A severely mentally ill Andrea Yates had drowned her five young children. Her competency was the supposed issue, but it was hard to find much sanity anywhere in these weird proceedings. Into all that madness came attorney George Parnham. Along with defense co-counsel Wendell Odom Jr., Parnham brought a soothing calm into the chaos. His matter-of-fact demeanor, wisdom and insight combined for a textbook performance of professionalism under intense fire. Parnham was patient and enlightening, coupling hard evidence with immense compassion for what had occurred. Regardless of where individuals stand on the underlying issues of the case, Houston should be thankful for this elite defense team. With the world watching and weighing the local caliber of justice in this worst of crimes, Parnham carried away a rare sense of quiet dignity for both the defendant and the system.