Defense gives opening statement

Matthew Cohen has what I would think is an impossible task.  He has to defend the monster you see above.  In his opening statement to the jury a little while ago, he used some of the same tactics that Katehis's previous attorney did and emphasized a couple of new ones.  He first explained that George went out of his way to look for a "kid" and that whatever they had agreed to, because Katehis was under the age of 17, he couldn't legally give consent to have sex.  He said that Katehis had agreed to smother George and that when George wanted him to perform oral sex on him, he refused and the two of them argued.  He maintained that it was George who first took out a knife (even though Katehis carried one ever day) and the two fought over the knife.  He said Katehis believed he snorted cocaine and that George told him it was cocaine. He explained that if George hadn't "jumped right on that ad" all of this could've been avoided.  He then attacked the police for moving too quickly.  He said that because George had "some celebrity status" and "had his own radio show" (which he didn't at the time BTW), the police moved far more quickly to help their case then they would have if this was just a regular person.  He reiterated that "George Weber wanted a kid" and Katehis was simply trying to resist the advances of a pedophile.  The jury seemed attentive during his opening statement as well.  Thus far, this attorney doesn't seem to have developed the same poor relationship with Judge Firetog that his predecessor did.  Because the defendant is indigent, I believe Cohen was appointed by the court. 

By the way, Katehis is now wearing glasses at the defense table.  This is something totally new that we didn't see at all in last year's trial.  It's certainly possible that his vision has deteriorated, but my hunch is that they're trying to make this sadistic beast look more sympathetic to the jury and reinforce that this cherubic looking schoolboy couldn't have committed such a monstrous crime, in stabbing a man 50 times.  His father is now sporting a bizarre looking goatee that makes him look more unbalanced than ever.  Unlike the previous case, the father now eyeballs me every chance he gets and there's more than an occasional smirk.  Evidently, he is either a devoted reader to this narrative or took note of the fact that I was revolted every time his son's heinous crimes and behaviour were described. 

Aside from me, none of George's friends or family members were able to attend today, something that I hope will change tomorrow and going forward.