Question for the Legal Beagles of the board
 

Gents (and ladies if there are any),

Doing some research for a paper and I'm trying to remember the name of a defensive trial lawyer from down south. I want to say the time frame was late 40's to 50's and early 60's.

What I remember about him, as what an old instructor of mine told me, was he was famous for when ever the prosecution spoke, he would light up a rather large "special" cigar (back when you could smoke inside), special in the fact that he would take a paperclip, straighten it out, and put it into the center of the cigar, so when he lite it, as the cigar burned down the ash wouldn't fall off, and the jury would be distracted by this, wondering when that ash would fall, thus diverting their attention from the prosecutions proceedings.

What was his name ?????

Also, is there something "on the books" about counselors distracting jurors, witnesses, ect in anyway? Such as having their ties askew, women hiking up their skirts to show a little bit of leg or maybe a stocking top to distract male members (or even female members), or anything along those lines?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

"......."
 

"...Darrow is perhaps best remembered for his unsuccessful defense of schoolteacher John Scopes, and by extension the theory of evolution, in the so-called Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925. (Scopes was accused of violating Tennessee law by teaching evolution.) Some say this was the trial at which Darrow, described by the New York Times as a man of "wicked zest and mordant humor," employed the cigar-ash trick. Other accounts merely say it was a favorite tactic, without citing a particular case......."

Some say there was no wire.

Take a look at trying cases using Texas Rules

Well I'll be a monkey's uncle, there it was hiding in plain sight.

Pete,
Thank you so much.

RL,
Thanks for the lead. It's much appreciated
For pointing me onto some good sources, I'll do this one time and ONE TIME ONLY ....... Yea Kings !!!!! .... :D

Did you mean "bengals" or "beagles"? ;)

Actually, it was supposed to be Bagels. :p

lol Good comeback. :D