LightinDarkness
Master Poster
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2008
- Messages
- 2,583
Well, I've had a fun afternoon with a FOTL trial. Highlights include:-
Defendant trying to introduce an enormously long document that by tortuous logic "proves" the court don't have jurisdiction. There is no basis for its admission so it doesn't go in.
Defendant declaring that he's making the court a court of record which turns out to be the signal for his mate to turn on the tape recorder. When this is later discovered and confiscated the defendant accuses everyone of various crimes.
Defendant's fanclub refusing to stand up when magistrates enter and leave. They are a little subdued when both the usher and the chair describe them as lacking in common courtesy. A lot more subdued when every spare chair is occupied by a burly police officer.
When the defendant is asked to identify himself and begins the usual spiel waving his birth-certificate the prosecutor interrupts him and says as everyone knows who he is why don't we begin the trial. Magistrates agree and leave the defendant nonplused for a bit. He soon starts shouting "objection" every few words and is treated by the prosecutor with crushing disdain.
Somehow the first police officer's examination in chief is concluded. This should be the defendant's chance to cross-examine. But no he decides to challenge the court's jurisdiction instead and starts demanding the names of the magistrates and whether the court is common-law or admiralty.
Upshot is the case has gone part-heard halfway through the first witness...
And I am sure this guy reports back to Rob Menard and it will be posted as a success.
Court obstruction and ensuring that FOTL woos get a end result much more harsh than they would have ended up with - another FOTL success!