I love reading transcripts of great cross-examinations, and Mary really devastates Rothstein (her cross starts at page 2393 and the whole thing is definitely worth reading). The blogs are abuzz about this exchange (at page 2427):
Q At some point Debra Villegas' best friend and then your former lover was murdered?
A That's correct. She was.
Q She was murdered because she knew too much, right?
A Excuse me? Are you attempting to insinuate that I had something to do with that poor girl's death? Have you lost your mind?
Q You would deny that?
A I would deny it? You're disgusting. Everyone knows that I wasn't involved in it. That's disgusting.
Q How about Julie Timmerman?
A No. No. That is disgusting. Okay. I was a criminal involved in white-collar crime, involved in fraud and the like, involved with the mob and corrupt politicians and corrupt law enforcement. I'm paying for that. Melissa Lewis was a good person. She didn't know too much. She was killed by a psychopath. And you're disgusting for doing that.
Q You gave Debra Villegas a house, right?
A Why drag her family through that? They're going to have to read this, for your purposes, to defend John Harris, who's guilty.
Q You gave Debra Villegas a house --
A You should be ashamed.
Q -- right?
THE WITNESS: I want five minutes. You should be ashamed of yourself. You think I should be in jail. You should be ashamed.
MS. BARZEE FLORES: We'll talk about Julie Timmerman when you come back.
THE WITNESS: You're a disgusting human being. You're the only one out of this entire group of lawyers. You are truly, truly a disgusting human being.
MR. NURIK: Scott, relax. (Thereupon, a recess was taken.)
This exchange made me laugh:
Q You've violated oaths before, though, haven't
you, sir?
A In my prior incarnation, I certainly did.
Q You violated your oath as an attorney?
A I did.
Q You lied to judges?
A I did.
Q You put money, filthy lucre, ahead of your
clients' interests?
A Filthy lucre?
Q Yes. Money?
A Yes. I know what "lucre" is. I've just never
heard anyone use that in a question before.
Q It's in the oath, sir.
A I know it is. I remember the oath. I just --
"for lucre or malice," I remember that. Yes, I violated
that oath.
Outstanding!
ReplyDelete--Benson
Thanks for the tip. Just read the Barzee-Flores cross. Doesn't get much better than that.
ReplyDeleteFiilthy lucre? Shame on you MBF. Money isn't dirty. I hereby sentence her to re-read Francisco D'Arcona's money speech in Atlas Shrugged.
ReplyDeletethis is amateur hour stuff. why ask this in a depo? if this case went to trial I would much prefer to spring this on the witness and have him react badly in front of a jury than telegraph this so he is ready.
ReplyDeleteSorry, this just is not impressive
http://koshermeatballlawblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/former-ausa-smackdown.html
ReplyDeleteI have Rothstein fatigue. Would the government ever use him as a witness? Seems hard to believe.
ReplyDeletefunny you wont print my comment re the amateur hour nature of this cross becuase you like barzee so much
ReplyDeleteMary Barzee is the best looking female Rothstein will see in the next 48 years and the dummy called her disgusting. I guess incarceration has affected his judgment also.
ReplyDelete