Updated at The Dangers of Representing Yourself In Court While Facing Death Part II
I think it is a bad idea to even think about representing yourself in court. Needless to say when you are facing possibility of Death that is even worse.
Well it is happening in Baton Rouge as this report tells us.
Here are a few excerpts:
Jurors deciding the fate of accused murderer Anthony Bell are in for an exciting trial, Bell promised them as opening statements got underway in his case Tuesday morning. "This will be an exciting case," Bell told jurors. "Don't sleep because it will be exciting."
Bell often waved a finger at jurors as he spoke. At other times, he loudly tapped his finger on a desk. "This is my life and I'm going to fight to the death for my life," he told them.
The 27-year-old is accused of shooting and killing his wife and four others during a string of shootings that started inside the Ministry of Jesus Christ Church in Baton Rouge in May 2006. Bell is also accused of shooting the church's pastor, Claudia Brown. She survived. Two young children who were in the church were not harmed. Bell is representing himself.
Further we learn:
With a booming voice and a finger waving in the air, Bell told jurors the only thing he is guilty of is sleeping with Pastor Claudia Brown, who is his mother-in-law. Bell told jurors Brown is a compulsive liar who "paid me to have sex with her." As Bell made those allegations, several relatives of the victims left the courtroom.
Bell repeatedly referred to the pair as "zealous prosecutors" who are eager to convict him. "He (Dumaine) has to prove to you I killed these people and he can't prove that," Bell said. "Give me a fair trial and judge this case off the evidence. Don't get influenced by your neighbor."
The twelve jurors and two alternates include two black men, four white men, and six white women. The two alternates are white men. As prosecutor Mark Dumaine described the killings, a female juror wiped tears from her eyes.
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