The defendant, the Christian God, alias Yahweh, Jehovah, Lord and Jesus Christ, as portrayed by courtroom artist Mel Wilbur. Mr. God is being tried for a wide variety of capital offenses and war crimes. He may be eligible for the death penalty.

The Honorable Judge N. will be presiding over the trial of Mr. God. Don't worry -- the trial will be by jury.

The Christian God (alias "Yahweh," "Jehovah," "Lord," and "Jesus Christ") was arrested Friday night at a night club in New York City after a warrant was issued for his arrest on Wednesday. The woman who filed the initial charges against Mr. God is Abigail Johnson, a woman whose 10 year old son recently died of AIDS received through a tainted blood transfusion received shortly after birth in late 1986. Johnson specifically named the Christian God, as opposed to the deities of Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, or the New Age movement.

Johnson's religious beliefs lead her to believe that the individual ultimately responsible for her son's death is Mr. God, who was found wearing a robe outside of the Limelight. Since his arrest, other charges have continued to be filed against Mr. God by persons who had previously not believed in his existence, but now feel that he is responsible for a multitude of crimes. The district attorney's office would not comment on the case.

The man arrested last month claiming to be God is still being held by the New York police department for several capital offenses. Mr. God has been repeatedly reviewed by psychologists, a police spokesman said on Friday, but they have failed to find that he is in any way psychologically unbalanced.

Originally, the head of the New York mental health bureau, Dr. A. Scott, recommended Mr. God's immediate transfer to to a facility for the mentally ill under the assumption that anyone claiming to be God was clearly delusional, however, several members of of the mental health bureau and the NYPD rallied against Scott's recommendation because of their religious beliefs. Mr. God claims to be the Christian God specifically, and not the God of any other religious faith.

These individuals met with the mayor on Monday. According to Capt. Jeremy Hesse, leader of the group, they asked the mayor to allow this case to continue through the legal system, "...because we are Christian people, and we believe that there is a God, and if there is a God, we have to accept that this man could be God." Hesse also said that Scott had seriously overstepped his authority by recommending the institutionalization of a man who had not been clearly diagnosed as being delusional by his colleagues.

The controversy began when a woman filed charges against God for the murder of her son last month. A man fitting the description and claiming to be the suspect was found by police a few days later. Mr. God is still being held on the recommendation of Dr. Scott.

The controversy concerning the arrest of a man claiming to be God continues this week as several Christian leaders have commented on the situation.

Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong of Newark, N.J said, "There is absolutely no way that this guy is God. That's just ridiculous. I will not accept such a blatantly ridiculous claim."

Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition, said, "The doubt that I have seen Christian people level against this individual really shows me what Christianity has come to. The New Agers, Satanists, feminists and atheists are on top! Jesus Christ came to us in the flesh and died for our sins! And he said he would come again! How is it that people claiming to be good Christians can actually reject that this person is God without a moment's thought? The spirit of the Antichrist has permeated our Christian institutions and soured our faith!"

Reverend James Hagee of the Cornerstone Church in SanAntonio, Texas said, "This man cannot be God! Do you know why? Because God is in charge! He doesn't let the New York PD or any other agent of the New World Order push him around! He's in charge! Jesus said that he would return not to bring peace but a sword! When he does come back, and it will be soon, it will be to destroy, not to turn himself in to the police at some hive of pagan villainy!" Hagee went on to say that the man is not God but rather a "demonspirit" sent to fool mankind; possibly, the Antichrist.