📄 Sidebar: transcript and tape admissibility — Thursday, February 16, 1995
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\FEB\16\SIDEBAR-TRANSCRIPT-AND-TAPE-AD.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 20 of 167

Sidebar: transcript and tape admissibility

Date: Thursday, February 16, 1995 • Utterances: 61
At sidebar, the defense revealed they had a tape recording of two conversations involving Detective Phillips and planned to play it for the jury with a transcript. Clark objected, arguing she had been denied the same opportunity during direct and wanted to reopen her examination to cover more of the transcript. Ito overruled her request, noting there is a clear difference between using transcripts without tape versus with tape, and that allowing Clark to extend direct after the defense revealed their cross strategy would unfairly cut off the defense.
1 (THE FOLLOWING PROCEEDINGS WERE HELD AT THE BENCH:)
2 THE COURT:

DO YOU HAVE THE TAPE?

3 MR. COCHRAN:

YES, I HAVE THE TAPE. IT'S ALREADY CUED UP.

4 THE COURT:

BOTH CONVERSATIONS?

5 MR. COCHRAN:

BOTH CONVERSATIONS. YES, YOUR HONOR.

6 THE COURT:

MISS CLARK, WHAT'S YOUR OBJECTION?

7 MS. CLARK:

I THINK THIS IS VERY UNFAIR, YOUR HONOR. I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE THE TAPE TO HAVE THE JURY FOLLOW ALONG THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE CONVERSATION THAT THIS WITNESS IS A PARTY TO. I COULD HAVE HAD HIM GO THROUGH THE WHOLE THING, LET THE JURY READ ALONG WITH HIM. AND THERE IS A COMPLETE CONVERSATION IN THERE. HE CAN TESTIFY TO ALL OF IT. THE COURT REFUSED TO ALLOW ME TO DO THAT.

8 MR. COCHRAN:

THAT'S NOT TRUE. THE COURT DID NOT REFUSE --

9 THE COURT:

THAT'S NOT CORRECT. WHAT I REFUSED TO ALLOW YOU TO DO WAS SHOW THE TRANSCRIPTS TO THE JURY. I ASKED YOU IF YOU WANT TO USE TRANSCRIPTS WITH THE JURORS, WHY DON'T WE PLAY TAPES SO THEY GO ALONG WITH THE CONVERSATION. THAT'S WHAT WE DO THAT FOR. I ASKED YOU SPECIFICALLY ARE YOU GOING TO PLAY THE TAPE. YOU SAID NO, YOU DON'T HAVE THE TAPE.

10 MS. CLARK:

WAIT. I WOULD LIKE TO -- IS THE ENTIRE CONVERSATION BEING DEEMED ADMISSIBLE BY THE COURT?

11 MR. COCHRAN:

NOT THE CONVERSATION. THE TAPE.

12 MS. CLARK:

THAT IS, THE COURT REFUSED THE TRANSCRIPT.

13 THE COURT:

NO, I HAVEN'T.

14 MS. CLARK:

WELL, I THINK I HAVE OPENED UP --

15 THE COURT:

WHAT'S OBJECTIONABLE ABOUT IT?

16 MS. CLARK:

CERTAIN AREAS --

17 MR. COCHRAN:

WHAT IS THE OBJECTION?

18 MS. CLARK:

CERTAIN AREAS ARE IRRELEVANT TO THE POINT OF INQUIRY AND CERTAIN AREAS ARE NOT.

19 THE COURT:

LET ME SEE THE TRANSCRIPT.

20 MR. COCHRAN:

THE ENTIRE THING IS ALL ADMISSIBLE, YOUR HONOR.

21 MR. DARDEN:

NOT WHAT IS ON THE BACK OF THE TRANSCRIPT HOWEVER. WHAT IS THE LAST PAGE OF THIS DOCUMENT?

22 MR. COCHRAN:

WE JUST TAKE WHATEVER THEY GIVE US. IT'S FROM L.A. COUNTY.

23 MR. SHAPIRO:

IT'S YOUR STUFF.

24 MR. DARDEN:

YOUR HONOR, LOOK AT THE LAST PAGE. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS.

KEY QUOTE
25 MR. COCHRAN:

YOU GUYS, WHY DON'T YOU GUYS GROW UP.

KEY QUOTE
26 MR. DARDEN:

THE COURT WILL NOTE THERE IS A NOTATION ON THE BACK OF THIS TRANSCRIPT. IT IS NOT PART OF THE TRANSCRIPT AT ALL.

27 MR. COCHRAN:

ALL THAT IS, YOUR HONOR, IS THE ONE-MINUTE GAP THAT EXPLAINS WHAT THE TWO OF THEM ARE. THIS IS THE WAY IT CAME. I DIDN'T WANT TO MARK IT AT ALL.

28 THE COURT:

I HAVE REVIEWED THE TRANSCRIPT OF BOTH CONVERSATIONS, THE TOTAL OF WHICH IS SEVEN PAGES. WHAT'S THE OBJECTION?

