Florida lawyer allegedly shattered plate on wedding guest’s head, sparking fight over buffet-line cutting

By 

Jacki Thrapp

Today’s Video Headlines

A Florida attorney found himself on the wrong side of the justice system after he allegedly smashed a dinner plate on a man’s head during a wedding reception.

Mark Roher, a lawyer who specializes in bankruptcy and commercial litigation in the Miami area, wasn’t feeling the love on Jan. 18 when two young girls cut in front of him during the buffet line’s prime rib carving station, witnesses said, according to the Miami New Times.

Roher allegedly tried to confront the father of one of the girls, Syed Raza, but the man ignored him.

The enraged law firm founder is accused of smashing a plate on Raza’s head and grabbing his collar.

“Without provocation, the large, bald man struck the slimmer man on the head with a dinner plate,” a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office police report obtained by the Miami New Times stated. “From thereon, a melee began between a large number of the wedding guests.”

Explore More

The big mistake that got Michael McKee arrested in murders of his ex Monique Tepe and dentist husband

Noem clashes with CNN’s Jake Tapper over Minneapolis ICE shooting: ‘You don’t get to change the facts’

Neighbor of surgeon accused of killing ex-wife and dentist hubby speaks out over his arrest

The 52-year-old later insisted that he was the victim of the food fiasco.

“I want to press charges against him because out of the numerous people that beat me up, he’s the only one I could identify as kicking me,” Roher said in police body camera footage obtained by Law and Crime. “So he kicked me. I saw him. He’s the only one I saw kicking me, so I don’t know why he’s not getting charged.”

Roher claimed he was hit in the face, underarm and shin during the fight and sustained “several injuries” by law enforcement when he was dragged out, according to the police report.

“I don’t think it’s right that you’re parading me in front of them,” Roher said during the arrest.

“We not parading you, sir,” the deputy responded. “We’re putting you exactly in the [patrol] car.”

“[The defendant] stated that he was upset that he was being cut in line and … did get into an argument with the victim,” the police report added. “Mark also admitted to making first contact by pushing the victim.”

But Roher denied hitting the father with a plate.

Roher was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

An attorney for the alleged hothead told Newsweek that they “will be entering a plea of not guilty.” 

The plate from the buffet was named the weapon in this case.

Complete your morning routine.

Get the Post’s top stories straight to your inbox.

By clicking “SIGN UP” above you agree to the Terms of Use & Privacy Notice

Roher reportedly faces up to five years in prison and might be disbarred if he’s convicted.

The father of the girl wasn’t seriously hurt.

Fla. Lawyer Allegedly Smashed Plate Over Fellow Wedding Attendee’s Head When He Allowed Others to Cut in Buffet Line

“From thereon, a melee began…, ” the police report said

By 

Kimberlee Speakman

Published on February 12, 2025 09:19AM EST

5Comments

A Florida lawyer was arrested last month after allegedly assaulting another guest at a wedding — all over cutting in a buffet line.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office arrested Mark Roher, 52, on charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, according to Miami New Times, Boca News Now and WPEC-TV.

According to a police report obtained by the outlets, Roher had been in a buffet line at a wedding held at the Boca Lago Country Club when another guest let two young girls into the line in front of him. Witnesses allegedly told police that the move caused Roher to get upset.

Roher and the man in front of him began arguing, and the man then told police that he had “turned around to avoid further contact” in order to attempt to “remove himself from the situation,” per the report, according to the outlets. 

“The slimmer man ignored the man yelling at him and did not respond,” the police report said, per Miami New Times. “Without provocation, the large, bald man struck the slimmer man on the head with a dinner plate. From thereon, a melee began between a large number of the wedding guests.”

Another witness “confirmed” the story in the police report, saying that “the plate had shattered and that Mark then pushed the victim and was holding him by the collar.” She said she then saw other guests “separated the two individuals” and saw Roher attempt “to walk back over” to the man, according to the outlets.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE‘s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Witnesses told Boca News Now that the incident happened at the prime rib buffet line. 

Roher allegedly confirmed to police that he was upset that he was cut in line and got into an argument with the other man, but denied hitting him with a plate, per Miami New Times and Boca News Now. He also claimed to police that it had been a  “dry party,” in which no alcohol was being served, per the outlets.

An officer wrote in the police report, per Boa News Now: “I find probable cause that Mark Roher is in violation of Florida Statute as he did actually and intentionally touch and strike the victim and in doing so used a plate as a weapon.”  

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. 

A court date for Roher is still pending, per the outlets.

Meathead attorney is arrested for sparking huge brawl at wedding when two young girls cut the line at prime rib carving station

By SONYA GUGLIARA, US REPORTER

A Florida attorney allegedly sparked a huge brawl over prime rib after two young girls cut him in line at a wedding buffet.

Mark Roher, 52, has been accused of smashing a plate over a man’s head after two children skipped him in line at a prime rib carving station on January 18 at Boca Lago Country Club, according to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office police report. 

The victim, who was the father of one of the children, ‘ignored the man yelling at him and did not respond’ when Roher confronted him, police said in the report, according to Dayton24/7 Now.

‘Without provocation, the large, bald man [Roher] struck the slimmer man on the head with a dinner plate. From thereon, a melee began between a large number of the wedding guests.’

A waiter at the venue told police the plate broke when Roher allegedly struck the other man. More dishes were reportedly shattered as other guests got involved in the chaos. 

The victim said in the police report that he was trying to ‘remove himself from the situation’ and turned away from Roher once he started getting agitated, according to BocaNewsNow. 

+3

View gallery

Mark Roher, 52, has been accused of smashing a plate over a man’s head after two children skipped him in line at a prime rib carving station

+3

View gallery

Roher allegedly confronted a father after two young girls skipped him in the buffet’s carving station line (stock image)

TRENDING

Meghan ‘to return to UK this summer’… if Harry is given security

264 viewing nowLIZ JONES: Kate recovery is moving – but her new video has me worried19.4k viewing nowThousands take to the streets of London ‘after 500 killed in Iran’1.5k viewing now

He then recalled being hit with a plate and shoved by Roher before grabbing him by his collar. A witness confirmed this story with police. 

Upon arrest, Roher refused to talk to authorities and asked to contact his lawyer. He later spoke with police, admitting he initiated the conflict.  

He reportedly told police that he did push the father, but denied breaking a plate over his head. Roher also said that he was injured when the other guests tried to pull him away.

‘I find probable cause that Mark Stuart Roher is in violation of Florida Statute as he did actually and intentionally touch and strike the victim and in doing so used a plate as a weapon,’ the arresting deputy wrote, according to BocaNewsNow. 

Roher was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and was bailed out of Palm Beach County Jail after his $1,000 bond was met. 

According to the Florida Bar organization, Roher specializes in bankruptcy and commercial litigation and has his own law firm. 

The incident occurred on January 18 at the Boca Lago Country Club (pictured) 

+3

View gallery

According to the Florida Bar organization, Roher specializes in bankruptcy and commercial litigation and has his own law firm.

His website reads: ‘Attorney Mark S. Roher has over 20 years experience in private practice representing both individual and corporate clients in business and consumer bankruptcy proceedings, various commercial litigation matters, business disputes, collections and creditors’ rights matters.’

Roher used to practice law in Boca Raton and now works out of an office in Broward County, BocaNewsNow reported. 

He studied law at the University of Miami and graduated in 1999. He has no blemishes on his legal disciplinary record in the past 10 years, the bar reported.