I fought the law, and the law won The Crickets
It’s worse. Much worse. You remember how I wrote recently that some people work themselves into such a panic over a life event that the actual event is almost anticlimactic? That happened to me with my knee replacement. I wrote that Trump was working himself into a paranoid panic attack over his trial, but when it finally rolled around, it would be even worse than he feared.
And now his trial is actually here, and it’s even worse than Trump ever feared. Much worse. And mostly because none of what’s gone on so far in reality has any connection to the fantasy tortures of the damned that he had worked himself into a tizzy over. It’s worse, but Traitor Tot has no idea of how to deal with it.
El Pendejo Presieente showed up for court yesterday loaded for bear. You could see it by the steely set to his brow, the aggressive way he yanked at his suit coat lapel, the jut to his chin, the set of his shoulders. He was itching to go to war with Judge Merchan, and set the tempo for what would follow.
But it’s like the old quip, I went to a fight, and a hockey game broke out. There was nothing for him to fight about.
The first half of the day in court was spent with the Judge and the lawyers from each side spouting legal bullsh*t at each other while they thrashed out what evidence would and would not be allowed in the trial. Having worked himself sleepless throughout the weekend, Traitor Tot dozed off several times, only to jerk himself awake minutes later.
Finally they brought the first pool of 96 prospective jurors into the room, and it only got worse. Judge Merchan started reading from a list of about 40 prepared questions that the jurors had already filled out in a questionnaire, and they started replying as asked. And every time there was a hitch, the lawyers asked the prospective juror their own questions, and then dithered with the Judge over whether or not to excuse that juror. I told you a couple of days ago that it was about as exciting as watching flies fornicate. Which Trump quickly found out.
By this morning they had culled the original herd of 96 down to 18. And that’s when things went to hell in a handbasket for Il Douche. Trump’s lawyers started drilling into ancient history in order to find reasons to recuse jurors without having to burn any of their peremptory challenges. At times it bordered on the ridiculous.
Trump’s lawyer grilled one prospective juror about a post she put on Facebook seven years ago, lauding the fact that the courts had struck down Trump’s Muslim ban, and praying for his removal and jailing. He raked another one for going out to her car to get something on the day Biden’s win was proclaimed, and honking her horn along with everybody else. Trump’s lawyer argued for recusal for both, arguing that how could they be fair and impartial jurors, when they had already shown animosity towards His Lowness?
Fortunately Judge Merchan tired of this tactic quickly. He decisively told the lawyers from both sides that if they were going to select a jury from a pool of jurors who had never had strong feelings about Trump, one way or the other, they’d still be here on Labor Day. The ultimate arbiter would be the question, Can you put aside any previous or current opinions, and decide this trial solely on the evidence and testimony in court? If the answer was yes, then the juror would remain in the pool, pending further questioning or a possible peremptory challenge. Terrible news for Trump, not being able to use ancient history to disqualify potential witnesses means that now they’re down to burning peremptory challenges for people they don’t like.
Then The Pampers President decided that it was time for him to get into the game. His lawyer was questing a prospective juror that Hair Twitler obviously didn’t like, and he muttered something under his breath. Only apparently it wasn’t under his breath enough, since Judge Merchan was able to pick it u-p on the bench 10 feet away.
Judge Merchan banged his gavel, turned to Trump’s lead defense attorney, and lowered the boom. Your client has just engaged in unacceptable courtroom conduct. His only utterings should be to you at the defense table. I suggest you have a word with your client, as I will not tolerate any juror or witness intimidation in my courtroom. Repeated violations could land Trump in pre trial detention. Trump’s lawyer had no choice but to go to the defense table, lean over, and tell Trump to shut up. While Trump had to sit there like the kid in the Principal’s office, with prospective jurors staring lasers at him for trying to influence them.
It’s worse. Every schoolyard bully knows that while you can beat up kids, steal their lunch money, and act up in class, the one thing you never do is to go up directly against the teacher. Because he or she doesn’t need to be tough because they have authority. And it’s like at the ripe old age of 77, Trump just learned this for the first time.
