Wayne Hsiung

And it's there that he does something we really didn't expect, like something sort of the opposite of what we thought someone like him would do.

Yeah, this weird legal maneuver that forces the jury and really all of us to look at this thing we don't normally want to look at.

This messy, kind of impossible question about our relationship with animals.

The trial begins on October 3rd, 2022, in western Utah.

We're in this Cherrywood courtroom.

On one side, you have the prosecution, a man and a woman, both attorneys for the state.

And then on the defense, Wayne.

Oh, he's representing himself.

Yeah.

And he told us that he was feeling pretty nervous.

because you're waiting for these people who are going to decide your fate to come in.

The jury files into their seats, eight people, men and women, all locals, of course.

And this is like a 75% Trump County.

Like, Smithfield is one of the biggest employers in the area.

Yeah, I mean, a lawyer he talked to had, like, begged him to take a plea.

She described the situation as hopeless.

No kidding.

But he wanted the fight.

Okay.

So the trial begins with prosecution.