Really?
A
stroke?
If
a
lawyer
were
inclined
to
improperly
buy
a
client
more
time
before
a
high-profile
murder
trial,
it
just
feels
like
there
are
a
lot
of
strategies
to
tick
off
the
checklist
before
“pretend
you
had
a
stroke.”
Like,
you’d
have
to
have
every
relative
and
college
roommate,
and
pet
die
before
going
the
stroke
route,
wouldn’t
you?
That
doesn’t
necessarily
mean
attorney
Matthew
Tucker
faked
a
stroke
to
get
out
of
appearing
at
his
client’s
trial,
but
it
certainly
leaves
me
inclined
to
give
him
the
benefit
of
the
doubt.
As
it
happens,
Judge
Shana
Rooks
Malone
was
not
inclined
to
give
Tucker
that
benefit
and
instead
held
him
in
contempt
and
said
that
she
would
report
him
to
the
state
bar
because,
“There,
however,
is
no
indication
that
he
had
a
stroke.”
What,
exactly,
does
counsel
need
to
provide
beyond
having
someone
inform
the
court
that
“a
stroke
has
been
had”
that
suffices
here?
The
judge
notes
that
this
isn’t
the
first
time
Tucker
has
been
late
to
court,
suggesting
that
her
suspicions
are
heightened
due
to
a
pre-existing
pattern
of
behavior
(even
if
it’s
a
pattern
of
behavior
that
could
indicate
a
pending
stroke).
Fair
enough…
but
stroke.
That’s
a
pretty
big
hammer
to
pull
out
if
it’s
not
true.
When
Tucker
returns
to
court,
is
he
going
to
show
lingering
physical
symptoms
of
the
condition.
The
much-ballyhooed
but
ultimately
inconsequential
John
Fetterman
debate
demonstrated
the
difficulties
that
plague
someone
recovering
from
a
stroke.
Tucker
presumably
isn’t
likely
to
bound
into
the
courtroom
and
declare
the
stroke
a
non-event,
meaning
he’s
either
locked
himself
into
a
long
and
complicated
web
of
lies
or…
he
actually
had
a
stroke.
“He
failed
to
follow
the
rules
of
the
court
in
notifying
the
court,”
the
judge
added.
Maybe
a
traumatic
brain
event
is
one
of
those
occasions
where
we
can
ease
up
on
the
rules?
Again,
maybe
the
judge
is
right
and
this
is
all
a
ruse.
We
just
don’t
know.
But
where
the
judge
is
absolutely
right
is
her
suggestion
that
this
defendant
needs
a
new
attorney.
Because
if
he
faked
a
stroke,
that’s
a
huge
problem,
and
if
he
actually
had
a
stroke,
that’s
potentially
an
even
bigger
problem
for
someone
on
trial
for
murder
over
the
next
month
or
so.
Let
the
attorney
concentrate
on
recovery.
Here’s
the
whole
statement
from
the
judge
per
Law
&
Crime’s
live
coverage
of
the
case:
Joe
Patrice is
a
senior
editor
at
Above
the
Law
and
co-host
of
Thinking
Like
A
Lawyer.
Feel
free
to email
any
tips,
questions,
or
comments.
Follow
him
on Twitter if
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interested
in
law,
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and
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Joe
also
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Managing
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