Judge Bans Weapons at Depositions After Physical Brawl in Dominion Lawsuit
A federal judge ordered all parties in ex-Dominion employee Eric Coomer's defamation suit to leave weapons at home after attorneys came to blows at a Tampa hotel deposition.
Judge orders no weapons at depositions after attorneys brawl in Tampa hotel
A federal judge issued an unusual weapons ban in a defamation lawsuit filed by former Dominion Voting Systems employee Eric Coomer, after an "alleged physical altercation at a deposition" left the case in disarray. Law & Crime reports that U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber, a Trump appointee, ordered that "no party or witness in this case is permitted to bring any type of weapon to a deposition, mediation, or meeting of parties and/or counsel relating to this case."
The confrontation took place in late January at a Courtyard by Marriott in Tampa, where a deposition in Coomer's lawsuit against former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne was scheduled to begin. Coomer alleges Byrne falsely accused him of playing a role in stealing the 2020 presidential election from Donald Trump.
Instead of testimony, the morning opened with a physical clash between the two sides' attorneys. Charlie Cain, representing Coomer, and Peter Ticktin, representing Byrne, came to blows before proceedings could start. Multiple witness statements identified Ticktin as the instigator, saying he shoved Cain. Ticktin's own response disputed that characterization: "I've got a lying sleazebag opposing counsel who assaults people because he has daddy issues."
Court documents say the deposition was initially derailed when Coomer's counsel objected to the unannounced presence of right-wing podcaster Joe Oltmann in the room. According to the filing, Oltmann has "literally called for Plaintiff's death on multiple occasions" and has stated he is "always armed with a gun." The plaintiff's team alleged that Oltmann's appearance was part of an "attempt at witness intimidation," given his "long history of promoting violence" against Coomer.
The confrontation then escalated in an open area of the hotel. A sanctions motion described the sequence: Ticktin began shouting, Cain told him, "Look, Peter, you can't intimidate me," and as Cain followed Ticktin toward the conference room at Ticktin's own request, "Ticktin suddenly turned around and shoved him." The same filing accused Byrne of shoving Cain "on approximately three occasions in an alcove in the conference room," making contact with his elbow, forearm, and body.
Despite what the motion called "extreme conditions," Coomer went on to testify for seven hours that day.
Judge Barber issued his order on May 28, spelling out the prohibited items in detail. "This prohibition includes but is not limited to any type of firearm, knife or similar sharp object, mace or similar product, and sap or blackjack or similar object," Barber wrote. "This prohibition applies regardless of any type of license or permit for the weapon. Violation of this Order will result in the imposition of sanctions."
The lawsuit against Byrne is one of several defamation cases Coomer has pursued since December 2020 against figures he says spread false claims about his role in the election. At the center of those claims is a story Oltmann has told — which Coomer says is fabricated — that Oltmann infiltrated "an Antifa conference call" and heard Coomer say, "[d]on't worry about the election, Trump is not gonna win. I made f-ing sure of that."
In a separate federal lawsuit in Colorado, a jury in 2025 found MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell liable for defamation in connection with those claims. Coomer has testified that after Lindell labeled him a "traitor" and a "criminal," death threats "upended" his life and ended his career as director of product strategy and security at Dominion. The voting machine company has since changed ownership and rebranded as Liberty Vote.
Source: Law & Crime