LAFAYETTE, IN — Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter has been ordered to appear in Tippecanoe Circuit Court next week, presumably to explain why his office has long missed a deadline to update the judge on its investigation into the fight at a 2025 protest against President Donald Trump.
Judge Sean Persin on March 20 had ordered Carter to file a status report by April 4. But Carter missed the deadline, and as of Wednesday has still not filed any such update, according to court records.
Carter has previously pointed to a large volume of evidence that his office still needed to sift through as a reason for the delay, as it investigates the fight between James Jordan and Jeremy Marks during the protest against Trump last April.
In April 2025, Tippecanoe County Prosecutor Pat Harrington requested a special prosecutor take over the case because someone in his office is related to people involved in the incident. Carter was appointed later that month.
On Dec. 11, Persin asked for an update from Carter, and Lake County deputy prosecutor Jovanni Miramontes responded that day that she would have a decision on whether to charge Jordan or Marks within 90 days.
Those 90 days lapsed last month without an update or decision. Persin then requested on March 20 an update within 15 days. That order appeared on the public docket on March 23.
Persin then ordered Carter to appear in court on May 1 “to determine whether appointment of the special prosecutor should be extended or whether a new special prosecutor should be appointed.” If a progress report is filed before that date, the hearing will be cancelled, Persin said in his order.
It’s been over a year since the April 15, 2025, fight, which occurred outside the Tippecanoe County Courthouse and caught national attention.
Jordan was driving westbound on Columbia Street and intended to turn north onto Third Street, according to video and police. He became angry when protesters crossing the street blocked him from turning, according to a Lafayette police statement last year.
Jordan got out of his pickup truck and argued with protesters, according to the J&C video of the incident.
Jeremy Marks was in the crowd of protesters. Marks told the J&C in 2025 that he was there with his girlfriend, not for political reasons. Marks said he saw Jordan push an older woman at the event, and he felt compelled to confront Jordan in defense of the woman.
Marks’ and Jordan’s heated argument is captured on the J&C’s video. Marks headbutted Jordan, according to the video.
Jordan then walked back to his truck and returned to the crowd carrying what appears to be a compact semiautomatic rifle, according to the video.
On the video, Jordan — and others in the crowd — yelled for people to call 911, according to the video.
During the portion of the incident captured on the J&C video, Jordan holds the firearm in his left hand with the barrel pointed at the ground, not into the crowd.
Police arrived and detained Jordan. He later was released.
As police investigated, they arrested Marks on suspicion of battery. He was jailed, later posted bond and was released.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Judge orders special prosecutor to appear in court in protest fight case
Reporting by Seth Nelson, Lafayette Journal & Courier / Lafayette Journal & Courier
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