Giuliani s call for a trial by combat

Trial by ordeal was an ancient judicial practice by which the guilt or innocence of the accused was determined by subjecting them to a painful, or at least an unpleasant, usually dangerous experience. In medieval Europe, like trial by combat, trial by ordeal, such as cruentation, was sometimes considered a "judgement of God" (Latin: j;dicium De;, Old English: Godes d;m): a procedure based on the premise that God would help the innocent by performing a miracle on their behalf. The practice has much earlier roots, attested to as far back as the Code of Hammurabi and the Code of Ur-Nammu.

In pre-modern society, the ordeal typically ranked along with the oath and witness accounts as the central means by which to reach a judicial verdict. Indeed, the term ordeal, Old English ord;l, has the meaning of "judgment, verdict" (German Urteil, Dutch oordeel), from Proto-Germanic *uzdailij; "that which is dealt out".

Priestly cooperation in trials by fire and water was forbidden by Pope Innocent III at the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215 and replaced by compurgation. Trials by ordeal became rarer over the Late Middle Ages, but the practice was not discontinued until the 16th century. Certain trials by ordeal would continue to be used into the 17th century in witch-hunts.[1]


Types of ordeals
By combat
Main article: Trial by combat
Ordeal by combat took place between two parties in a dispute, either two individuals, or between an individual and a government or other organization. They, or, under certain conditions, a designated "champion" acting on their behalf, would fight, and the loser of the fight or the party represented by the losing champion was deemed guilty or liable. Champions could be used by one or both parties in an individual versus individual dispute, and could represent the individual in a trial by an organization; an organization or state government by its nature had to be represented by a single combatant selected as champion, although there are numerous cases of high-ranking nobility, state officials and even monarchs volunteering to serve as champion. Combat between groups of representatives was less common but still occurred.

A notable case was that of Gero, Count of Alsleben, whose daughter married Siegfried II, Count of Stade.


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You may think Rudy Giuliani’s recent call for a “trial by combat” was inciting violence, but he’s here to say: You know nothing, Jon Snow.
Shortly before a Trump-supporting mob attacked the U.S. Capitol last week in a failed and deadly attempt to overturn the presidential election, Giuliani, Donald Trump’s personal (pro bono?) attorney, told the crowd, “Let’s have trial by combat.”
Now, Giuliani is reportedly explaining those comments, saying he was just making a reference to a “very famous documentary” called “Game of Thrones.” Duh.
“I was referring to the kind of trial that took place for Tyrion in that very famous documentary about fictitious medieval England,” Giuliani said, according to The Hill reporter Brett Samuels. “When Tyrion, who is a very small man, is accused of murder. He didn’t commit murder, he can’t defend himself, and he hires a champion to defend him.”
Samuels tweeted out a bit of the transcript from the conversation with Giuliani, showing Trump’s attorney confirming his comments were “100 percent” a “Game of Thrones” reference and adding that he’s really talking about a “trial between machines.” Obviously.
“I say the consequences of the trial by combat will be if they prove that we’re wrong, we’ll be exceedingly embarrassed. We’ll be disgraced. If we prove they’re wrong, they go to jail,” he s Giuliani continued to insist the call for “trial by combat” was just an innocent remark.

“It incited no violent response from the crowd. None. The crowd didn’t jump up saying ‘lock him up, throw him in jail, go to hell.’ I’ve had speeches where people jump up and say, ‘lock him up.’ It was not an emotional — it was not an emotion-inspiring part of the speech. So, to try to take it out of context and use it is typical of the crooked left and press,” he said.

“It incited no violent response from the crowd. None. The crowd didn’t jump up saying ‘lock him up, throw him in jail, go to hell.’ I’ve had speeches where people jump up and say, ‘lock him up.’ It was not an emotional — it was not an emotion-inspiring part of the speech. So, to try to take it out of context and use it is typical of the crooked left and press,” he said.
OK, firstly, it’s clear Giuliani has, at best, a loose grasp of “Game of Thrones.”

The fantasy series, which ran for eight seasons on HBO, is not a documentary, and it’s not about England. If it were, any calls for jail should be directed at actor Emilia Clarke, who is still roaming free after burning an entire city to the ground. (What in the Seven Hells, Daenerys?)

The New York State Bar Association is considering expelling Giuliani as a member, according to NPR, saying the comments at the rally “quite clearly were intended to encourage Trump supporters unhappy with the election’s outcome to take matters into their own hands.”
It’s worth noting that Giuliani has a history of creative defenses for his actions. After being caught in a scandalous situation in “Borat 2,” literally with his hands down his pants, the attorney claimed he was just tucking in his shirt.
If we are to believe his call for “trial by combat” wasn’t calling for violence, it seems like info someone should’ve told Prince Oberyn. R.I.P.

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https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/giuliani-rally-speech/
Did Rudy Giuliani Call for 'Trial by Combat' Before Trump Mob Broke Into Capitol?
After a violent mob descended on the U.S. Capitol, the rhetoric of Trump's surrogates came under scrutiny.
Bethania Palma
Published Jan 6, 2021
US President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani speaks to supporters from The Ellipse near the White House on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. - Thousands of Trump supporters, fueled by his spurious claims of voter fraud, are flooding the nation's capital protesting the expected certification of Joe Biden's White House victory by the US Congress. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images) (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Image Via BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images
Claim:
U.S. President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, called for "trial by combat" before a violent mob of Trump supporters broke into the U.S. Capitol.

On Jan. 6, 2021, a violent mob of Trump supporters gathered at the U.S. Capitol to support outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump's false claims that the November 2020 presidential election was fraudulent. They fought with police and broke into the Capitol building. One person was killed.

But before that transpired, the rhetoric of speakers at the so-called "Save America" rally held earlier in the day came under scrutiny. For example, during a speech, Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, made a reference to the HBO drama "Game of Thrones" when he called for a "trial by combat" while talking about conspiracy theories alleging massive scale voter fraud.

Giuliani did make this comment, as captured on video by Vox journalist Aaron Rupar:


"Over the next 10 days, we get to see the machines that are crooked, the ballots that are fraudulent. And if we're wrong, we will be made fools of. But if we're right, and lot of them will go to jail. So, let's have trial by combat."

Trump also spoke at the rally and urged his supporters to march to the Capitol. They did so, and then breached barriers and broke inside.


By Bethania Palma
Bethania Palma is a journalist from the Los Angeles area who started her career as a daily newspaper reporter and has covered everything from crime to government to national politics. She has written for ... read more