Not sure if serious.
He chose not to testify, he wasn't prevented from doing so by the court. His lawyer probably told him not to, which is pretty standard. The accused doesn't usually testify - it's almost always not in their interest and also exposes them to cross ex.
From an actual law firm:
Should A Defendant Testify at Trial? – Lebedevitch Law Firm
When people ask, “Should a defendant testify at trial?” many are surprised to learn that, in all but a few limited circumstances, the answer is “No.”




