[dorkenbutt]

Continued from above

At the trial on April 17th, I was called forward by the judge and asked if I would be needing an attorney. When I told him I would be acting on my own behalf, he asked, "You do know what they call a person who represents himself?" I said, "Yes, Sir. He has a fool for a client." I wish I had added that the "Lawyer-Client Relationship" is defined as the "representation of one who is incompetent, retarded or insane." I may be a fool, but I am not an idiot. I added that I was not "representing myself because I was myself. When asked how I would plead, I again said, "I stand mute, your Honor." Judge Carroll replied, facetiously, "Was that 'moot'?" I responded, "M-U-T-E". Judge Carroll stated that was not one of my choices. I either had to enter a plea of "Guilty" or "Not Guilty". I continued to "Stand Mute". He advised me that there could be no trial if I did not enter a plea. I informed him that in my opinion entering a plea would grant jurisdiction over me to the court, and I would only "Stand Mute"; since it was my understanding such a position did not grant jurisdiction; and my entire argument was based upon lack of jurisdiction. He then told me the court had jurisdiction, to which I responded, "Are you assuming jurisdiction or can you prove jurisdiction?" He said, "You're not going to make a mockery of this court. There are 600 cases waiting downstairs of which yours is one, and you come in here and think you have all these rights…..Well, you do have rights; but the court has jurisdiction, so either you enter a plea or you're going to jail."
I countered with my continued objection to entering a plea, and the judge said to me that if I was having trouble understanding him he had been to Iraq for a year, and if it would help he could speak some Iraqi for me. (Judge Carroll is a NC National Guard Lt. Col., and spent almost twelve months in Iraq with the Army JAG last year amidst great local fanfare and publicity fighting in an illegal, unconstitutional war.) I then said, "You were in Iraq thinking you were fighting for our freedom, but you were wrong. I stand before you today to defend my freedom and rights in my own country."