STEUBENVILLE — A Dillonvale man jumped about 40 feet to his death inside the Jefferson County Courthouse Friday, minutes after learning he was to spend the next 13 years behind bars. Jason Binkiewicz, 42, plunged to his death from the third floor of the courthouse after Common Pleas Judge Michelle Miller handed down the 13-year sentence for attempted murder and felonious assault. Binkiewicz was found guilty of those charges July 6 for shooting a man in the face on Nov. 27 in Newtown. I think that it's fair to say this is like nothing that we have ever had happen in one of our courthouses," she said. In some of her final remarks to the court the judge noted: 
 
 "His behavior has continued over a period of 16 years, has continued to escalate and spiral out of control, resulting in somebody getting shot in the face." I am very thankful the deputy was not injured and no one else in the courthouse was injured.” 
 
 Jefferson County commissioners closed the courthouse Friday afternoon, but Commissioner Tom Gentile said the building will be open for business Monday. "He made a run for the banister on the third floor of the courthouse and threw himself over the banister and has been pronounced dead,” Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla said. “I have watched the security video and it scares me how close Deputy Robert “Duke” Price came to going over the banister with the prisoner. Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla says that while Binkiewicz's hands were shackled, his ankles were not due to previous issues with swelling. Binkiewicz jumped approximately 30 feet to his death, from the third floor to the first floor. It is a terrible day for this to have happened and we will look at everything we can to make sure nothing like this ever happens again. Again, I'm thankful the deputy didn't go over with him,” Hanlin said. No family members were in the courtroom during the hearing.
– Sudden death apparently sounded better to Jason Binkiewicz than 13 years in prison. The 42-year-old Dillonvale, Ohio, man had in July been found guilty of attempted murder and felony assault after shooting a man in the face on Nov. 27, 2015; he was handed a 13-year sentence Friday morning, reports WTOV. What followed were screams, but not his own: Prosecutor Jane Hanlin says a deputy escorted Binkiewicz out of the courtroom per procedure, but as they approached the elevator the convict took off running and threw himself over the banister of the Jefferson County Courthouse's third floor, reports the Intelligencer. Binkiewicz fell roughly 30 feet to his death. Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla says the deputy managed to catch Binkiewicz by the jumpsuit, but had he held on, "most likely [the deputy] would have gone over with him." Abdalla says Binkiewicz wasn't wearing ankle shackles as he had previously complained about swollen ankles; his hands were cuffed. But Abdalla tells WTOV that even if he had been shackled, "there's enough movement that he could have still made it to the railing and jumped over." Said Hanlin, "We certainly had no idea this would happen." (This man killed himself in court in June after hearing his sentence read.)