Miscellaneous

Court to Defense: Don't Cry Out Loud

By Anne Skove, Esq.

Recently we mentioned the story of the local prosecutor who filed a motion asking the defense to stop crying during capital cases.

Now the court has granted that motion. If attorneys seem to be losing their composure, they may ask for a break. But no crocodile tears (the judge admits that distinguishing them from the real deal may be difficult). The court deems emotion aimed at swaying the jury as amounting to defense lawyers acting as character witnesses for defendants.

Now, if only judges everywhere would ban Lance Armstrong bracelets in court!

See Judge: No Crying in Court, Janice Morse, Cincinnati Enquirer (July 19, 2008), and Don't Cry for Me, Defense Counsel, court-o-rama (June 20, 2008).

Full post as published by court-o-rama.org on July 19, 2008 (boomark / email).