Litigation Support

What would Barney Fife do?

By Blake Boyd

Last week we were hired by a Trial Technologist’s View reader to create a presentation that would be used throughout a criminal trial. No litigation support was required only the presentation needed to be created.

While most slides were typical of what we normally create, I had a first time request of using Barney Fife in a slide. I thought about it for a while; the attorney is going use this to demonstrate the arresting officers are not even as bright as the deputy sheriff from Mayberry. Didn’t know if it would be allowed, but here’s Barney in all his courtroom glory.

Brief Background: The slide is depecting what steps should have been taken by federal agents during a drug running sting operation. The police arrested the defendant while attempting to pick up a car that he had been told to pick up (is a mechanic). The agents had removed the previously discovered drugs and didn’t replace them with anything else. There was no way he could have known there was drugs in the car.

Verdict: Hung jury. Counsel was not able to use these slides, apparently this Federal Criminal Judge wasn’t a fan of The Andy Griffith Show! Our client was pleased with our litigation presentation and contributed the somewhat positive verdict to the attention grabbing slides.

Full post as published by The Trial Technologist's View on September 24, 2008 (boomark / email).