Mohamed Noor Courtroom Artist Cedric Hohnstadt Illustrates Trials To Toys

BURNSVILLE, Minn. (WCCO) -- On most days you will find commercial illustrator Cedric Hohnstadt in his studio producing artwork for his private clients.

Working on his oversized digital drawing board, Hohnstadt quips, "I am just touching up some inking on a cartoon."

He makes his living drawing anything from children's characters for cereal and toy companies to other forms of commercial art.

Added the left-handed artist, "I've been doing freelance art for 20 years for clients like Disney, Hasbro, Scholastic and Best Buy," to list but a few.

But a couple of times a year it seems he answers the call of justice -- it's when his creative work takes a more serious turn. Cedric Hohnstadt was a courtroom illustrator inside the Mohamed Noor trial.

"This was, this was huge, yes," Hohnstadt said.

Working lightning fast, it was his responsibility to illustrate what cameras couldn't show. Under Minnesota law, news cameras and electronic recording devices are not allowed inside courtrooms.

That's why news organizations often turn to courtroom illustrators to portray visuals of proceedings.

"It's super fascinating to see what's at the trial and the witnesses up close. What everyone's saying and watching the body language. You really get a front row seat to the real drama of what's going on," Hohnstadt said.

He says he is listening to testimony but concentrating on the images of attorneys, witnesses and the defendant. His illustrations would capture those crucial moments -- from Noor's testimony to the forceful final statements from prosecution and defense.

"The challenge is trying to find a way to make it visually interesting day after day and at the same time being accurate and not embellishing it," Hohnstadt said.

He did that with the colorful and lifelike Images that brought the public inside the courtroom - to share a drama that for onlookers and artist, was emotionally draining.

"There's no winners in something like this. It is a tragic mistake with tragic consequences," Hohnstadt said. "It's tough for a lot of people."