The words in the title are not out of order. Lawyers are among the leading physicists in America. They take atomic and subatomic particles, rearrange them and turn lead into gold.
Eat your hearts out, alchemists.
Here’s what happens.
“A” is murdered. “B” is suspected, arrested and charged. Then the lawyers get to work.
You know how these cases go. The defense makes a monster of someone who may have been the killer. Man into monster alchemy.
The defense admits “B” is not a saint, but is good to his children or his mother or was almost an Eagle Scout or worked in the soup kitchen and therefore couldn’t possibly have committed murder.
The prosecution will produce a fingerprint. More magic. The defense will say it’s only a 70% match. The magic of diminished science.
The prosecution will use security cam video and the accused will suddenly appear at the crime scene.
The defense will say the videos have been altered.
This magic show will continue until half the jurors believe one side or the other has turned lead into gold.
Like modern day physicists, modern day lawyers work in the world of atomic and subatomic particles.
Instead of cyclotrons and colliders, they use human powered wind machines, themselves.
Members of the jury are the peer reviewers academics depend on for reputation and confirmation. Except the jury doesn’t have the credentials of a scholarly journal so they have to go on belief, the most volatile and unstable element on the periodic table.
Maybe the trial judge dozes off for ten seconds every once in awhile or is caught texting while the alchemists are on stage. Grounds for appeal if “B” is convicted?
After a not guilty verdict, the defense alchemist passes out business cards. “Hey! Let Whiplash Willie turn your lead rump into gold, too! Call 1800-4 Magic2.
At his sentencing, “B” will invoke the national anthem of the convicted, telling judge Snoozy: “I’m not a bad person.”
Yeah, probably, you are. Not-bad-persons don’t commit murder.
Okay, alchemists, line up those protons and neutrons. There’s always room for the wind accelerator at the appeals court.
Shrapnel:
--Speaking of magic, the NYPD has made thousands of arrests and tickets disappear. But they’ll soon tire of it. So don’t try going 90 on 92nd street.
--Turning potential tickets into antimatter is the beat cops’ way of Charlie Hebdo-ing the mayor whom they believe is a key player in the Great Anti Police Conspiracy. He isn’t. He’s just taken too many public foot in mouth lessons from Biden or Bush.
--Cop wannabe George Zimmerman has been arrested again, this time for aggravated assault. Police say he flung a wine bottle at his girlfriend in Seminole County, Florida. Possibly after draining it mouthward.
Grapeshot:
-Question for Chris Christie: did you think you looked good in that orange sweater at the Cowboys game or are you just picking out a color for your minimum security jump suit.
-Question for the AP writer of this headline SEARCHERS HONE IN ON BLACK BOXES FROM AIRASIA PLANE: will you please learn the difference between “hone” and “home?”
-Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like hone.
I’m Wes Richards. My opinions are my own but you’re welcome to them. ®
Please address comments to wesrichards@gmail.com
© WJR 2015
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