UPDATED/WATCH NOW: Father punches son’s killer at Orangeburg court hearing

Lindy Lamont Jones, 22, of Mars Circle, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty the previous day to the Aug. 2, 2019, murder of 18-year-old Willie Antoine Fields.

The slain teen’s father, Willie Clay Fields, is facing one count each of contempt of court and third-degree assault and battery.

On Thursday morning, just after 10 a.m., Jones’ sentencing hearing got underway before Circuit Judge Roger Young.

“Both the victim’s mother and father would like to address your honor: Willie Fields and Angela Fields,” said 1st Circuit Deputy Solicitor Tommy Scott to Young.

Willie Clay Fields flanked his wife on the left and another male family member stood by her right. Both men each placed an arm on Angela Fields’ back to comfort her.

“What would you like to tell me?” Young asked the parents of the slain teen.

“Your honor, I just want to let you know just what they took from me,” said Angela Fields, fighting sobs and tears.

“They took away my only child,” Angela Fields said, her words punctuated with emotion.

“It has been so hard,” she said.

At that point, Willie Clay Fields darted from his wife’s left side, took three lunging steps and appeared to use his right fist to punch Jones on the right side of his head.

Jones was standing next to his public defender, Jason Turnblad.

Jones’ wrists were shackled in front of him and the metal cuffs on each leg were separated with a short chain allowing limited movement.

At the moment of the attack, Jones was looking down, wearing a face mask and touching his fingers together.

Jones fell to the floor and Willie Fields appeared to punch him multiple times.

Courtroom officers and deputies rushed to the two men.

“Back off, sir! Back off, sir!” a deputy yelled.

“Please don’t, Willie,” Angela Fields said, trying to get her husband away from their son’s killer.

A male deputy and a female prison officer managed to get Willie Clay Fields away from Jones.

Jones got up from the floor, steadied himself at the defense table and attempted to approach Willie Fields while yelling, “I’m going to beat your a – -, boy! I’m going to beat your a – -, boy!”

The female prison officer had already grabbed Jones with her arms around his waist, preventing him from advancing to Willie Fields.

She then escorted Jones to the prisoner holding area at the courthouse.

A woman in the courtroom said for someone to call for an ambulance.

Family members of the murdered teen were escorted out of the courtroom.

After several minutes, court resumed, but not with Jones’ sentencing hearing.

Deputies then led Willie Clay Fields back into the courtroom.

His wrists were cuffed at his back.

“I’m going to hold you in contempt of court,” Young said to him.

He urged the father to obtain a lawyer before appearing for his July 25 sentencing.

Late Thursday, attorney Justin Bamberg said he is free-of-charge representing Willie Fields, for whom Friday’s court proceedings “became too much emotionally for a heartbroken father of a beloved son who shared his name to bear.”

“By now, you all have heard about or seen the incident that occurred in the Orangeburg County Courthouse as reported on by The Times and Democrat and reporter Martha Rose Brown. A video of the incident is on their website if you’d like to see it.

“No father should have to bury his innocent son. Mr. Fields is not a criminal. He is a victim of the senseless violence that occurs far too often in our communities. The criminal justice system exists so that justice may be done, and justice in this case demands setting Mr. Fields free from the burdens of these charges so that he may continue mourning in peace with his family. We are asking that the system #FreePops,” Bamberg said in a statement he posted to social media.

“I don’t expect everyone to understand how it must feel to sit there reliving the moment you first found out your son had been murdered for absolutely no reason, the moment you first stepped foot inside the funeral home, or the moment you first tried to call your son but remembered he was no longer with you even though his number was still saved in your phone, but I do pray that everyone can understand that a broken heart is very real.”

Bamberg, also a state lawmaker from Bamberg County, said Willie Fields and his family are “extremely apologetic to the court for his outburst and the court staff and officers who had to step in. Mr. Fields wishes that his emotions in the moment had not gotten the best of him, and he wants everyone to know that he is not a bad man.”

A date to resume Jones’ sentencing hearing hasn’t been set.

Jones was 19 when he killed Willie Antoine Fields.

Jay’Lyn Devanere Jones, brother to the confessed killer, was 18 at the time.

He is facing one count of accessory after the fact of murder. His charge remains pending.

Warrants accuse Lindy Jones of shooting Willie Antoine Fields in the head and three times in the back.

Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office investigators accused both of the Jones brothers of disposing of Fields’ body off of Lyons Road.

One of the slain teen’s relatives reported him missing on Aug. 1, 2019.

He was last seen leaving his workplace, Orangeburg’s Chick-fil-A, located on St. Matthews Road, around 4:20 p.m. that day.

OCSO Investigator Addison King reported that Angela Fields located her son’s vehicle off Rosewood Drive.

Investigators discovered blood in it and in the trunk, King said.

Sheriff’s investigators along with agents of the S.C. Law Enforcement Division searched an area near the vehicle. They found the slain teen in a wooded area off Lyons Road, just off Rosewood Drive.

Lindy Jones confessed to the crime when he was arrested, warrants say.

He also told authorities that his brother helped dispose of the teen’s body.

A motive for the slaying has not been determined.

The Jones brothers could each face life in prison.