If you live in the Athens, Ga., area, you can't help but know admitted cop-killer Jamie Hood is on trial and he's representing himself. It's a circus. I'm watching it via streaming and Hood made an objection and the judge, clearly already tired and it's not even lunchtime, excused the jury so they could argue a minor point about a witness list. The witness was on the list, but Hood thought it wasn't. But it was. In alphabetical order. Sigh.
If you're interested, the trial is available via streaming here.
As a former reporter, I've covered a lot of trials. Lemme just point out that's it's sausage making at its worst. Not a bit like what you see in the movies or on TV. Slow, ponderous, legalistic (as you'd expect), and a challenge if you're a reporter to stay focused for key moments. I've already heard a couple today in the opening statements, stuff I'd quote in a story.
Having a defendant represent himself is, truly, a circus.
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