Man Falls to His Death From LB Courthouse

The L.A. Sheriff's Department conducted an investigation today into the death of a defendant who slipped out of his handcuffs at the Long Beach Courthouse, ran off and fell three floors from a balcony.

The man was at the court at 415 W. Ocean Boulevard to be sentenced after being convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence Wednesday, said Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Pete Gomez. The judge ordered him remanded into custody, and a bailiff placed him in handcuffs around 3 p.m. Wednesday, Gomez said.

``A short time later, the inmate managed to slip the bailiff's handcuffs and run out of the courtroom,'' Gomez said. ``He then scaled the rails of a third floor balcony outside the court building (from) where he fell three floors down to the ground.'' The inmate was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Gomez said. His name was not immediately released.

--City News Service