Father punches man being sentenced for child's slaying

DETROIT (AP) — A father punched a man being sentenced for the beating death of his 3-year-old daughter.

WDIV-TV and The Detroit News report that Dwayne Smith was to make a statement in Wayne County Circuit Court last Thursday when he yelled and punched Clifford Thomas in the head.

The two men scuffled as court deputies separated them.

Thomas was later sentenced to 57 months to 15 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter in the September 2014 slaying of Jamila Smith. Thomas was babysitting the girl while her mother, Jasmine Gordon, was at work.

Gordon was sentenced last Thursday to 14 years to 25 years for child abuse and seven years to 15 years for involuntary manslaughter.

Dwayne Smith was detained after the fight with Thomas.