i could see his eyes. i checked his pulse, which was normal. skin temperature, normal. not sweating. normal. the record should reflect that the defendant is slouching over to the side and acts like he s sleeping. does he appear to be doing anything to you other than sitting in that chair? no, your honor. wilkins finally comes to when smelling salts are placed under his nose. oh, a remarkable change. mr. wilkins, do you have any questions for this witness, sir? i will take that as a no, sir. i am going to terminate the defendant s right to represent himself because of his deliberately serious and obstructionist misconduct. mr. wilkins, because of your behavior, i am going to have you removed from the courtroom, sir. your behavior is highly inappropriate. it s obstructionist, so you re going to be removed to the jail.
moved his hand, and i could feel the hand move. they check on his vital signs and confirm wilkins is faking it. so the judge calls court back into session. we re on the record. the record will reflect that the jury is not present. the defendant is present and is feigning some medical condition. with the cameras rolling again, wilkins is seen slumped over his chair. extra security is now present because of wilkins unpredictable behavior. the defendant is present and acting rather uninterested in these proceedings. mr. wilkins, if you persist in this behavior, sir, you will be removed, and you will be waiving your right to give a closing statement. i understand that you choose not to respond to me, sir, but i know that you are hearing me. not only does his fake heart attack fail to help him derail the trial, it becomes part of the trial itself. those two medics who have just checked on wilkins are asked to testify. he did respond to tactile stimulus. he did raise his head, t
two questions at the time, and then he grabbed his chest, asked the judge if he could have a minute. your honor, excuse me for a second. i need i need some time. and then collapsed on the floor. officer humphrey takes his cue from the judge who clears out the courtroom. security sees to wilkins while they wait for medical assistance to arrive. once we got to him, it was obvious that he was faking this. his eyes were closed, but he was trying to peek out of the corners of his eyes. he was, like, trying to gain an angle and kind of look out the side. courtroom cameras stopped rolling while medical personnel attend to wilkins. i remember looking over, calling him by name. his eyes were kind of closed, squint, and you could see that he was blinking. his respirations were equal, even, unlabored. during his checkup, he shows further signs of life. i did trip over his arm. then he opened his eyes and
mr. wilkins, now! it s a modern-day lynching. mr. wilkins! that s what it is. you are not to speak, sir. he doesn t have any formal legal experience, and the stakes are high. i told you before, i can t tell you how to practice your craft. but, sir, you can t include evidence in questions. you must ask people questions. june 26th is the last day of testimony, and officer shawn humphrey is the last witness to take the stand. his testimony is pivotal. it could discredit wilkins alibi. i was there to testify with regards to a female who claims she was with the defendant the day his crime occurred. however, she had reported in to the office to see me that day in dayton. mr. humphries, being that sharida didn t notify you that wilkins begins to cross-examine humphrey, but then all of a sudden he seems to be having a heart attack. excuse me. hold on a second. he had asked me, i believe,
excuse me for a sec. a man in court facing up to 61 years in prison, if convicted, clutches his chest and falls to the ground. thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, for being here. but kefon wilkins is no hollywood actor. the 33-year-old defendant is in a dayton, ohio, criminal court for two felonious assault charges and various weapons charges. wilkins decision to defend himself adds an extra layer of drama to the proceedings. i thought i could ask a question. from the get-go, he s reprimanded by the judge. you are not running the show, sir. the jury complained to the bailiff yesterday that you mumble repeatedly, sir, and they cannot understand a word you re saying. this is a lynching. i mean this is a modern-day lynching. at one point wilkins even suggests the court is out to get him. this is a modern-day lynching.