📄 Sketch artist order — Thursday, April 27, 1995
📅 Apr 27 — Day 63
👤 Beth Finley⚖️ Lance A. Ito
jury
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\APR\27\SKETCH-ARTIST-ORDER.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 63 of 167

Sketch artist order

Date: Thursday, April 27, 1995 • Utterances: 21
Judge Ito called sketch artist Mr. Robles's attorney to address his concern that a jury rendering broadcast on local television was too accurate, potentially compromising the court's anonymous jury order. Ito proposed a formal order requiring all sketch artists to submit drawings to the public information officer for approval before broadcast, and worked out a scheduling arrangement with Ms. Finley to accommodate news deadlines.
1 (Beth A. Finley, Attorney at Law, appearing on behalf of Mr. Robles.)
2 (Janet M. Moxham, CSR no. 4855, official reporter.) (Christine M. Olson, CSR no. 2378, official reporter.)
3 (The following proceedings were held in open Court, out of the presence of the jury:)
4 THE COURT:

Good morning. I understand we have counsel for Mr. Robles present.

5 MS. FINLEY:

Yes, your Honor. Good morning. I'm Beth Finley appearing on behalf of Mr. Robles.

6 THE COURT:

Good morning, counsel. The reason I asked Mr. Robles to appear this morning is I understand he is one of the very talented sketch artists that has been covering this case, and while watching one of the local independent television programs the other day I happened to see a rendering of our jury that was astonishing in its accuracy and depiction. And I made inquiry as to who was the artist and how it came about that that particular rendering was broadcast and I was concerned, because as you know, the Court has ordered the use of an anonymous jury in this case and that California rules of Court 980 prohibits the depiction of jurors, close-up of jurors, and I was concerned that the artist depictions were too close to what we have in the jury box.

7 MS. FINLEY:

Well, Mr. Robles has brought all of his drawings here. I think there may have been a problem because sometimes Mr. Robles is not in the courtroom everyday, and although he is trying to have all of his drawings cleared by your representative, he has not been able to connect with her on all occasions and perhaps that is how one of the drawings was broadcast without someone else in the Court seeing it. It certainly was not done intentionally, but he has brought all of the drawings, but if you could perhaps identify for him which one in particular you saw recently.

8 THE COURT:

Counsel, what I propose to do is issue a formal order to all sketch artists, and all artists involved in this case, that their drawings be submitted to the public information officer for approval by the Court prior to broadcast. And Miss Hayslett is present here in the courthouse everyday and this Court rarely leaves the courthouse before 6:00 in the evening everyday, so we will be available to in an expeditious manner review any drawings that you want to use immediately that day.

9 MS. FINLEY:

That would be fine, your Honor. I think the upon has been there are deadlines and Mr. Robles does not do his work here in the courthouse and I believe the other sketch artists do. They work up on the 12th floor and they have closer access, whereas Mr. Robles retires to the CBS trailer to complete his drawings.

10 THE COURT:

We can set up a regular schedule at the conclusion of business. We will be available for, say, half an hour after the conclusion of business everyday, or we can be available just before the start of the afternoon session for other deadlines.

11 MS. FINLEY:

I guess we would have to have both in the instance that if there is a drawing that we need to use in advance of the evening news, it would need to be cleared before the close of session that particular day. If there is a drawing that we don't need to use, then yes, we could have it cleared at the end of the day.

12 THE COURT:

All right. Then I will issue this order and I will direct Miss Hayslett to set up a regular schedule where she and the Court will be available at the conclusion of each Court session, both at the conclusion of the morning session, conclusion of the afternoon session. Is that acceptable?

13 MS. FINLEY:

That will be fine, your Honor.

14 THE COURT:

All right. Then that will be the order. All right. Thank you, counsel.

15 MS. FINLEY:

Thank you.

