The defendant’s lawyer attempted to use a unique defense during a burglary trial.
He argued that his client had only reached his arm into the window and taken a few insignificant items and that his arm was not a part of him in the legal sense. Therefore, punishing the entire person for the actions of his limb would not be just. He said, “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.”
The judge was impressed by this argument and commended the lawyer but then sentenced the defendant’s arm to a year in prison using the same reasoning.
To the surprise of the courtroom, the defendant reacted with a smile and, with the help of his lawyer, removed his prosthetic arm and left the courtroom.