Interesting law case. The following is a cleaned up and reduced version of the transcript from an actual court case. The names and and possible identifying information have been removed,
The charge was arson - supposedly a farmer burned down his barn for insurance money.
The prosecutor outlined what they would prove: the farmer moved most of the stuff out of a barn into a second barn, then burned down the first barn by pouring fuel around the base and setting it on fire.
The prosecution called as witness a neighbor in a subdivision that backed up to the farm - who testified the farmer moved stuff out of the barn over about a week. The neighbor noticed the unusual activity because he was outside building a deck on his vacation.
Next, the neighbor saw the farmer walking slowly around the outside of the barn pouring something from a 'blue gas can' on the lower part of the barn walls.
The farmer goes out of sight to the front of the barn, and flames erupt all along the base of the barn. His neighbor calls 911. We hear the recorded 911 call in which the neighbor says the farmer has set fire to his barn.
The defense had no questions for the neighbor.
By the time fire department arrived five minutes later, the barn was fully engulfed and they just acted to contain it, which was essentially just standing by since they note the nearby ground has been closely mowed, evidently to prevent the spread of flame. The firemen said the flames spread with a rapidity that was out of place even in a wooden barn, and they smelled petroleum.
The defense had no questions for firemen.
The fire investigator employed by the fire department, who came along on the response specifically because of the 'he set his barn on fire' 911 call, said it was definitely arson because of the clear marks on the ground where accelerant burned, which still smelled of fuel after the fire died down.
The defense had no questions for the investigator.
The police then arrested the farmer and took him down to the station.
Police investigators said there was virtually nothing in the burned barn (ruined tools or equipment) but that there was a good supply of items in the other barn that appeared to have been recently placed there, including some sitting on grass that was still green underneath.
The insurance company representative said the barn was insured.
The defendant's lawyer still has said essentially nothing, there was no cross-examination of any of the prosecution's witnesses.
The prosecution was done. The Defense was up.
The defense calls the farmer, and the first question was, 'Let's cut to the chase. Did you burn your barn down?'
'Yup.'
'Why did you do it?'
'It was old, and rotten, with termites. Going to fall down. Not safe.'
'Hm. Do you usually burn down old farm buildings?
'Yep and my daddy did before me, and his before him. It's a farm.'
'Are you aware that you need a permit to burn debris in this county?'
'Been doin' it that way on this farm since the 1800s, never had no permit.'
'The fine for setting any kind of fire on private property without a permit is up to $500. Oh, wait, I forgot, you are zoned for 'active agriculture,' and are exempt. So, no permit needed. But, why didn't you tell any of this to the police?'
'They didn't ask me no questions till after they put handcuffs on me and took me to the police station. They told me anything I said would be used against me, and said I had the right to remain silent. THEN some lawyer guy came in and told me I was going to prison for insurance fraud, and HE asked me questions. I remember Perry Mason said don't talk to anyone but your lawyer. So I didn't.'
'Did you file an insurance claim?'
'What for? The barn wasn't worth nothin' in that state. That's why I burned it in the first place.'
'I suggested we explain all this and try to talk them out of a trial. You said you wanted your day in court. What's up with that?'
'They came on my land, arrested me without telling me what for. Told me later it was for arson and insurance fraud, and put that in the papers. All my friends, relatives, and neighbors know about this. They made me look dishonest. I want to make sure everyone knows the real facts. I figure this is better than them just dropping it, and everyone wondering whether they just decided not to send an old man to prison.'
The Defense rested.