Disorder in the Court

One of my all-time favorite quotes is “The police are not here to create disorder; they're here to preserve disorder”, Mayor Richard J. Daley - 1968.

The quote was made in reference to the street riots in Chicago during the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

At that time, I was in the Army and stationed in Africa, but my Mom would send me newspaper clippings at least once a week. Including all of Mike Royko’s (Chicago Daily News) columns concerning Chicago politics. Mike slammed the “Mare” on a regular basis. Royko’s book “Boss –Richard J. Daley of Chicago” has always been one of my favorites. I have re-read it many times.

Today I visited one of my favorite sites – Amazon.com. I am an avid reader of obscure humorous books. Today I found a new one. ( Please note that there is a link to Amazon on the right column of this page.)

“Disorder in the Court: Great Fractured Moments in Courtroom History” by Charles M. Sevilla.

If you go to Disorder in the Court and click on the book cover it will take you to a page about the book. Next click on Surprise Me and you will get random quotes from the book.

Some of my favorites come from the banter between Doctors and Lawyers:

ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him!

ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.

ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?

And saving the best for last –

ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.

I ordered the hardback edition (used) today for under $8 including shipping. Mike Royko’s “Boss” is also available on Amazon.

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