Contributed by John Burstein (jburstein@SunSentinel.com) 954-356-4491

Justice can be swift as one judge demonstrated Tuesday when he leaped from the bench to come to the aid of a woman whose ex-boyfriend attacked her in court.County Court Judge Ian Richards helped law enforcement officers restrain a domestic violence defendant who charged at his alleged victim and began hitting her, said Broward Sheriff's spokeswoman Dani Moschella.The incident happened after Richards told John Charles Reasee II, 29, that he was being taken into custody on a domestic violence charge.His ex-girlfriend, Nicole Word, had just testified that he ran her off the road last week in Lauderhill.

A courtroom deputy was coming up behind Reasee to handcuff him when the defendant lunged at Word, chasing her several feet until he cornered her in the courtroom's witness stand.Word told the Sun Sentinel that Reasee hit her twice in the temple and twice in the back of the head.

As she cowered under the blows, Richards jumped over the bench and landed on Reasee, video shows.The judge and courtroom personnel were able to separate Reasee from Word within seconds. Five Lauderhill police officers who were out in the courtroom hallway rushed in to help.Word said she's thankful the judge and others reacted so quickly."I was amazed," Word said. "I've never seen a judge come off [the bench] like that. I'm glad he did."Word said she has some bruising on her arms and legs, but didn't need to be taken to the hospital.

Richards, 33, did not return a phone call Tuesday afternoon. He was elected to the bench in August. Reasee, of Lauderhill, was arrested in November on a misdemeanor battery charge and again on March 19 on an aggravated stalking charge.He now is facing an additional domestic violence charge for the courtroom attack, Moschella said.

Jon Burstein can be reached at jburstein@SunSentinel.com or 954-356-4491.