A lawyer defending a man accused of burglary
tried a
creative defense: "My client merely inserted his arm
into the window and removed a few trifling articles. His
arm is not himself, and I fail to see how you can punish
the whole individual for an offense committed by his
limb."
"Well put," the judge replied. "Using your
logic, I sentence
the defendant's arm to one year's imprisonment. He can
accompany it or not, as he chooses."
The defendant smiled. With his lawyer's
assistance he detached
his artificial limb, laid it on the bench, and walked
out.