Jerusalem Talmud Sanhedrin 6.1

משנה: נִגְמַר הַדִּין מוֹצִיאִין אוֹתוֹ לְסוֹקְלוֹ. בֵּית הַסְּקִילָה הָיָה חוּץ לְבֵית דִּין שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הוֹצֵא אֶת הַמְקַלֵּל אֶל מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה. וְאֶחָד עוֹמֵד עַל פֶּתַח בֵּית דִּין וְהַסּוּדָרִין בְּיָדוֹ וְהַסּוּס רָחוֹק מִמֶּנּוּ כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא רוֹאֵהוּ. אוֹמֵר אֶחָד יֶשׁ לִי לְלַמֵּד עָלָיו זְכוּת הַלָּה מֵנִיף בַּסּוּדָרִין וְהַסּוּס רָץ וּמַעֲמִידוֹ. אֲפִילוּ הוּא אוֹמֵר יֶשׁ לִי לְלַמֵּד עַל עַצְמִי זְכוּת מַחֲזִירִין אוֹתוֹ וַאֲפִילוּ אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה פְעָמִים וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיְּהֵא מַמָּשׁ בִּדְבָרָיו.

MISHNAH: If sentence was passed, one brings him out to be stoned. The place for stoning was outside the court as it is said: Bring the blasphemer outside the camp. One person was standing outside the court building with towels in his hand; a horse was standing ready at a distance but so he could see him. If one said, I have an argument in his favor, that one waves his towels, the horse gallops and stops him. Even if he himself says, I have an exculpatory argument for myself, one returns him even four or five times, on condition that his argument be substantial.

הלכה: נִגְמַר הַדִּין כול׳. מַתְנִיתִין אוֹ כְרִבִּי אוֹ כְרַבָּנִן בְּעִיר שֶׁלְּגוֹיִם. דְּתַנֵּי בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ. רִבִּי אוֹמֵר. בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ. בְּשַׁעַר שֶׁנִּמְצְאוּ בוֹ. אַתָּה אוֹמֵר כָּךְ אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְשַׁעַר שֶׁנִּידּוֹנוּ בוֹ. נֶאֱמַר כָּאן בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן כִּי יִמָּצֵא בְקִרְבְּךָ בְּאַחַד שְׁעָרֶיךָ. מַה שְׁעָרֶיךָ הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן שַׁעַר שֶׁנִּמְצָא בוֹ אַף שְׁעָרֶיךָ הָאָמוּר כָּאן שַׁעַר שֶׁנִּמְצְאוּ בוֹ. וְרַבָּנִן אָמְרֵי. בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ. בְשַׁעַר שֶׁנִּידּוֹן בּוֹ. אַתָּה אוֹמֵר כָּךְ אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְשַׁעַר שֶׁנִּמְצָא בוֹ. נֶאֱמַר כָּאן בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן וְהוֹצֵאתָ אֶת הָאִישׁ הַהוּא אוֹ אֶת הָאִשָּׁה הַהִיא אֶל שְׁעָרֶיךָ. מַה שְׁעָרֶיךָ הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן שַׁעַר שֶׁנִּידּוֹן בּוֹ. אַף שְׁעָרֶיךָ הָאָמוּר כָּאן שַׁעַר שֶׁנִּידּוֹן בּוֹ.

HALAKHAH: “If sentence was passed,” etc. The Mishnah either follows Rebbi or the rabbis in a Gentile city. As we have stated: Rebbi said, at your gates, at the gate they were found. You are saying so, or maybe at the gate they were judged? It is said here, at your gates, and it says there, if there be found in your midst, at one of your gates. Since gates mentioned there refers to the gate where he was found, gates mentioned here also refers to the gate where he was found. But the rabbis say, at your gates, at the gate where he was judged. You are saying so, or maybe at the gate were he was found? It is said here, at your gates, and it says there, take this man or this woman … to your gates. Since gates mentioned there refers to the gate where he was judged, gates mentioned here also refers to the gate where he was judged.

אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. כַּתְּחִילָּה בֵּין יֵשׁ מַמָּשׁ בִּדְבָרָיו בֵּין לָאו שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ. מִיכָּן וָהֵילָךְ יֵשׁ מַמָּשׁ בִּדְבָרָיו שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ וְאִם לָאו אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ. אָמְרֵי. וְהוּא שֶׁיֵּשׁ בִּדְבָרָיו הָאַחֲרוֹנִים מַמָּשׁ. חִזְקִיָּה שָׁאַל. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה יוֹצֵא לִיהָרֵג וְנִשְׁתַּתֵּק. כֵּן אָנוּ אוֹמְרִים. הָא לֹא נִשְׁתַּתֵּק הָיָה לוֹ לְלַמֵּד עַל עַצְמוֹ זְכוּת. שָׁמַע רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן וָמַר. הָא שְׁאֵלְתָא דְחַמְרָא. אֶלָּא כֵינִי. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה יוֹצֵא לִיהָרֵג וְאָמַר. יֵשׁ לִי לְלַמֵּד עַל עַצְמִי זְכוּת וְנִשְׁתַּתֵּק. כֵּן אָנוּ אוֹמְרִים. הָא אִילּוּ לֹא נִשְׁתַּתֵּק הָיָה לוֹ לְלַמֵּד עַל עַצְמוֹ זְכוּת. אָמַר. הָא אֲמִירָה.

Rebbi Joḥanan said, the first time one listens to him whether or not his arguments are substantial. After that, if his arguments are substantial one listens to him, otherwise one does not listen to him. They said, only if his later arguments are substantial. Ḥizqiah asked: If he was led out to be executed when he became paralyzed, do we say that had he not become paralyzed, he would have argued for his acquittal? Rebbi Joḥanan heard this and said, this is a donkey’s question. But it must be: If he was led out to be executed and said, I have to argue for my acquittal: when he became paralyzed, do we say that had he not become paralyzed, he would have argued for his acquittal? He said, that is a statement.