This lawyer is demanding an actual ‘Game of Thrones’-inspired duel to the death

For today’s “crazy but real” news, one New York lawyer is taking his love for Game of Thrones maybe a little too far. Attorney Richard Luthmann isn’t happy with simply a guilty or not guilty verdict, but is instead looking to settle a court case with a battle to the death. In case you’re trying to piece together how his GoT fandom plays in, he’s asking for a Trial by Combat, which is literally what we saw Prince Oberyn and The Mountain do at the end of Game of Thrones Season 4.

Luthmann is currently in the middle of a messy court battle, where he’s being accused of fraud, and helping one of his clients commit fraud. He believes that the plaintiffs’ allegations against him are “absurd.” They’re so absurd, Luthmann wants them thrown out. If the allegations aren’t thrown out, he’s demanding a duel.

Last week, he filed documents in a New York court, stating that he “requests that the court permit the undersigned to dispatch plaintiffs and their counsel to the Divine Providence of the Maker for Him to exact His divine judgment once the undersigned has released the souls of the plaintiffs and their counsel from their corporeal bodies, personally and or by way of a champion.”

And that translates to, he wants to duel to the death. Luthmann hasn’t mentioned if he’s going to be the one to duel, or if he’ll appoint a champion to duel for him. And yes, this is life-imitating-GoT with what happened at the end of Season 4, when Tyrion thought his trial for Joffrey’s murder was absurd, and demanded a trial by combat instead. In that case, champions were appointed; Oberyn fought for Tyrion, The Mountain fought for Cersei and well… we all know what happened there.

Game of Thrones allusions aside, big question is: HOW IS THIS LEGAL? Well, get ready for it. 

According to Luthmann, who has done his research, neither the state of New York, nor the United States, has actually outlawed dueling. In the court papers Luthmann filed, he explains that dueling wasn’t outlawed when the 13 colonies formed, nor is it outlawed in the Constitution — quick dueling research shows that he’s correct: 18 states have laws in place against it, but dueling has never technically been declared unconstitutional. It just sort of fell away from the public’s eye, and no one bothered to actually make dueling officially illegal.

So, if Luthmann wants to challenge someone to a duel over an absurd trial, by golly, he’s going to do it. Let’s hope that The Mountain is on his side.

(Image via HBO)