In some ways it was a virtuoso performance, compressing the evidence from three months of trial into two days of closing arguments, emphasizing what was beneficial to the defendant and minimizing the rest, outright ridiculing those significant bits which didn’t fit into the defence theory of a justifiable shooting.
But even at the conclusion, when Peter Brauti took his oratorical leave of the jurors Wednesday afternoon — because he can say no more, can’t object, can’t counter-thrust — the lawyer stood down reluctantly.
“I’m going to want to jump out of my chair,” Brauti admitted, about the part which comes next, the Crown’s articulation, also expected to take at least two days. “Wait a minute! That’s not how the evidence went.”
No doubt the Crown felt the same way, quietly indignant, maybe even fuming, listening to Brauti characterize the evidence and the testimony, most especially the derision he heaped on the prosecution’s key expert witness on use-of-force tactics, a former police chief in five U.S. cities. (more...)
No comments:
Post a Comment