... during closing arguments in an attempted murder case. My client was charged with beating a female police officer over the head with the own baton and an eyewitness described what could only be called a savage attack (an attack the details of which the officer did not remember at all). My client was about 6"5" and weighed about 250; if he had hit this woman as often and as hard as the witness said, he'd have killed her easily (she had only two small cuts on her head). To show just how vicious an attack the witness had described, I used the baton to batter the lectern during my argument ... after a few blows, it shattered into several large pieces.

The jury acquitted on the attempted murder charge and my guy got three years for assault instead of life for attempted murder. I had to pay for the lectern.

----- jim o\-S