May 24, 2013
A Panhandle man who mooned jurors before his conviction on armed burglary and aggravated battery charges is getting a 20-year prison term.
Cornell Jackson swore and yelled at Circuit Judge Michael Overstreet before bailiffs escorted him from the Panama City courtroom earlier this week. His outburst followed his trial in July, when he punctuated his insanity defense by loudly hooting "cuckoo-cuckoo" and dropping his pants to moon the jury.
Circuit Judge Michael Overstreet says Jackson will have to serve a previously imposed 13-year sentence before he begins his 20-year penalty.
Jackson told the judge at the start of the hearing he was having trouble concentrating because of the voices in his head. He remained calm as the judge ordered him to prison, but erupted with expletives when Overstreet sentenced him to perform a thousand hours of community service during the probation following his prison term.
Jackson was convicted in April of aggravated battery and aggravated assault for a box-cutter attack on his then-girlfriend. The second trial was for another attack on Smith the next day.
