As Blagojevich stepped down from the witness stand, he walked over to the prosecution table and extended his hand to Assistant U.S. Atty. Reid Schar, who had cross-examined him over parts of three days. Schar, who was busy sorting papers, did not acknowledge the gesture and turned away to confer with the defense and judge at a sidebar.
Moments later, U.S. District Judge James Zagel cautioned jurors that there was a reason Schar reacted that way — lawyers are instructed not to have contact with witnesses. The judge then sent the jury home for the day.
In fact, judges in state court (I have no idea about federal, but I’d expect they do there as well) often make a point of this during jury selection because it also applies to jurors. It was a cheap stunt by Blagojevich and a perfect example of what a clown he is.
Did you expect less? He used his children as props. He tried to make rules for his impeachment trial that were unlike any in history. He behaved on the stand in a fashion that only a crazy person would behave. And then he ended the farce by seeking to shake hands with the man who destroyed him.
All of us with faith in the jury system have a lot riding on this case. I guess in a way the cynics do as well.
LOL–no, he was just meeting my expectations of him.
I never am a good judge of these things, but if I were on that jury I would be offended by his clown show.
If this kind of reaction is against Blogo, why not use the same rage against individuals who have done much worse?
We have wars, wars, wars and more wars. Yet, you attack Blogo as if he was the worst person in the world. I see much worse every single day in the papers. But I don’t see our feckless attacks there.