An unrepeatable legal defense

[@CleoAbram]

My favorite wrong answer was Tom's "the lawyer shot the judge! And by some weird loophole in American law...". Thanks for having us, this was such a fun conversation.

[@jacobheffington5265]

And just how close it was lmao...

[@AndyHoward]

#notlegaladvice

[@nullval7198]

I mean it would work if they ran out of judges though?

[@euansmith3699]

"The defendant, *after several retrials* was acquitted..." How many lawyers shot themselves in the prosecution of this case?

[@techno1561]

He was acquitted because there were no lawyers left alive to take his case at the time, all of them having been killed or incapacitated attempting the same defence.

[@MeepChangeling]

Since that number is not 100% of them, not enough.

[@michaelwisniewski6047]

Enough to establish statistical significance…

[@PopeGoliath]

When my dad was a young teen, my grandfather tasked him with sweeping the back porch. Grandfather went on an errand, leaving my dad unsupervised for a couple minutes. My dad got bored and started goofing around, swinging the broom like a baseball bat. On one of the swings, the head of the broom flew off the handle and hit a kitchen window, shattering it. My dad knew he was going to be in trouble, but he did his best to clean up all of the glass. He also cut out a piece of cardboard to cover the hole. When Grandpa came back, he asked what happened. My dad explained, "Well, I was swinging the broom like this..." The head of the boom flew off again, crashing through the other kitchen window. My grandfather looked at the two windows for a moment, then calmly said, "Yeah, I can see how that could happen."

[@thepenguin9]

I mean he knew full well he walked into that one

[@Sn0wjunk1e]

idk why, but your grandpa gives me big Red Forman vibes

[@arshawn]

😂😂😂

[@eduardopupucon]

My grandpa had a very similar story related to ww2 about a soldier complaining about short fuzes in the grenades and the officer who does not believe pulls the pin and the grenade explodes in his hand, don't remember the details exactly or if its anedotical tho, he was in the Italian army if anyone knows that.

[@urieaaron]

General Motors 30 or more years ago. A millwright was demonstrating with his remaining good arm to the safety team and higher up supervision as to how he broke his arm in a conveyor. In front of everyone, before anyone could react, he reached into a running conveyor and accidentally tripped the same limit switch he had tripped before and, broke his other arm. A shocking but predictable development.

[@TheDuelManiacs]

The ultimate defense "Your honor, my client couldn't possibly have shot the victim. Because I did it!"

[@cat1554]

Von Karma, no!

[@DatShepTho]

@@cat1554 LMFAO, YOU SEE EDGEWORTH, IT IS I, VONSHOOTMASELF

[@nitehawk86]

I enjoy how the panel couldnt reach the correct answer quickly because it was so stupid that it didn't occur to anyone.

[@mrroboshadow]

and they got so freaking close that Devin almost layed out the answer when Simone says the gun went off by itself its so close and yet not quite

[@InvictusByz]

I worked with a guy, as a pistol dueling reenactor and educational presenter at a presidential home, whose ancestor was in a duel where nearly the exact thing Simone says at 1:57 happened. His ancestor shot the man, who walked with difficulty and a cane due to arthritis in his knee. He was supposedly shot in the leg, made a full recovery, and supposedly was able to walk better off the dueling field than he walked on to it. Supposedly, he said something along the lines of "You make a fine surgeon, but a damn rough operator!"

[@tsnap4]

I love Devin responding to questions and potential answers in a very "I'm a lawyer, and my instinct is clearly not to give anything I'm not supposed to..." way.

[@soulbound11]

bonus fact. Apparently, not long after, someone else was telling this story and demonstrating how the lawyer had shot himself. Yes, they successfully shot themselves as well.

[@davidshi451]

omg you're kidding me

[@zzzzzzzzz7494]

Looks like a curse or something.

[@alphazero924]

This is starting to feel a lot like TomSka's "What Happened"

[@alveolate]

in america, the saying isn't shooting oneself in the foot, it is shooting oneself in the stomach.

[@joaomrtins]

Didn't any of them come to the conclusion it would be enough to use an unloaded gun, or load only the propellent?

[@martinedelius]

There's nothing more frustrating than knowing the answer to a question and watching others not picking up on what seems to be the most obvious of clues - full well knowing that I'd be as clueless if I hadn't know the answer beforehand. :)

[@tamhuy10]

i knew the answer bc i watched the legaleagle video about it

[@leonmayne797]

@@tamhuy10 Me too.

[@boaz6346]

@@tamhuy10 like halfway in I realised I knew the story from his video

[@BertGrink]

@@leonmayne797 Me three

[@DementiaAcerbus]

Tom got so close it seemed that one time though

[@ConnorNolanTech]

As soon as he said "The defense argued that the victim shot himself" I remembered the exact case this was

[@Erikaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

Simone Giertz and LegalEagle is a goddamn dreamteam level combo

[@nacoran]

After this I kind of want to see Simone build a robot that can shoot itself.

