A Macomb County judge halted the start of a murder-case retrial Wednesday because the defendant disrupted proceedings by yelling from a nearby room after being removed for disrupting proceedings.

Circuit Judge Matthew Sabaugh told a 14-person jury to go home for the day Wednesday afternoon seconds after Assistant Macomb Prosecutor Richard Nelson began his opening statement and the defendant, Jerry Motley Jr., could be heard yelling indecipherably from the room where he was watching proceedings.

A half hour earlier, Nelson’s prior attempt to begin his opening statement was stopped due to Motley’s interruptions.

“Judge, may we excuse the jury?” Nelson said less than 30 seconds into his second opening comments after pausing when Motley’s yelling permeated the walls.

Sabaugh briefly consul

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