16 (At 9:09 A.M. an adjournment was taken until, Monday, May 1, 1995, 9:00 A.M.)
17 APPEARANCES:

Janet M. Moxham, CSR #4588 Christine M. Olson, CSR #2378 official reporters

18 FOR THE PEOPLE:

Gil Garcetti, District Attorney by: Marcia R. Clark, William W. Hodgman, Christopher A. Darden, Cheri A. Lewis, Rockne P. Harmon, George W. Clarke, Scott M. Gordon Lydia C. Bodin, Hank M. Goldberg, Alan Yochelson and Darrell S. Mavis, Brian R. Kelberg, and Kenneth E. Lynch, Deputies 18-000 Criminal Courts Building 210 West Temple Street Los Angeles, California 90012

19 FOR THE DEFENDANT:

Robert L. Shapiro, Esquire Sara L. Caplan, Esquire 2121 Avenue of the Stars 19th floor Los Angeles, California 90067 Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr., Esquire by: Carl E. Douglas, Esquire Shawn Snider Chapman, Esquire 4929 Wilshire Boulevard Suite 1010 Los Angeles, California 90010 Gerald F. Uelmen, Esquire Robert Kardashian, Esquire Alan Dershowitz, Esquire F. Lee Bailey, Esquire Barry Scheck, Esquire Peter Neufeld, Esquire Robert D. Blasier, Esquire William C. Thompson, Esquire

20 ALSO PRESENT:

Beth A. Finley, Esquire

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I N D E X

Index for volume 135 pages 24688 - 24955

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Day date session page vol.

Thursday April 27, 1995 A.M. 24688 135 P.M. 24780 135

Friday April 28, 1995 A.M. 24952 135

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21 LEGEND:

Ms. Clark-mc Mr. Hodgman-h Mr. Darden d Mr. Kahn-k Mr. Goldberg-gb Mr. Gordon-g Mr. Shapiro-s Mr. Cochran-c Mr. Douglas-cd Mr. Bailey-b Mr. Uelmen-u Mr. Scheck-bs Mr. Neufeld-n

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Chronological index of witnesses

People's Witnesses direct cross redirect recross vol.

Mazzola, Andrea 135 (Resumed) 24702gb 24748n (Resumed) 24786n (Voir dire) 24833gb (Resumed) 24835n (Further) 24905gb

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Alphabetical index of witnesses

Witnesses direct cross redirect recross vol.

Mazzola, Andrea 135 (Resumed) 24702gb 24748n (Resumed) 24786n (Voir dire) 24833gb (Resumed) 24835n (Further) 24905gb

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EXHIBITS

People's for in exhibit identification evidence page vol. Page vol.

203 - item no. 15 24710 135 American airlines airline ticket

204 - item no. 16 24710 135 American airlines baggage claim ticket

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Defense for in exhibit identification evidence page vol. Page vol.

1121 - photograph of 24760 135 The rear stairwell at 875 south Bundy

1122 - photograph of 24801 135 A perspective view of a bench at 360 North Rockingham

1123 - photograph of 24801 135 A close-up view of a bench at 360 North Rockingham

1124 - glass vial 24828 135

1125 - photograph of 24829 135 A glass vial with writing

Temperature

routine

Key Quotes (3)

Lance A. Ito
while watching one of the local independent television programs the other day I happened to see a rendering of our jury that was astonishing in its accuracy and depiction
Ito's personal observation prompted this proceeding — the judge himself caught the violation while watching TV
Lance A. Ito
California rules of Court 980 prohibits the depiction of jurors, close-up of jurors, and I was concerned that the artist depictions were too close to what we have in the jury box
Establishes the legal basis for the new pre-approval order
Ms. Finley
Mr. Robles retires to the CBS trailer to complete his drawings
Explains why Robles had less access to courthouse review process than other sketch artists working on the 12th floor

Notable Exchanges (1)

Lance A. ItoMs. Finley
Ito and Finley negotiate a workable pre-approval schedule for sketch artists, accommodating both morning and afternoon news deadlines while protecting jury anonymity
cooperative

Light Moments (1)

Lance A. Ito
Ito discloses he personally watches local independent TV and was caught off guard by an unusually accurate jury sketch — a rare glimpse of the judge as a civilian viewer of his own trial's coverage

Objections

None recorded
Proceeding 5836 • 21 utterances
Criminal Trial
Department 103
⚖️ Start
📂 APR 27, 1995 📄 Sketch artist order
APR 27, 1995 KRT DvH TD