[@ericssmith2014]

@@nacoran “Shooty Robots”

[@Zraknul]

I think Simone is too smart to try this one.

[@ellencameron3775]

Yes, please. Devin telling us about weird cases and Simone making replicas to test out the facts of the cases!

[@petertorvik8413]

I agree, I saw the thumbnail and thought "that looks like Simone and Legal Eagle what is going on?" Most awesome crossover ever!

[@skye2281]

That lawyer went above and beyond for his client!

[@jannepeltonen2036]

Quite literally :D

[@Demonrifts]

And then 6 feet below.

[@pandacron]

I appreciate that Devin got in his suit and set for this episode, especially since it meant having to sit in his usual video monologuing posture for the entire of the recording, since I presume they don't plan which question gets turned into a video. (I still find this audio-then-video-clips format super weird but I guess it probably keeps production cost down so whatever)

[@TrueHolarctic]

Nahh Devin sleeps like that. Its his resting position

[@tamhuy10]

@@TrueHolarctic he even bathes like that

[@vesper7750]

​@@tamhuy10😂

[@jakejones8854]

This was on QI at some point so I recognised it immediately. If I'd had to guess I would have thought Tom knew this one. It seems like one he'd have come across.

[@franzfanz]

This was on Legal Eagle at one point so I recognised it immediately.

[@roweproductions9424]

@@franzfanz Yer I think that’s where I remember it from 👍🏻

[@Zraknul]

@@franzfanz The Algorithm says you're correct, because this is their top suggestion for my next video.

[@aceman0000099]

He probably did vaguely remember it like he said

[@ferretyluv]

Tom Scott had never heard of the Hagia Sofia before the Technical Difficulties told him about it, so I’m not surprised he hadn’t heard about it.

[@EmilyGamerGirl]

As soon as he mentioned demonstration in the court I remembered hearing this story... quite a defense

[@PrograError]

it's quite fool's proof... lateral-ly

[@Respectable_Username]

As somebody who remembers the correct answer from a previous Legal Eagle video, oh boy this was fun to watch them piece it together 😂

[@Windrider6]

According to Wikipedia, the incident did not happen in court, but in a hotel room while the lawyer and his colleagues were testing the theory.

[@CPFitzgerald]

Devin did say there are mixed accounts about where precisely the demonstration happened

[@renerpho]

@@CPFitzgerald Yes, this story was told so many times that it's hard to know what happened exactly. They do agree about the main details though.

[@C0maT0ast]

That's a dedicated lawyer, willing to take one for his client

[@telotawa]

thank you, tom scott, for captioning all of your videos, you are a hero for this

[@macdjord]

My own guess on hearing the question: the 'known tough guy' victim was a _circus_ tough guy, the kind who would take a punch to the stomach without injury as part of their act. The defendant asked if he could deflect a bullet, the victim said he could, and the defendant shot him with permission. The defendant got off because both he and the victim sincerely thought the act was safe, and the defense it would 'only work once' because it was now public record that it wouldn't work.

[@ps1hagridoufofcharacter]

i like that the captions are color-coded for different people

[@lastnamefirstname8655]

legal eagle did a video on this, and i watched it! glad i still remembered that story, yeah, quite the unique defense that worked.

[@Yorie1234]

4:44 "Your honour, my client is innocent, because I shot the victim"

[@jakebowler9763]

I've seen Devin tell this story on his channel before so knew what it was immediately. It was frustrating yet hilarious hearing them guess every other possible combination of people getting shot before finally getting there.

[@marcusdire8057]

Legal Eagle and Simone!? Yes please!

[@christophercaldwell6888]

This is *VERY* close to a game that was popular in the early part of the 20th century, that we usually called "Conundrums". In THAT game, the answerer can only answer "yes", "no, "unanaswerable" or "irrelevant." Perhaps you are using this as a guide. I think you are VERY wise to keep this a reasonable length video by be more forgiving with your answers. The sad thing is that I knew the answer - mostly because I had seen you cover this incident in one of your other videos. I loved "Conundrums". I only wish that I hadn't known the answer, as I wanted to be guessing along with your guests! Great fun!

[@JoshWebb]

It would sure be nice if we could watch a video of this whole episode

[@elbruces]

Devin confusing the hell out of Tom and friends is all the KZbinr intersection joy I needed today, thank you.

[@FiXato]

The lawyer was gutted he couldn't see his client acquitted. He could stomach it no longer to see his client accused.

[@kiplittle]

Can I just say how lovely it is to discover my favorite yet disparate KZbin creators all in the same place and all playing so nicely with each other!

[@HistorysRaven]

As soon as I heard the names of the lawyer and the defendant I shouted, "I know this one!" Fortunately, because I work alone, I didn't startle anyone.

