges against Ron Wimber.