Seen at Court

Defendant and Attorney are standing 2 feet in front of the judicial bench. Attorney has just had a bond hearing at defendant's request. Defendant told the judge she should lower the bond because "I've had the same bond for 8 months and my family hasn't been able to pay it."

After the judge shoots that down, Defendant starts insisting that he be allowed to plead guilty right now because he has to get out out today. Attorney tries to calm him down; tries to pull him aside to talk; tries to get him to stop talking; tries to make him realize that he has a plea date set for next week when Attorney expects to have a plea offer. He isn't having any of it and keeps insisting that he wants to plead guilty today! The judge tells him that she'll be happy to let him plead guilty and set a sentencing hearing for three months down the line. It doesn't seem to penetrate the head of Defendant that this will probably keep him in jail longer.

Finally, Attorney turns to Defendant and says, "You can do this against my advise. You shouldn't, but you can. I'm going to walk out of the front door of the courthouse either way. You still insist on pleading today?"

And, you know what? It worked. The guy finally came to his senses and decided to wait until next week.