We need look no further for proof of this trend than in the case of Scott Panetti, a killer from Texas with a mental illness, who was judged competent to stand trial and allowed to represent himself. He dressed in purple cowboy clothing, and his witness list included Jesus Christ and John F. Kennedy. Originally he was sentenced to execution, and the Supreme Court reversed the decision.
Now, the legal system isn't a Monopoly game where buying and selling fake hotels makes you a would-be Donald Trump. This comes under the heading of "Don't Try This in Court": counterfeit cowboys need not apply.
Trained as a researcher at Pratt Institute, I spent untold hours at the Brooklyn Law School library, doing legal research. Even I would not presume to represent myself.
In my defense, I'd want Johnnie Cochran.
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