Trial Set Back When Attorney's Pants Catch Fire

Liar, liar, pants on fire! A Miami defense attorney is feeling the heat after his pants caught fire as he delivered closing arguments in an arson case.

Witnesses say 28-year-old Stephen Gutierrez was fiddling in his pocket Wednesday while addressing jurors when smoke started billowing from his pants. At the time, he was arguing that his client's car spontaneously combusted and wasn't intentionally set on fire.

Gutierrez quickly left the courtroom as his pants went up in flames. Jurors were also escorted out. When Gutierrez returned unharmed, he insisted it wasn't a staged defense gone wrong. He blamed a faulty e-cigarette battery. 

Miami-Dade police and prosecutors are investigating the incident. As evidence, investigators have seized frayed e-cigarette batteries. 

Gutierrez represented 48-year-old Claudy Charles who was eventually convicted of second-degree arson.


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