Amanda Cook, 41, was ejected from a Collier County courtroom on Jan. 22 after shouting and interrupting as Judge Joseph Foster prepared to impose her sentence in the 2019 killing of roommate Karen Leiti. The judge said he believed she was "malingering," and the sentencing proceeded in her absence. Cook was sentenced to life in prison; a medical examiner found Leiti's injuries consistent with intentional blunt-force trauma that matched a bloodied object recovered at the scene.
Florida Woman Ejected From Courtroom During Sentencing, Receives Life Term in Roommate’s 2019 Murder
Collier County Sheriff's OfficeAmanda Cook
Amanda Cook, 41, was removed from a Collier County courtroom on Jan. 22 after an unruly outburst as Judge Joseph Foster prepared to impose her sentence for the 2019 killing of her roommate, 64-year-old Karen Leiti.
Video from the hearing shows Cook entering the courtroom with a smile before interrupting the proceedings and shouting a series of incoherent remarks. As the judge asked whether she wished to remain in the courtroom when the sentence was handed down, Cook repeatedly shouted and spoke over the bench. Judge Foster directed courtroom security to escort her from the room.
"Saw my attorney, I need a military tribunal. This is a satan synagogue!" Cook yelled, according to footage. She was later heard saying, "Whoa! Whoa! Just got busted! Get down, they're coming in!" as officers led her away.
After Cook was removed, Judge Foster told the court he believed she was "malingering," a legal term used when a defendant appears to exaggerate or feign symptoms, often to avoid responsibility or delay proceedings. The sentencing continued in her absence, and Cook was given a life sentence.
google mapsCity of Naples police vehicle (stock image)
Case Background
Cook was initially charged with second-degree murder on July 3, 2019, after deputies responding to a call found Karen Leiti dead on the living room floor of the home the two women shared, according to Collier County public court records. The initial call to authorities came from Cook's mother, who said Cook arrived at her home in the early hours and told her she had been involved in an altercation with Leiti.
At the time of the investigation, Cook claimed Leiti fell over a speaker and struck her head. A medical examiner's report later concluded that Leiti's injuries were consistent with intentional blunt-force trauma and matched an object recovered from the living room that contained blood.
Requests for comment to Cook's attorney were not immediately returned.
Source: Collier County public court records and court video reviewed by PEOPLE.
Help us improve.
