The jurors, stunned,
all looked eagerly. A minute passed. Nothing happened. Finally
the lawyer said, “Actually, I made up the business about the dead
man walking in. But you all looked at the door with anticipation. I
therefore put it to you that there is reasonable doubt in this case
as to whether anyone was killed, and I must insist that you return
a verdict of ‘not guilty.’”
The jury retired to deliberate. A few minutes later, they
returned and pronounced a verdict of “guilty.”
“But how could you do that?” bellowed the lawyer. “You must
have had some doubt. I saw all of you stare at the door.”
The jury foreman replied, “Oh, we looked, but your client
didn’t.”