This is Champagne Song from solitary confinement. Please visit prairielanddefendants.com. This poem is called “Judge Pittman’s One Man Show”.
Judge Pittman’s One Man Show
First, he got rid of the jury by the clever use of the first ever mistrial by T-shirt.
He started his remarkable solo act by picking the next jury himself.
He played prosecution and defense.
Chose and asked all the questions alone.
Of course, the first and second time,
No Black jurors could be allowed in his show.
During the trial he took over the roles of prosecution, defense, and witnesses. He really stole the show.
Sometimes he talked for two or three at a time.
He changed questions,
Asked and answered them.
By God, what a talent!
He rounded it out with joke routines, soliloquies, and snarky comments.
The whole thing should have been left up to him.
He really played all the roles.
No need for attorneys or juries or witnesses.
All you need is Judge Pittman’s one-man show.
This comedic poem tries to capture the unbelievable circus that was the Prairieland trial. It’s really a travesty that it was not more public. It was moved to the smallest courtroom and not filmed or recorded. You really had to be there. The agents rolled their eyes at their own case. The prosecution looked ridiculous at every turn. The courtroom roared with laughter through the judge’s theatrical glares and speeches. The judge had to solo perform a real trial. It was a farce, and everyone knew it.
One image that has burned into my mind is a respected elder attorney for the government’s star cooperating witness, who laughed so loud it shook the room when the judge asked, “Does that make me a fascist?” The judge theatrically yelled, “Who was that?” And this super attorney looks around and stage whispers, “It wasn’t me.” This farce ended with fifteen brilliant defense attorneys resting immediately, because every case had completely collapsed, and the whole thing seemed like a bad joke. The rest is history, but man, you should have seen the show.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.
