…on Friday. (This is the “Intelligent Design” trial in Dover, Pa.

Plaintiffs are trying to prevent a sort of toe-in-the-door introduction of I.D. into their local high school science curriculum.)

The closing minutes of the trial featured one of the best exchanges:

“At close, Pat Gillen [defense counsel, from Thomas More Law Center] remarked to Judge Jones, ‘Your honor, by my reckoning we have been here 40 days. That seems an auspicious number.’ Jones replied, ‘So it seems, but it was not designed!’ At which point the courtroom burst out in applause. Jones let that go on for about 15 seconds, then adjourned the court. And that finished off the testimonial, in-court phase of this case.”

[That’s from here.

Please note (a) This is an anti-I.D. website, and (b) It’s wonkish, for trial followers, so you are expected to know that, for example “OPAP” refers to “Of Pandas and People” a Creationist — oops! sorry! I mean Intelligent Design — textbook featuring in the trial.]

Judge Jones (a George W. Bush appointee, btw) has promised a ruling by year’s end. I must say — though it is of course irrelevant to the case

– that from his courtroom interventions, he sounds like a sharp & funny guy.

Courtroom transcripts here.