Court Antics
This time it's the D.C. Sniper case. Typically after this kind of decision, hilarity ensues.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - A judge granted sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad's surprise request Monday to represent himself, minutes before opening statements in the trial were to begin.

The proceedings had started nearly an hour late, and Circuit Judge LeRoy F. Millette Jr. immediately called a bench conference with Muhammad and defense and prosecuting attorneys. Muhammad and Millette spoke directly to each other for more than five minutes before the judge announced that defense lawyers Peter Greenspun and Jonathan Shapiro would only be assisting Muhammad.

``His attorneys are now what is known as standby counsel,'' Millette told the jury. He did not explain why Muhammad chose to represent himself.

Prosecutors would not say why Malvo was summoned. He had refused to testify at a recent hearing and instead invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.