Even the Sun Shines...

George Coney showed up on time for court today. And he was as crazy as ever. So we went ahead and tried his case And then something strange happened...

The jury watched a twelve minute video of the drug transaction. The camera was on the informant's chest and pointed over the dash and out the front of the car. So we were able to watch the road in front of the car. For twelve minutes. And that was it. At some point, the car came to a stop and we could hear the driver say, "Eighty." The detective said that was the transaction. My client allegedly came to the driver's side window and gave the informant drugs for eighty dollars. But we never saw my client. We never saw my client's car. We never heard my client. I was able to get the detective to admit that if a transaction had occurred at any other time the vehicle stopped, then we would not be able to tell if it had happened. I was trying to suggest that maybe the informant didn't do what he said he did. After all, the video really showed nothing. The detective admitted that fact.

Interesting. But the informant still had to testify. Surely he would doom my client. He took the stand and mumbled his first few answers. He is serving four years in prison right now for breaking and entering. Then he said that he had bought drugs from my client on numerous occasions, but that he couldn't recall what happened that day. And that was it. That was his testimony. On cross, I had him admit that he has been convicted of obtaining property by false pretenses and larceny, among other things. I left it alone at that, because I didn't want to rile him up and get him to start talking about what happened.

Closing arguments are tomorrow. I am starting to wonder if my idiot client might not get very lucky here. We shall see. I should not get my hopes up too high. After all, nine bags of heroin were found on his seat, and he had the marked money. But still, things are looking better for him than I ever thought that could.

We should have a verdict by lunch tomorrow.