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From the Department of Dubious Defenses: If the Trojan Mangum Don’t Fit, You Must Acquit

Trojan magnum condom Above the Law blog.jpgCheck out this rather odd appeal from Florida, arising out of a prosecution for sexual assault charges. The defendant was originally charged with three counts of sexual battery, but was convicted on lesser included charges of misdemeanor battery.

One of the issues was whether the trial court should have granted a continuance based on the availability of a defense witness (even though the defense failed to move for a continuance at the time). From the opinion (PDF):

Defense counsel proffered one aspect of the urologist’s testimony: because Tyrrell’s penis was “smaller than average size” it “could not have caused” the injuries that Nurse Gibson observed during the rape exam.

You don’t normally see a man proclaiming his small penis size in public proceedings. But if a teeny weenie is a “get out of jail free” card, expect the defendant to play it. Think of it as the flip side of that Japanese appeal, in which a busty babe overturned her conviction by arguing that she was too well-endowed to fit through a hole she allegedly used to enter a building.

Our tipster described a second strange argument raised by the defense:

[The defense also argued] that the injuries were caused by the victim’s “aggressive” use of a dildo. [The opinion] mentions that the defense lawyer wanted the victim to identify the dildo from a “dildo lineup,” and that the defense attorney “extensively explored” the dildo issue with the victim on cross.

Seriously. The words “dildo lineup” actually appear in the opinion (and not even in scare quotes):

Tyrrell first argues that his “right to due process and right to confront witnesses” was violated because the state did not produce the [sex toys] that were the subject of the July 23 and August 2 orders….

Tyrrell contends that the trial court erred in failing to let him show the victim a dildo lineup.

If that doesn’t violate the Sixth Amendment’s Confrontation Clause, which guarantees a criminal defendant the right “to be confronted with the [dildos] against him,” we don’t know what does.

Tyrrell v. State (PDF) [Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal]

Comments

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1 Posted by Firsty McFirsterton | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:26 AM

This is getting too easy.

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2 Posted by First | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:27 AM

First! I feel soooo validated! =)

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3 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:28 AM

Anyone want to take my bet that first posters are premature ejaculators?

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4 Posted by Ok, im second | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:29 AM

I still feel validated!

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5 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:30 AM

"Think of it as the flip side of that Japanese appeal"

NOT ALL ASIAN MEN HAVE TINY PENISES YOU BASTARD!!!

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6 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:32 AM

That is the beauty of a man's phallus -- in can be "teeny weenie" or "flopping and huge" depending on which defense is needed!

I love being a man.

P.S> How did lat resist the urge to cover this post in Phallus and Dildo imagry?!

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7 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:33 AM

11:32, Lat often puts a post up and adds pictures later.

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8 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:33 AM

Somehow I doubt a 6-5, 275 pound, ex-linebacker named "Tyrrell" has a tiny penis -- read the Dicta

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9 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:35 AM

do you mean magnum?

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10 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:35 AM

11:33 - Or Dick-ta, as the case may be.

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11 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:35 AM

steroids

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12 Posted by anonymous | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:35 AM

Anyone else see the typo in the headline?? Trojan Mangum sounds like something the ancient Greeks would be really into...

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13 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:45 AM

There was an infamous case in my office a few years ago (I work in a PD's office in Maryland) where the defense in an indecent exposure case was that the client's junk was too small to be seen at the distance claimed by the witness. A perfect defense-- no one would claim it if it weren't true.

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14 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:53 AM

11:35,

You're an idiot. How do steroids shrink your penis?
Steroids shrink your balls. Get it straight. Steroids causes your body to stop producing natural testosterone, therefore making your balls shrink.

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15 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:55 AM

small balls make your penis look BIGGER (or so I've heard...)

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16 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 12:03 PM

Hell yeah, my penis is huge by comparison to my tiny balls.

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17 Posted by little john | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 12:05 PM

Skeet Skeet

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18 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 12:14 PM

That'd be 'Magnum', not "Mangum"

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19 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 12:21 PM

$100 Says the Defendant is Asian (small penis and all)

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20 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 12:28 PM

12:21: Yeah, An asian named "Tyrrell" -- please send $100 (via paypal) to:

Lat@abovethelaw.com

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21 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 12:28 PM

Isn't "mangum" an old man with no teeth giving head??

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22 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 12:43 PM

No, actually Mangum is the name of the Duke Lacrosse accuser.

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23 Posted by FRAT STUD | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 12:44 PM

Guys with small penises at my high school used to aggressively use dildos, all the time. It was no big deal.

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24 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 1:00 PM

That is probably the most idiotic defense I've ever heard. His lawyers should be sanctioned.

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25 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 1:30 PM

Lame FRAT STUD imposter. Too awkward. It should read:

Guys at my high school had small peni and used dildos aggressively all the time, it was no big deal.

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26 Posted by Four More Years? | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 1:55 PM

The Clinton Legacy:

Impeachment

Lewinsky

WhiteWater

Waco Slaughter

Paula Jones

Welfare "Reform"

Don't Ask Don't Tell

Healthcare Task Force Secret Meetings

Nannygate

Travelgate

"Talking" to Eleanor Roosevelt through a Psychic

Perjury

Failure to Hunt Osama

Republican Revolution

George W. Bush

Iraq War

-----------------------------

NO THANKS.

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27 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 10, 2008 11:18 PM

Four More Years? to IP BAN FFS.

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28 Posted by anon | Permalink Tuesday, March 11, 2008 7:47 AM

Frat Stud is not a grammarian. 1:30 is SEN. You're outa here SEN. Take your dildo and go home.

Dildo lineup = Bill O'Reilly's trophy case

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29 Posted by Anonymous | Permalink Tuesday, March 11, 2008 7:50 AM

Four More Years - What was wrong with the Waco Slaughter?

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30 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 9, 2009 8:47 AM

Dumb asian small penis cunt! people like that should be executed!

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31 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 9, 2009 8:47 AM

Dumb asian small penis cunt! people like that should be executed!

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32 Posted by guest | Permalink Saturday, August 8, 2009 10:57 PM

poor people with small penises... i feel bad for them.

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33 Posted by guest | Permalink Saturday, August 8, 2009 10:57 PM

poor people with small penises... i feel bad for them.

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34 Posted by guest | Permalink Saturday, August 8, 2009 10:58 PM

poor people with small penises... i feel bad for them.

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35 Posted by guest | Permalink Saturday, August 8, 2009 10:58 PM

poor people with small penises... i feel bad for them.

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