[@Omni315]

Had to watch this just to see what Devin watches when not on his show... exactly the same !

[@jordansean18]

I was so worried that this was just going to be a terrible question... But this was absolutely worth it 😅

[@N05K177]

Omg Simone is here !! So happy to see her here :)

[@jannepeltonen2036]

So I was one of the leaders in this nature camp, and a boy came to me with a cut in his hand. Stupidly enough, I asked how did this happen, and before I could stop him, he demonstrated. Luckily, the two cuts were really small and healed easily...

[@bluffmasterhara]

The operation was successful but the doctor died😂

[@ala5530]

You joke, but that has happened. Even discounting anaesthetic explosions (it turns out that if it mixes with oxygen in the right proportions, ether is pretty volatile stuff), there have been occasions where surgical complications have resulted in the death of the doctor. Off the top of my head, there was one 19th century doctor (Robert Liston) who achieved a 300% mortality rate in one operation: he amputated a leg (in only 2 and a half minutes, as he was working before the invention of anaesthesia, so speed was vital to minimise pain and increase the chance of patient survival), successfully. Unfortunately, in the process, he also sawed off two fingers of his assistant (who was holding the leg in place). Both the patient and the assisting doctor subsequently died of hospital gangrene (not only was this pre-anaesthesia, but also pre-antiseptic and pre-aseptic techniques). Wait, that's only a 200% mortality- during the procedure Liston also sliced the coat of an observing bystander with his scalpel (presumably while switching tools to a bonesaw). The bystander fainted, and was later determined to have died of shock.

[@WilliamAndrea]

"Your honor, the defense rests in peace"

[@whophd]

Devin’s commitment to accuracy is on naked display here, as he struggles to maintain mystery haha

[@mysteriousjess.]

Well I saw Simone and LegalEagle on the thumbnail, was confused as to why two very different creators I’m subbed to are in the same video and clicked on it ❤😂

[@lundylow]

Devin phrased that so lawyerly that half of his question felt like a red herring.

[@V01D01D]

All I could think of was an old Three Stooges bit where they were called as witnesses to a shooting. The gun in question had a sticky trigger and the defense's case rested on the fact that the defendant did not have strong enough fingers to pull the trigger. To prove this, he gives Curly the gun, and Curly spends the next few minutes struggling to pull the trigger himself and winds up shooting the wig off the Judge's head.

[@censusgary]

Simone! Fancy meeting you here!

[@ozelhassan8576]

Horrible histories did a piece on this, horrible histories was a series of books but then become a long standing children’s tv series and films in the uk. I loved the series, big fan.

[@bdubbsmark]

'Your honor, I'll prove my case if it costs me my life!'

[@alexrowaan7326]

Feels like there was no chance for them to figure this out just from the initial prompt - it took a lot of handholding. But still an interesting story!

[@spikehammer3112]

Yeah, most of the questions on the show are like that. It's sorta the whole premise. Then look at something like the recent question "why does this reality TV show use opaque cups?" where a contestant guesses the answer immediately and you can see how boring that makes the segment.

[@Bagofnowt]

@@spikehammer3112 i think there's a middle ground on the best questions of the show, takes a while to get there but they can do so purely on lateral thinking alone

[@potatosordfighter666]

I figured it out but only because I had heard the story before. That said I never knew the names of them, so that was no clue for me.

[@realtylerdb]

Got this one almost instantly! It was on Horrible Histories a while ago, and has always stuck with me for some reason

[@nerdjournal]

Well that lawyer went above and beyond... Sheesh.

[@paulstransportandmore]

I am always a huge fan of Lateral! Keep up the good work!

[@loddude5706]

'So, your defense is that the speed camera decapitated itself whilst trying to take your photograph'? 'Yep.' : )

[@calebu2]

I'm pretty sure that type of legal service isnt billed at the standard rate.

[@thebigfatboo]

Watching this is like watching your fav superheroes from different cartoons mash up in a special episode 🎉

[@Nathanael_Forlorn]

Hey Christaldi. I always liked it, when you popped up in a wyrmlyfe. Thanks for being awesome and safe travels, to wherever the currents may drift you to.

[@franzsapka]

Lovely team.

[@djalland1]

When you hear a question like that and, like me, think "Surely everyone knows this story!" you know you need to reassess parts of your life.

[@fumui_]

wait wasn't this one of the articles that got pulled on "Citation Needed"? or maybe "only 2 peoples are lying"? it was one of the Tech diff episode on Matt & Tom channel

[@DevilboyScooby]

I like to think that where Tom wears red shirts all the time, Devin sits fully suited in front of a green screen even when he's not being filmed.

[@edgarleft]

It isn't a greenscreen. The lamp is green.

[@LucenProject]

I didn't know this show exists, but I follow everyone here.

