'Lawyers do have a heart after all.' That was a comment made in the St. John's Magistrate's Court yesterday as two attorney, Adlai Smith and Senator Gail Christian not only gave pro-bono service to a youth charged with larceny but went as far as to suggest the pooling of their resources if necessary to pay his compensation order.
     
     Senior Magistrate Maureen Payne-Hyman said she could not make a compensation order against a man who had no money.
     
     She, however, severely reprimanded and discharged Donald Duck impersonator, Aneil Samuel, in the St. John's Magistrate's Court yesterday for the larceny of a wallet.
     
     Magistrate Payne-Hyman told Samuel she was sympathetic to his plight but told him what he did was wrong. 'You stole the money.'
     
     Smith said Samuel was a destitute young man who had fallen on hard times and was asked to leave his parents' home at age 18 to fend for himself.
     
     Christian added that Samuel was a victim of circumstance and she had seen him at Miami Supermarket and Food City doing Donald Duck imitations and charging patrons $2 for his performances.
     
     Samuel, 19, the court learnt, went to the Old Donkey Trough Shop on the All Saints Road on 6 June and told the owner of the shop that the wallet which was left on the counter containing $100.
     
     Samuel who was in the vicinity of the shop was reportedly told by someone that a wallet containing a $100 was left in the shop.
     
     He capitalised on that, by going into the shop and telling the owner he had left a wallet in the shop containing a $100.
     
     The rightful owner of the wallet had gone into the shop and purchased some items. However, he forgot his wallet on the counter. He returned four days later for his wallet but was told that someone had already claimed it.
     
     The matter was reported to the police. Sergeant Pemberton investigated and during which time the defendant admitted to taking the wallet.
     
     He told the officer that he had spent the money on food.
     
     In one of the court's lighter moments, all in attendance were reduced to peals of laughter when Samuel, at Attorney Smith's request, rendered a Donald Duck impersonation from the witness stand.
     
     The Magistrate was so impressed with performance that she procee ded to tip the defendant.