No habeas cases to be heard this week.
NPR has something called a "Three-Minute Fiction" contest. Readers send in stories that can be read on the air in three minutes or less. The current round they asked readers to send in original works that began with the line, "Some people swore that the house was haunted," and ended with the line, "Nothing was ever the same again after that."
One of the latest entries was a story entitled, "Habeas Corpses." It's a very short story based on some courtroom drama.
But, rather than reading the story, these two great comments from a commenter named Donna Pike, aka DMPike, tell you all you need to know:
Incredible aspects of the story for me: city attorney wouldn't be prosecuting a crim mischief case. Mrs Wainright wouldn't be considered a credible witness against witnesses who heard the defendant confess. Judge wouldn't be on a case where he is engaged to a witness. Judge wouldn't offer alcoholic beverage to the attorneys in the middle of the workday and the middle of a trial. Also, and I'm sorry if Im stretching here, and offending, but the premise that she needs a husband to take her interest away from the spooks and the court, reminds me of the offensive sentiment, " All she needs is a good f%#*" I had trouble seeing the premise and I don't care for it. I think it's a man's story. The story is well written though, and the lightheartedness is refreshing. But even Matlock isn't this far from reality. For me, that was distracting.
And:
I just didn't get it upon first reading. Why would the prosecutor be relieved that the judge is engaged to the star witness for the defense? Thanks @Jim for explaining it. I read it again and I see the implication that a husband would provide her with what's missing in her life, and thereby end her fixation with ghosts and vandalism. The problem I still have is that the story completely lacks credibility for me. I have practiced law in many "God-awful holes in the wall" (one was even named Dixie County,) and I've never seen anything even remotely like this. I once saw a woman coming into court wearing a housedress and shower-shoes, but nothing like this.
Comments