Michael Madison

A grieving father lunged for the throat of a smirking serial killer in a Cleveland courtroom Thursday.

Serial killer Michael Madison had just received the death sentence when chaos erupted in the courtroom.

Van Terry, the father of one of the victims, paused during his witness impact statement to glare at Madison sitting at the defense table. Then, without warning, Terry lunged across the table and briefly clutched Madison’s throat.

Court officers reacted swiftly and caught Terry in mid flight. Other officers and family members restrained Terry, whose daughter Shirellda Terry, 18, was Madison’s final victim.

The still-smirking serial killer was removed from the courtroom as the victim’s family members shrieked and wept.

Madison, 38, is accused of killing three women in East Cleveland and dumping their bodies in garbage bags in the summer of 2013.

Police were led to the bodies after responding to reports of a foul odor coming from a garage leased by Madison.