The Crooked Closing

Today's closing arguments were an extension of the utter dishonesty that we have seen from "Judge" Brian House and the Dishonest Duo, Len Gregor and Chris Arnt. If one thought that these people would obey the law at the closing, guess again.

Let us count the ways in which House made sure that the prosecution could get in one more lie, one more misstatement, and one more episode of outright bullying:

• As they did during defense testimony and defense cross-examination of prosecution witnesses, the prosecutors objected often and loudly. Of course, House sustained all of their objections. (They did it not because they had actual legal arguments, but rather to disrupt the flow of Dr. Lorandos' talk, which violates Rule 3.5 of the Georgia Rules for Conduct of prosecutors.)

• According to the people in the press room, House cut three minutes off Dr. Lorandos' talk.

• During the last hour of the prosecution's closing statements, Arnt declared that the expert witnesses for the defense, including Drs. Fajman, Aldridge, Bernet, and Hazzard all lied for money. He did not offer any proof, but simply spoke ex cathedra. That Dr. Aldridge mainly testifies for the prosecution, Arnt has then declared that many of the people convicted in part by her expert testimony must have been wrongfully convicted.

•  Arnt deliberately misrepresented Dr. Fajman's testimony in his closing. When Dr. Lorandos objected, House overruled him, declaring, "He's on closing." House then sanctioned the defense and gave the prosecution more time.

• Arnt declared that the prosecution had "caught Ms. Craft telling a lie" last Friday without specifying which "lie" it was she supposedly told. Dr. Lorandos objected, and House declared, "He's on closing."

• House had refused to permit the defense the opportunity to enter into evidence a recording of a message that Tonya's daughter allegedly had put on Tonya's cell phone (after she had been taken away) in which she told her mother that she "loved" her. (The prosecution had objected, and House always gave Arnt and Gregor whatever they wanted.) On the stand,  Ms. Craft told about it. In his statement today, Arnt told the jury that Ms. Craft "lied" about it and made up the tale. While he gave no reasons, my guess is that he would have said there was no recording played.

• At the end of his statements, Arnt told the jury to "send a message to the 'dream team'," which was an attack on the opposing counsel. Again, Georgia Bar rules of conduct prohibit this kind of attack, not that Arnt, House, or Gregor care about the rules, anyway, since throughout this trial, they made up the rules as they went along.

So, there you have it. The case is in the hands of a jury which clearly has not heard near the amount of exculpatory evidence that it should have heard, and a jury that was permitted to hear testimony that clearly was perjured.

Conservative Christians tend to be against the "rights of the accused," as our "law-and-order" instincts tell us that prosecutors always are honest, God-fearing people, and anyone accused of a crime, especially sexual abuse of a child, does not deserve a defense. Over the years, both liberals and conservatives have worked together to destroy the rights of the accused and you can see the handiwork in this trial.

This was a disgrace, and one only can hope for a "not guilty" verdict. If the jury convicts, trust me when I say that Catoosa County and the LMJD never will live down the verdict, as the appeals courts pour over the records of this travesty, and I can guarantee a guilty verdict would be overturned. I only can say I am thankful not to be living in the LMJD any more.