[@gabrieltenorio]

You literally got my three crushes on a podcast bless

[@mason11198]

Better call Clement!

[@elibaumann9718]

Fun fact about Clement Vallandingham, he got arrested in my hometown for giving a speech supporting slavery during the height of the Civil War.

[@RichardWinskill]

These people don't watch enough LegalEagle ;) I got this one because I remembered Devin talking about it

[@rogink]

Very noble and chivalrous of the lawyer to 'take one' for his client! Almost as noble as Sidney Carton, who gave the ultimate sacrifice for his client, Darnay. "It is a far, far better thing I have done ..."

[@10thdoctor15]

I got this straightaway. It was told on Qi's episode about irony. Might be where Scott had memories of it.

[@airex12]

“The lawyer sadly perished a few days later” 🎶 DA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NAAAAA 🎶🎵

[@E-Brightvoid]

3:03 I know the case. That poor guy

[@swordfish1929]

Devin made a video about this

[@sohamsengupta6470]

The moment I saw "unrepeatable" and heard "old timey trial regarding guy who was shot" my brain went "Oh this has to be the lawyer that shot himself"

[@MrKockabilly]

I want a lawyer that would give his life for a client.

[@KevinBingham]

On the bright side, the defendant didn't have to pay the lawyer. DOH!

[@DHxJarsyl]

thats a hell of a lawyer.

[@BertGrink]

I knew this story even before Devin presented the question.

[@asuraou6763]

All my favorite youtuber in one screen 🤯🤯🤯

[@DanielDugovic]

"There are differing accounts about whether this happened in the courtroom... Someone got shot in the courtroom."

[@hwkeyser]

This panel is just amazing!

[@jeffbenton6183]

Devin Stone, Esq. : No one will ever try this defense again. Me, wearing a bullet-resistant vest: Hold my beer. (Just kidding, that's way too dangerous to try, even with proper PPE)

[@trapjohnson]

Less than two weeks later, the Rust:Baldwin/Gutierrez-Reed shooting is back in the news.

[@thepetermullins]

My KZbin Venn Diagrams crossing again! Tom, how could you confuse my brain like this, I couldn't work out for the first 5 seconds whose channel I was on!!

[@garybarnes4169]

"Very unique." - Gah!

[@hand587]

I was sure this was going to be a case of a stage prop gone wrong. Turned out to be even wilder!

[@mrN3w7]

Now that's a lawyer I'd gladly pay him with the moon and sun lol 😆

[@olanmills64]

One of those times where a shows musical outros seems really inappropriate 🎵The lawyer parished a few days later 🎶

[@addicted2caffeine]

Oh I love a good Collab with my favourite KZbinrs

[@evelk5233]

The lawyer was a traitor. Deserved it

[@madgodloki]

Famous last words. : "told you so"

[@cqpzg]

Sounds like Alec Baldwins lawyers brainstorming a defense.

[@ferretyluv]

I knew of this story beforehand so I knew the answer already.

[@rachmadsuhartono]

The strongest defense a lawyer can do

[@redpandamaniacal]

I was wondering where I'd heard about this already. Seems from the comments that it was in a Legal Eagle video a bit ago, so probably from there then.

[@andrewriggs2764]

I can remember hearing about this but I don't remember what happened

[@jespoketheepic]

This is such a memorable story, i knew the answer from the video title + thumbnail alone.

[@schuylermeyers6353]

"what's more dangerous than a loaded gun? An unloaded gun!" Pogo

[@tonyk421]

My dad told me this story when I was a kid.

[@louisnorred8530]

"You went like this! You went like this!" reminds me of 3rd grade lmao

[@tielessin]

I find it crazy that the defense lawyer could just bring a loaded gun into the court room

[@Amanda-C.]

Aw, dang, I wish it was live-chat. I guessed the first one would be the one where the lawyer accidentally shot himself. But I can't actually make that guess real-time.

[@timothymclean]

See, this is why you simultaneously keep your guns unloaded when not in use _and_ treat unloaded guns as if they're loaded.

[@dcplunkett]

I wonder whether the demonstration that Tom was remembering one of the scenes from the 2007 movie "Shooter."

[@Aunini]

I remember reading this in a Darwin Awards book - having said that, some of the guesses 🤨

[@nabra97]

I've heard quite a few stories of people getting their old nerve damage re-traumatised and subsequently healing better; one of them I personally know, though "retraumatizing" wasn't a physical damage in her case but electricity accident and later something resembling long COVID (she got better in a few months, so perhaps not actually long COVID, I honestly don't really know). I don't think it really works with firearms though. Unless you got a limb amputated and later found out you had an undiagnosed sarcoma or melanoma there? I don't think the chargers against the shooter would be dispelled in this case though

[@calebdeming5515]

Used to play a board game called crack the case. It was like this and it would be amazing if you started playing that with people omg I need this in my life.