Man accused of killing Orlando police officer defiant in court

ORLANDO, Fla. — A suspect in a police officer’s murder directed expletive-laced outbursts at a judge during his initial hearing Thursday on charges that he also killed his ex-pregnant girlfriend.

He declared that many of the accusations against him are “made up” and complained that he was roughed up even though he didn’t resist arrest following an intense manhunt.

Markeith Loyd appeared with his eye bandaged and flanked by two police officers in an Orlando courtroom on charges including first-degree murder and unlawful killing of an unborn child in the December 13 death of Sade Dixon.

“They done took my eye, broke my nose, broke my jaw,” Loyd complained, swearing as he described crawling out to the road to be arrested. “I didn’t resist.”

Most suspects appear with a lawyer and remain silent while the judge reads the charges in these initial hearings. But Loyd said he planned to represent himself, and stridently disputed the charges.

Loyd, 41, also is accused of fatally shooting Orlando Lt. Debra Clayton outside a Wal-Mart while he was a fugitive from justice. He was arrested Tuesday night following a nine-day manhunt, and police said he resisted arrest and that force was used to bring him in. He was hospitalized until Wednesday night, then jailed.

Orange County Judge Jeanette Bigney ordered Loyd held without bond.

Loyd dismissed any notion of guilt in Dixon’s death. The judge cautioned him several times that the hearing wasn’t the forum for such an outburst, but he continued anyway.

The judge confirmed that Loyd was speaking under oath, and said “everything you say is being recorded, sir.”

“I’m not finished talking because y’all been making up s—- the whole time,” Loyd responded.

He went on to speak in defense of three people who were arrested as accomplices for allegedly helping him evade arrest — and placed himself at the Wal-Mart store where the officer was shot. “I have not received nothing from nobody. I was out there by myself. Nobody helped me do anything. I was in Wal-Mart by myself. Wasn’t nobody doing nothing for me.”

At that point, the judge interrupted him. “Sir, we are here addressing only one case.”

Clayton was fatally shot while attempting to capture Loyd in the store’s parking lot. After the officer’s shooting, police arrested three people for aiding Loyd in escaping capture after killing his Dixon on Dec. 13.

The judge said another hearing will be scheduled to determine who will represent Loyd. And when she finally told officers to remove him from the courtroom, Loyd turned to the judge and said “f—- you!”