Just a quick aside here. From everything I’ve seen and heard, Trump’s lead criminal defense lawyer in this case is not some 3rd rate schmuck, like the rest of his Shetland pony stable. He is a highly accomplished, well regarded New York criminal defense lawyer. I don’t even want to think what a small fortune Trump is paying this guy, but it’s going to be interesting to see if it’s enough so that Traitor Tot actually pays attention to him!
But here’s the McGuffin. The original estimates were that jury selection for this trial would take two weeks. Court is dark tomorrow. But with Judge Merchan cracking the whip, by close of the 3nd day of jury selection today, they already have seven jurors selected, one shy of half the total number of jurors and alternates to be selected. Jury selection will resume on Thursday, with another pool of 96 prospective jurors, but this time without losing a half court day on evidentiary motions. They’ll be repeating the process from opening. Both NY Times Pulitzer winner Suzanne Craig as well as former Michigan US Attorney Barbara McQuade are saying that if the current pace continues, we could have an 18 juror panel sworn in by Friday, and opening arguments could begin on Monday morning.
It can’t get much worse for Trump. IN two days, they have already hashed out what evidence and testimony will be allowed at trial, they already have almost half the total numbers they need to go to trial, and Traitor Tot has already been publicly slapped down by the trial judge, in front of prospective jurors, and threatened with a trip to the clink of he keeps d*cking around. This avalanche may already be rolling downhill.
I thank you for the privilege of your time.
I have great respect for all the people who keep our justice system running. in my experience as a juror,as a plantiff and as someone giving testimony what generally happens is pretty damn boring and nothing like what happens in perry mason
First of all, et tu Murf? Goddamit (lol)! We don’t have Drill SERGEANTS in the Marine Corps, we have Drill Instructors! Yeah, us jarheads get worked up about such stuff. Anyway, just so you know for future reference…
Second, you’re right about Todd Blanche. He’s top drawer and before becoming a respected defense lawyer in NYC he was a respected Assistant U.S. Attorney. That gal who’s name escapes me is also considered a first rate lawyer. Habba Dabba Doo should have her butt planted in the gallery. Maybe she can absorb one or two tidbits from lawyers who actually ARE smart and capable and not get laughed at as badly the next time she tries to fake being smart. Oh, she’ll still fail but perhaps not as badly!
Point taken Denis…And most sincerely, my personal thanks for your service!!! Semper Fi!!!
It’s all good my friend. And reading you reminds me I need to order a new Cubs hat. I can’t find my old one. I think I inadvertently left it at a medical appt. I long ago had to stop wearing my favorite type of ballcap, a red one with USMC in gold letters above the visor. I found out folks not close enough to make out the letters thought it was a fucking MAGA hat! One more thing for me to hate Trump for – never being able to wear a USMC hat again. Not that I mind wearing a Cubbies hat. Nor a jersey if I could afford one. I once at the last minute talked myself out of buying a vintage style autographed Ernie Banks jersey. When I was in Little League he’d made the switch from shortstop to first base which was my own position. I had several hundred dollars to spare and kept going back and forth on whether to buy the jersy or my very own Marine NCO Sword & accessories with my name etched onto the blade of the sword. Not being able to make up my mind I punted. Chose to wait a few months and then decide. The Mr. Cub went to that ballpark in the great beyond (if there is a great beyond. I doubt it) and with a limited number of signed by Ernie jerseys left the price skyrocketed into the thousands. And some other stuff came up so I didn’t buy the sword either. I thought I’d finally be able to do so after moving down to NC but as you know life intervened and with a car I can’t even afford to fix four hundred (last I checked) plus is a no way in hell type of purchase for something to hang on the wall.
Anyway we jarheads are particular about some things, especially if the evoke use of “doggie” (Army) stuff. I just hope I didn’t come across as an asshole in pointing out how we jarheads refer to those oh so special people that transformed us from civilians into Marines. Drill Instructors are a special breed, and while there are some bad apples at times for the most part any of us look back on the ones we had with a mixture of awe and grattitude.