WARNING - This is a post all about how amazing I am. If you don't care, or already know it, please feel free to skip this post if you desire.
For those of you who do not know, I am a prosecuting attorney. I work for a small city, and prosecute misdemeanors. Don't be too impressed....it isn't that exciting, and I spend a lot of my time dealing with traffic tickets. However, I also do a lot of DUI cases.
Today I had a jury trial. It was another DUI. The facts were pretty strait forward, but the suspect and her attorney insisted on a jury trial, and so we went ahead with it.
As I said, these cases are just misdemeanors. However, as far as I am concerned, DUIs are very serious matters. Any time someone gets behind the wheel when they are impaired, they are putting their life at risk, as well as the lives of everyone else on the road. Because of that, I put as much time and effort into preparing my case as I can. I try to take each trial as a learning experience. To be sure, I want to win....but I realize jurors are never predictable and you never know what they are going to do.
However, today's case meant a little something more to me. I don't think I have ever wanted to win so much. Why you ask? The defense attorney got under my skin! In court today he made several (VERY FALSE) accusations about me, as well as the other individuals in my office. I did a fairly good job of keeping my cool. That is, until he asked the judge if he could borrow one of his legal books to show it to me so he could, and I quote: "Help teach [me] how to be a better prosecutor." I resisted the urge to say something back, or hit him, and I decided then and there that I would double my efforts for the rest of the trial.
Apparently it worked. Once the closing arguments were finished, the jury took two minutes to convict. That's right....TWO MINUTES!!! I have never heard of a jury reaching a verdict that quick.
When they read their guilty verdict, I wanted to say to this attorney that I guess he didn't need to teach me anything...looks like I am doing just fine without his mentoring! I didn't say anything of course. I was taught that when you score a touchdown...there is no need to spike the ball.
The look on his face was reward enough.
5 comments:
Sweet Victory! Way to win.
What a jerk you had to deal with.
As a member of the judicial system myself, I admire and appreciate the work you do.
A defense attorney told me a long time ago that if he is polite and laid back in court, then he probably has a pretty good shot at winning his case. And if he is screaming, shouting and on the attack, he knows you have a good case, and he's just putting on a show for his client to make him/her think they're getting their money's worth. Sounds like he knew you had him.
Making those kinds of comments only served to show his ignorance and lack of class. You, on the other hand, clearly showed yours.
Congratulations on winning the case, and more importantly, on not lowering yourself to his level.
Way to Go! Should have done the leprechan dance!
Have you retired from Blogging?
Ran out of material?
We need a new post.
You know, I could really use a new post from you...it could be funny, controversial, crazy...I don't care...you chose...but write something already!
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