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So Darrow stunned the court by requesting to cross-examine Bryan, in the hope that Bryan, like many attorneys, would be a poor witness.  Darrow's attempt was unprecedented, because trial attorneys almost never take the witness stand in their own cases.  Bryan agreed only on the condition that he could cross-examine Darrow.  Based on that agreement, Bryan took the witness stand.

So Darrow stunned the court by requesting to cross-examine Bryan, in the hope that Bryan, like many attorneys, would be a poor witness.  Darrow's attempt was unprecedented, because trial attorneys almost never take the witness stand in their own cases.  Bryan agreed only on the condition that he could cross-examine Darrow.  Based on that agreement, Bryan took the witness stand.

A witness in a trial is always at a disadvantage on cross-examination, because he can only answer questions that are posed by a hostile adversary. Attorneys are particularly vulnerable, because their knowledge of the law and tendency to speak in legalese hinder their performance.

A witness in a trial is always at a disadvantage on cross-examination, because he can only answer questions that are posed by a hostile adversary. On cross-examination, Attorneys are allowed to ask leading(yes or no) questions to force the desired response, unlike on direct examination. Attorneys are particularly vulnerable, because their knowledge of the law and tendency to speak in legalese hinder their performance.

   

   

Darrow undoubtedly thought that he could turn Bryan into the proverbial buffoon that liberals wanted.  As the transcript reveals, Darrow managed to trick Bryan into admitting that the bible could be interpreted in multiple ways refuting Bryan's earlier responses which had demonstrated his steadfast adherence to the bible's miracles.  Since religion was the major argument against evolution at the time, getting a well-respected conservative to admit that the Bible could be interpreted more loosely than a history book was a victory for the evolution cause (although people just hated Darrow for "tricking" Bryan into saying it).

Darrow undoubtedly thought that he could turn Bryan into the proverbial buffoon that liberals wanted.  As the transcript reveals, Darrow managed to trick Bryan into admitting that the bible could be interpreted in multiple ways refuting Bryan's earlier responses which had demonstrated his steadfast adherence to the bible's miracles.  Since religion was the major argument against evolution at the time, getting a well-respected conservative to admit that the Bible could be interpreted more loosely than a history book was a victory for the evolution cause (although people just hated Darrow for "tricking" Bryan into saying it).