When dealing with serious issues, it pays to keep a sense of humor.
Stephen and Linda Schneider are charged with over-prescribing painkillers, leading to the deaths of 59 patients. But even they got a chuckle out of the banter between Judge Monti Belot and defense lawyer Lawrence Williamson at a pretrial hearing this afternoon.
Belot talked about a possible ruling for the defense and asked Williamson, “Would that make you happy?”
“It would make me happier,” Williamson said smiling.
“Well that’s not my job — to make lawyers happy,” Belot said.
As the hearing ended, the judge quipped: “Well, Mr. Williamson, anything else I can do to make you happy?”
“You could dismiss the indictment,” Williamson said.
“I don’t think so,” Belot said.