Lawyer requests 'trial by combat' in real-life Game of Thrones
Attorney called for the trial to take place 'personally and or by way of a champion'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A New York lawyer and self-confessed Game of Thrones fan has thrown aside a traditional defence and asked the Supreme Court for a trial by combat.
Accused of helping a client commit fraud, Richard A. Luthmann wrote in a short and very to-the-point brief filed to the Staten Island Supreme Court:
“The allegations made by plaintiffs, aided and abetted by their counsel, border upon the criminal. As such, the undersigned (Luthmann) respectfully requests that the court permit the undersigned to dispatch plaintiffs and their counsel to the Divine Providence of the Maker for Him to exact His divine judgment once the undersigned has released the souls of the plaintiffs and their counsel from their corporeal bodies, personally and or by way of a champion.”
Luthmann contends that trials by combat were never outlawed in New York state or the United States.
He is seeking a fight to the death to highlight what he sees as the absurdity of the allegations made against him, much as Tyrion Lannister has on several occasions in HBO’s Game of Thrones.
“They want to be absurd about what they're trying to do, then I'll give them back ridiculousness in kind,” the lawyer, who admitted to being a fan of the show, said.
The option has only had a 50% success rate for Tyrion, whose first champion Bronn was victorious, but whose second champion Oberyn Martell had his eye sockets caved in.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments