Today CNN/TruTV put the cameras back on the trial of NJ State Trooper Robert Higbee so that the defendant could answer the charges against him in public.

For the most part, the TruTV commentary was minimal. At least one commercial break, though, interrupted his account of the events of that night at the worst possible moment for this blogger: the commercial prevented the public from hearing what was in the trooper’s mind as he began to “close the gap” with the speeder. (More evidence that videotaping of trials and live coverage should either not be a commercial cable-TV venture or should be streamed live over the Internet and sponsored only through ads during courtroom breaks or elsewhere.)

As the trial went into lunchtime recess, TruTV anchor Jack Ford began discussing the trooper’s testimony with two lawyers, one of whom was the famous defense attorney Linda Kenney Baden. Once again, I’m struck by the difference in responses to such testimony from lawyers and the rest of the human race. Ms. Baden thought the trooper seemed oddly unemotional when he described observing the two deceased victims of the accident.

This very emotional mystery writer thought Trooper Higbee looked like he was on the verge of losing all self-control for a moment.

Ms. Baden thought Defense Attorney Subin ought to have handled the moment differently in order to elicit a more emotional response from the defendant. But, frankly, I suspect Ms. Baden is one of those defense attorneys who would never take a case in defense of a cop.

This former juror would not want to see a cop break down on the stand. I want all the gun-toting officers out there on the streets to be calm, cool, and collected—even when under fire.

CNN reporter Jean Casarez also described the jury’s response to the defendant’s testimony as being very intense. Most jurors kept their eyes glued to the faces of the defendant and his attorney. One juror, apparently, stared down. My assessment of this juror’s demeanor is that he’s an aural learner and was listening intently. (BTW: Ms. Casarez, also a lawyer, reported that Trooper Higbee had tears welling up in his eyes as he testified about the victims, so I guess I have to take back what I said about lawyers in general.)