North Dakota authorities confirmed that a man has taken his own life in court Monday after the jury ruled him partially guilty of stalking charges.
55-year-old Jeffrey Sahl Ferris was on trial at the Quentin Burdick Courthouse when he received the guilty verdict implying a life sentence.
The man rose to his feet and slit his neck with a plastic shank or pen. The grisly scene was witnessed by US District Judge Peter Welte, some employees, and public watchers.
“The guy turned around and you could see the inside of his neck. He had slit his neck with some object,” a witness said.
“One of the other attorneys in there said it looked like a pen, but his attorney said it looked like a scalpel.”
US Marshals Service Officials said that the man dies immediately despite several attempts to save him.
Sources said that the jury had ultimately decided Ferris serve 7 years behind bars for the offenses.
