MT. VERNON – A 57-year-old Mt. Vernon man already serving a prison sentence for armed robbery and for shooting at a police officer is scheduled to be tried next week in a separate case accusing him of disarming and attempting to shoot a correctional officer.

Judge Thomas J. Tedeschi warned defendant Fred Goss in court Friday that his right to be present in court is not absolute and that outbursts disrupting the trial will result in his removal from the courtroom.

Goss reportedly became disruptive and profane during an earlier pretrial hearing in the case, questioning the court and repeatedly interrupting his own counsel.

Judge Tedeschi ultimately had Goss removed from the courtroom and advised the defendant that if he chooses to display inappropriate conduct in open court he will be waiving his right to appear in court.

Similar outbursts in his previous case resulted in Goss not being present during his jury trial last year and he was instead tried in absentia.

Jury selection in the case is scheduled for Tuesday. Goss is charged with Class X felonies for Attempted Murder and Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm at a Peace Officer, as well as Class 1 felony disarming a peace officer.

The charges stem from an incident when Goss was being returned to the Jefferson County Courthouse during his first trial. He’s accused of disarming the Jefferson County Correctional Officer transporting him back from lunch, then firing the officer’s own weapon at him.