A smooth-talking lawyer is defending a man accused of a minor theft. The lawyer knows his client is guilty, but he spots a technical loophole and decides to use a bold courtroom tactic.

During his final argument, the lawyer stands before the jury, looks at his watch, and says with absolute confidence, “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I am so certain of my client’s absolute innocence that I am going to prove it with a test. I know for a fact that the real thief is about to walk through those courtroom doors in exactly one minute.”

The entire courtroom goes completely silent. The jurors, the prosecutor, and even the judge all turn their heads and stare intently at the heavy wooden doors at the back of the room.

One minute passes. Then two minutes. The doors remain completely shut.

The lawyer smiles, folds his hands, and says, “See? The fact that all of you watched those doors with anticipation proves that you have reasonable doubt about my client’s guilt. Therefore, you must acquit him.”

The jury leaves to deliberate. They return just five minutes later with a unanimous verdict: “Guilty.”

The lawyer is completely flabbergasted. He storms up to the jury box and demands, “How could you possibly find him guilty? Every single one of you watched those doors!”

The jury foreperson shrugs and replies, “Oh, we all watched the doors, alright. But we noticed that your client was the only person in the entire room who didn’t look.”