"Do you like gladiator movies?"

Once we in-court criminal defense types were urged by our professional betters to get beyond the whole gladiatorial image.

Now we're encouraged to take the combat in the arena thing to its logical extreme:

The job of the "public defender" is to strive manfully against the prosecutor in the bloody ring of gladiatorial combat, to the entertainment of the jury. (Refreshments will be served). The prosecutor will be armed with a gladius, a helmet, and arm protection, while the public defender will be armed with a net and trident, wearing only a loincloth and an annointment of olive oil over his gleaming body.

I'm not sure exactly how this "striving manfully" rule change would encompass my esteemed female colleagues. (by the way, does anyone know what became of Indiana PD? I used to link to her blawg, but it's undergone what you might call an extreme make-over)

As my old boss (the Republican one) used to say: come home with your shield, or on it.

(Bonus link goes to Rome)