NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – It has been an ongoing disturbance in the Kimberly Kessler murder trial: outbursts and shouting.
As soon as Kessler was brought into the courtroom in a wheelchair on Wednesday, she immediately began shouting, “Jordan Beard is Joleen Cummings’ cousin, Jordan Beard is Joleen Cummings’ cousin” — an accusation about one of her former defense attorneys that has been proven untrue.
She shouted that over and over again all three times she was wheeled into the courtroom Wednesday. Her outbursts resulted in the judge forcing her out.
Related: Closing arguments in Kimberly Kessler murder trial to begin Thursday morning
The shouting is nothing new. It has been going on for years. News4Jax found the first time Kessler shouted the accusation was on Nov. 7, 2019.
During her trial, seven Nassau County corrections deputies have testified about multiple incidents involving human excrement, making vulgar statements, refusing to eat, and acting out when Kessler doesn’t get what she wants.
One detention deputy said Kessler “refused all three meals offered to her.” Another said she “would take feces and smear it on the walls and sometimes would write with it.” Another testified Kessler “threatened to break every bone in my body.”
Kessler has been on suicide watch since April 11, 2021. One deputy said she has studied the Bible looking for justification for taking her own life and even spoke to a minister about it.
Testimony concluded Wednesday morning in the murder trial of Kimberly Kessler.
Jurors were dismissed before noon Wednesday and will return at 8:15 a.m. Thursday for closing arguments. Then they’ll deliberate.