Judge castigates sleeping lawyer in Saddam’s trial

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.khaleejtimes.ae/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/focusoniraq/2006/September/focusoniraq_September121.xml§ion=focusoniraq&col=

BAGHDAD - The chief judge in Saddam Hussein’s genocide trial castigated a defence lawyer for falling asleep during Tuesday’s proceedings, as a witness was recounting a gas attack.

Banging his hammer, an angry Abdullah Al Amiri brusquely interrupted an ethnic Kurd recounting a gas attack in his village in northern Iraq in 1988 to berate one of the lawyers for Saddam and his six other co-accused.

‘It appears you’re falling asleep!’ the judge said.

‘Who me? No, no. I’m just tired like everyone else here. I wasn’t asleep. I was listening on behalf of my client,’ said lawyer Badea Arif, appearing somewhat embarrassed.

[Supersedeas]

1. kangaroo court - Al Gonzo ought to be proud

[scarletwoman]

2. Oh dear. I first read this as "CASTRATES" sleeping lawyer...

And I thought, "Man, that's pretty brutal!"

Sorry. I obviously have a very sick mind... :blush:

sw

[Xipe Totec]

3. Believe it or not, I witnessed the same thing here

As a juror in a criminal drug case. The public defender fell asleep during testimony and got a 10 minute dress down by the judge in front of the jury.