Lamberth cited the legal adage that “If you represent yourself, you have a fool for a client,” and related a cautionary tale from his courtroom experience.

A woman representing herself at trial had to cross-examine one of the prosecution’s witnesses: the defendant’s own best friend. The defendant was so distraught, Lamberth said, that she could not continue with her own defense.

Hostetter, a former police chief turned yoga instructor and pro-Trump protest leader, was undeterred.

In a recent video Hostetter posted online, he said he’s planning to persuade a jury that the real conspiracy is the government’s case against him.

“They’re going to have to say to themselves, ‘Yeah, the election was stolen, the government was overthrown, and Alan was right about combating the lockdowns, masking, the vaccines – case closed'” said Hostetter, while wearing a hat with the logo, “COVID IS A SCAM.”