1.   But that failure, the lawyers argued, did not make the Latin Kings charter a sham, or the group itself a criminal enterprise.

2.   If there was a conspiracy to conceal the withdrawals, defense lawyers argued, the alleged conspirators would not have disclosed the transactions on the state election records.

3.   Like smoking, the tobacco lawyers argued, many people consider gambling addictive.

4.   Religious and spiritual values, the lawyers argued, give meaning to every aspect of personal and professional life, even in such a seemingly secular vocation as law.

5.   The long-term solution, the lawyers argued, was not spending more.