What are some of the best quotes (biblical, literary, lyrical, etc) you've ever used or heard used in closing arguments?

I recently watched a defense lawyer quote the constitution while holding up one of those framed deals they have in schools. I was waiting for the battle hymn of the republic to start playing...

My favorite line from a closing argument was when Jim Trotter III was talking about how the tire marks left at the scene of the murder at the Sack-o-Suds matched up to the Defendant's (Billy Gambini and Stan Rothenstein) tires.

Trotter was standing right in front of the jury and he slapped his hands together and said, "IDENTICAL."

I have been patiently waiting for the appropriate time to use that in a closing argument.

Rachel,

Check your email

JSH, let's not forget he lost that trial.

I had a prosecutor friend (now working for Uncle Sam) who professed that he never lost an escape/evading case when he was able to colorably use in closing argument Proverbs 28:1 --

"The wicked man flees when no one pursueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion."

He also swore that if he could quote to the jury the defendant dropping the "F" bomb, he had a 100% conviction rate.

I always wanted to use this quote in a murder trial, especially one in which the defendant was probation-eligible:

"What broke in a man when he could bring himself to kill another? What broke when he could bring himself to thrust down the knife into the warm flesh, to bring down the axe on the living head, to cleave down between the seeing eyes, to shoot the gun that would drive death into the beating heart?"

-Cry, The Beloved Country, by Alan Paton

quote:

---

Originally posted by Shannon Edmonds:
I always wanted to use this quote in a murder trial, especially one in which the defendant was probation-eligible:

"What broke in a man when he could bring himself to kill another? What broke when he could bring himself to thrust down the knife into the warm flesh, to bring down the axe on the living head, to cleave down between the seeing eyes, to shoot the gun that would drive death into the beating heart?"

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cry_the_beloved_country, by Alan Paton

---

Nice, Shannon.

Years ago retired DA Mark Taylor and I were preparing for a capital murder re-trial. Mark found some closing arguments from attorneys he respected and secured court transcripts from them. We found one Doug Muldaur used in Dallas which ended substantially like-

... and when the appointed time comes you will be able to put your ear down to Mother Earth and hear the gates of Hell clang shut upon his murderous soul.

That was just a portion of what was a true masterpiece of a closing argument.

Recently we prosecuted a boy scout troop leader who sexually groomed and abused three scouts.

I used the scout oath as the final words of my closing argument at the guilt phase of trial. Later, Judge Gleason said that was his favorite part of trial.

I love the Gates of Hell quote. I will shamelessly steal that from you.

quote:

---

Originally posted by JSH:
My favorite line from a closing argument was when Jim Trotter III was talking about how the tire marks left at the scene of the murder at the Sack-o-Suds matched up to the Defendant's (Billy Gambini and Stan Rothenstein) tires.

Trotter was standing right in front of the jury and he slapped his hands together and said, "IDENTICAL."

---

I thought that was opening statement. Trotter dismissed all charges against the two Yutes.

And nothing compares to Vinnie's opening statement.

Mona Lisa Vito, aka, Marisa Tommei, still had the best delivered lines when she was able to rapidly fire off:

No, there's more! You see? When the left tire mark goes up on the curb and the right tire mark stays flat and even? Well, the '64 Skylark had a solid rear axle, so when the left tire would go up on the curb, the right tire would tilt out and ride along its edge. But that didn't happen here. The tire mark stayed flat and even. This car had an independent rear suspension. Now, in the '60's, there were only two other cars made in America that had positraction, and independent rear suspension, and enough power to make these marks. One was the Corvette, which could never be confused with the Buick Skylark. The other had the same body length, height, width, weight, wheel base, and wheel track as the '64 Skylark, and that was the 1963 Pontiac Tempest.

JAS

quote:

---

Originally posted by David Newell:

quote:

---

Originally posted by JSH:
My favorite line from a closing argument was when Jim Trotter III was talking about how the tire marks left at the scene of the murder at the Sack-o-Suds matched up to the Defendant's (Billy Gambini and Stan Rothenstein) tires.

Trotter was standing right in front of the jury and he slapped his hands together and said, "IDENTICAL."

---

I thought that was opening statement. Trotter dismissed all charges against the two Yutes.

And nothing compares to Vinnie's opening statement.

---

Neither opening nor closing. It was from his direct examination of the expert.

Best legal movie ever.