Public Defense

Oral Fixation

I can't even begin to tell you all of the stupid things I've said or done in the courtroom. Today was one of them:

I had a hearing on a motion that seemed doomed without my client's testimony. During a pause in the hearing, I quickly asked her if she would testify and told her what to expect. As she stepped up to take the oath, I noticed she was chewing gum. Thinking I would spare her a nasty reaction from the judge, I discretely whispered in her ear for me to give me the gum. She spit it out and put it in my outstretched hand.

It was a cough drop.

She was sick and now she didn't have a cough drop. Had I known, I probably would have let her keep it and just told the judge she was sick. But now I just felt like a jerk for taking away her cough drop. I hope it wasn't her last one.

posted by Public Defense @ 12/12/2005