Clarence Thomas Silence Broken During Supreme Court Oral Arguments, First Comment in Seven Years

After nearly seven years of silence from the bench, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has spoken during oral arguments.

As in, uttered a few words. Around four, actually, though it was kind of hard to tell exactly.

"Not since 'Garbo Talks!' has a public figure's decision to speak attracted such attention," wrote the Los Angeles Times.

"I'm referring, of course, to the media sensation created this week when Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas broke an almost seven-year-long silent streak to crack a joke during oral arguments in a case involving the adequacy of counsel in a Louisiana murder case."

Audience members think Thomas was taking a dig at Ivy League schools.

"The justices were considering the qualifications of a death penalty defense lawyer in Louisiana, and Justice Antonin Scalia noted that she had graduated from Yale Law School, which is Justice Thomas's alma mater," reported the New York Times.

"Justice Thomas leaned into his microphone, and in the midst of a great deal of cross talk among the justices, cracked a joke. Or so it seemed to people in the courtroom."

But Thomas might not have been joking. The actual court transcript is very spotty, attributing only the words, "Well - he did not - ," to Thomas.

"Although the transcription is incomplete, some people in the courtroom understood him to say, in a joshing tone, that a law degree from Yale could actually be proof of incompetence or ineffectiveness," added the Times. 

"Others thought that he might have been referring to Harvard. What follows in the transcript supports the view that Justice Thomas made an actual point."

"First, there is a notation indicating laughter in the courtroom. The stray words attributed to Justice Thomas are in no sense a joke or any other occasion for laughter."

Additionally, after the comment, the lawyer speaking to the court responded with, "I would refute that, Justice Thomas," indicating that she at least thought Thomas was making a serious point.

In any case, it's a rare moment for Thomas, who last spoke during arguments in February 2006. And it is still accurate to say he hasn't asked a question during arguments in that time.

Thomas has said in the past that he thinks justices should listen more, rather than interrupt lawyers arguing before them. He has also said he is self-conscious of his Georgia accent, though a certain level of Southern gentility may also have a hand in his silence.