ELYRIA — An argument outside the courtroom where Alverno Howse Jr. is on trial for allegedly killing Charles “Chuckie” Howard last year has led to at least one member of Howard’s family being barred from the courtroom.

The “altercation,” as Lorain County Common Pleas Judge Mark Betleski described it, began as the court was preparing to adjourn this morning so that a witness — whose name Betleski has since ordered the media not to report — could refresh her memory of her prior statements to a county grand jury and Elyria police.

County sheriff’s deputies rushed to break up the dispute, which Betleski said involved minimal physical contact — a chest bump — before the two feuding people were pulled apart by family members. No one would be charged, the judge said, but he planned to ask jurors if they felt comfortable continuing with the trial after witnessing the courtroom clear as the sounds of the argument wafted in through the closed doors.

The witness had said she couldn’t recall the details surrounding the Aug. 19 shooting death of Howard, who was shot in a Taft Avenue home, allegedly by Howse.

On Wednesday, two other witnesses had to review their grand jury and police statements be-cause when they took the stands they insisted Howse wasn’t in the room with Howard when he was shot.

One of those two men — Jeris Nelson and Clyde Anderson — was involved in the dispute today and one family member of Howard could be heard complaining that the men were lying about what happened.

Assistant County Prosecutor Mike Kinlin warned jurors earlier in the trial that none of those at the home at the time of the shooting wanted to be considered a “snitch” and all were reluctant to testify.

Two people were briefly arrested earlier this week for allegedly trying to avoid testifying in the case and deputies have kept a heavy security presence around the trial because of concerns about arguments and violence between the families and friends of Howard and Howse.

The witness is expected to return to the stand this afternoon and Betleski is also weighing a request from prosecutors to clear the courtroom when a confidential informant testifies later today.

Read Friday’s Chronicle for more on this story.