A man is in the dock, the Judges says, 'on the
3rd August you are accused of killing you wife
by beating her to death with a hammer, how do you
plead?'

'Guilty', said the man in the dock.

At this point a man at the back of the court
stood up and shouted 'You dirty rat!'.

The Judge asked the man to site down and to
refrain from making any noise.

The Judge continued 'and that also on the 17th
September you are accused of killing your son
by beating him to death with a hammer, how do
you plead?'

'Guilty', said the man in the dock.

Again the same man at the back stood up and
shouted 'You dirty rotten stinking rat'.

At this point the Judge called the man to the
Bench and said 'I have already asked you to be
quiet, if you continue with these outbursts, I
will have to charge you with contempt of court.
I can understand your feelings, but please tell
me what relationship have you to the man in the
dock'.

He replied 'He is my next door neighbour'.

The Judge replied 'I can understand your feelings
then, but you must refrain from any comments'.

The man replied 'No, your Honour, you don't
understand. Twice I have asked if I could borrow
a hammer, and on both occasions he said he didn't
have one.'