Great Moments in Law

I ran across this while researching my new crime history book for Facts on File, and just about cracked up.

From CourtTV's transcript of the O.J. Simpson civil trial--or Monty Python. Take your pick:

MR. PETROCELLI: Prior one is withdrawn also,

Your Honor.

THE COURT: Excuse me.

MR. PETROCELLI: The prior objection is also

withdrawn at line 14.

THE COURT: Okay.

136:24 through 137:24, withdrawn.

140:20 through 141:15, overruled.

[ . . . 10 pages of this stuff snipped . . . ]

214:14 through 215:09, sustained.

This next one I don't quite understand

the pagination of the objection. It would appear to

me if there was going to be an objection it ought to

run from 354 through 357:18.

MR. BAKER: We need to -- then we need to

object to more stuff.

THE COURT: Otherwise the objection makes no

sense.

MR. PETROCELLI: Through what line, Your Honor?

THE COURT: Well, the objection as posed runs

from 356:01 through 357:18 which looks like a non

sequitur on this is it starts as page 354, I don't

understand the objection.

MR. PETROCELLI: Actually, Your Honor, why

don't you just omit that line.

THE COURT: Excuse me?

MR. PETROCELLI: Just omit it.

We will withdraw the objection on line 6

of page 8, okay. The objection is to lines 1 through

19 on page 356, and I think that's an error there

because it's in relation to Mr. Medvene's

cross-examination.

MR. GELBLUM: No, it's not.

MR. PETROCELLI: According to mine it is.

THE COURT: On your -- are you withdrawing the

entire objection on line 6 of your page 8?

MR. PETROCELLI: One second, Your Honor.


(Mr. Petrocelli and Mr. Gelblum

converse sotto voce.)


MR. PETROCELLI: Okay.

Here's the explanation, Your Honor.

Because of the direct exam on the new work which I

believe Your Honor has excluded on lines 1 through 19

on page 356, that's the cross on that point, so that

would come out as well, that's why it's in there.

THE COURT: Well, what about -- what's the

material from 354 through --

MR. PETROCELLI: We don't have any objection to

page 354. I don't see it on here.

They didn't designate that part of the

transcript to be played, so therefore --

THE COURT: Oh, is that what it is?

All right.

MR. GELBLUM: The left column is their

designated.

MR. P. BAKER: We designated all the direct.

MR. PETROCELLI: 354 is in cross.

MR. P. BAKER: Okay.

THE COURT: So that's not included.

All right.

So what are you asking for a ruling on?

On your line 6 of page 8?

MR. PETROCELLI: That's the new work on the --

on the imprint.

MR. GELBLUM: It's on both. It starts out --

THE COURT: Well --

MR. PETROCELLI: Your Honor, we're going to

withdraw that objection right there.

THE COURT: All right.

Withdrawn then. That's 356:01 through

357:18.

MR. PETROCELLI: One second. We want to

make -- are you intending there to designate our --

you've designated 19 lines of our cross-examination or

so.

MR. P. BAKER: We're not going to play any of

your cross.

MR. PETROCELLI: Okay. So based on that

representation we're omitting the objection to their

designation that appears on line 6, page 8.

THE COURT: Withdrawn.

MR. PETROCELLI: Picking up again at page 358,

358:15 - 24 is where we pick up.

THE COURT: 358, line 19 through -- 358:19

through 358:24, sustained.

359:03 through 359:07, sustained.

359:10 through 359:15, sustained . . .