A New Orleans courtroom descended into chaos Thursday afternoon after a man pleaded guilty to murdering his three children in an arson house fire last year.
Joseph Washington pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and obstruction of justice. He admitted to purposely setting the Oct. 18 fire that took the lives of his 5-year-old daughter and his two sons, ages 3 and 8.
As part of his plea agreement, prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty.
However, just moments before Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge Nandi Campbell could sentence him to life in prison, a woman related to the kids ran across the courtroom and began punching Washington until he fell to the ground, NOLA.com reported.
Other relatives joined in the attack, and a chaotic scene ensued. There were reports of several bodies piled on top of Washington, and even a chair being thrown, according to local television station WVUE.
It took several minutes for deputies to untangle the bodies and for order to be restored.
The family member who first attacked Washington was taken into custody, while the other relatives were removed from the courtroom.
Authorities say Washington threatened to set his ex-wife’s home ablaze just moments before the fire was reported.
The kids’ mother, who wasn’t home at the time, contacted police to report Washington was planning to set the house on fire.
“I’m trying to hurry up and go there right now,” the mother can be heard telling a 911 dispatcher in a recording released last year.
“I heard the kids screaming on the phone. Y’all have to just break through the door before anything happens. Please,” she begged.