29 MS. CLARK:

YOUR HONOR, YOU KNOW WHAT -- LET ME ASK LEAVE OF THE COURT FOR THIS. COUNSEL HAS NOT EVEN BEGUN CROSS. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE -- SINCE THE COURT IS GOING TO ALLOW THE TRANSCRIPT, THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WITHDRAW THEIR OBJECTION. I WOULD LIKE TO FINISH TAKING DETECTIVE PHILLIPS THEN THROUGH THE TRANSCRIPT. I WOULD HAVE DONE IT ON DIRECT IF WE COULD HAVE PERMITTED THE JURY TO HAVE THE ENTIRE TRANSCRIPT. SINCE I KNOW THEY WILL NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO GO THROUGH MORE PORTIONS OF IT BEFORE I COMPLETE MY DIRECT EXAMINATION. COUNSEL IS NOT EVEN INTO CROSS YET. AND THEN SINCE COUNSEL HAS THE TAPE, I'M NOT OBJECTING TO IT BEING PLAYED, BUT I WOULD LIKE LEAVE OF THE COURT TO COMPLETE SOME MORE EXAMINATION SINCE THE JURY IS NOW GOING TO BE PERMITTED TO SEE THE ENTIRE TRANSCRIPT.

30 MR. COCHRAN:

WELL, YOUR HONOR, THAT IS WHAT REDIRECT EXAMINATION IS FOR. I'M NOW PROCEEDING WITH MY CROSS-EXAMINATION. I SHOULD BE PERMITTED TO DO THAT, YOUR HONOR, AND THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. WE HAVE PREPARED THIS. I AM PREPARED TO GO FORWARD AND THERE'S NO OBJECTION TO THIS, YOUR HONOR. SHE'S USED THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED IF I MIGHT, YOUR HONOR. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT LAST PAGE. THAT CAME WITH IT. I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT LAST PAGE.

31 MR. SHAPIRO:

ALSO, JUDGE, A LOT OF STRATEGY IS INVOLVED, TRYING --

32 THE COURT:

EXCUSE ME, MR. SHAPIRO. ONLY ONE VOICE PER SIDE. LET'S TAKE THE --

KEY QUOTE
33 MS. CLARK:

THANK YOU. BUT, YOUR HONOR, I WOULD HAVE GONE MORE DEEPLY INTO THE TRANSCRIPT HAD I KNOWN THAT COUNSEL WAS GOING TO OFFER THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT. WAIT. WAIT. LET ME FINISH, PLEASE. I WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH IT PAGE BY PAGE HAD I BEEN ABLE TO ALLOW THE JURY TO FOLLOW ALONG AND GIVE THEM THE ENTIRE TRANSCRIPT AS PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED. BUT ALL I WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO NOW IS TO TAKE THEM FURTHER THROUGH THE DOCUMENT. AND I'M GOING TO WITHDRAW MY OBJECTION, SO COUNSEL CAN PLAY THE ENTIRE TAPE FOR THE JURY. IF I HAD IT HERE, I WOULD HAVE PLAYED IT. WE DIDN'T HAVE IT. BUT I WOULD ASK LEAVE OF THE COURT TO SIMPLY COMPLETE MY EXAMINATION WITH THE BALANCE OF THE PASSAGES PERTAINING TO THE DIRECT EXAMINATION I PREVIOUSLY HAD NOW THAT I KNOW THERE'S NO OBJECTION FROM HIM. THE REASON I WENT INTO THE AREAS THAT I DID WAS BECAUSE I WANTED TO EXPLAIN THE PORTIONS HIGHLIGHTED BY COUNSEL IN HIS OPENING STATEMENT BECAUSE IT WAS CLEAR TO ME COUNSEL WOULD NOT OBJECT TO THAT. SINCE NOW I KNOW THAT COUNSEL WILL NOT OBJECT TO THE BALANCE OF THE DOCUMENT, I ONLY WANT TO COMPLETE MY EXAMINATION WITH THE BALANCE OF THE CONVERSATION NOW THAT I KNOW THAT THERE'S NO FURTHER OBJECTION TO IT.

34 MR. COCHRAN:

MAY I BE HEARD, YOUR HONOR?

35 THE COURT:

BRIEFLY.

36 MR. COCHRAN:

YOUR HONOR, IN THIS CONNECTION, COUNSEL, AS EVERYBODY DOES, HAS TO TRY THEIR CASE. WE HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO TELL THEM WE HAVE ANY TRANSCRIPTS FOR THE JURORS. WE HAVE THE SAME DISCOVERY, YOUR HONOR. WE GOT THIS READY. WE ARE READY TO PROCEED. IT'S MY TIME FOR CROSS-EXAMINATION. I WANT TO PLAY THE ENTIRE TAPE. SHE HAD EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHATEVER SHE WANTED TO DO. SHE CAN'T GO BACK AND DO IT NOW. THIS IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL. SHE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY ON REDIRECT TO DO WHATEVER SHE WANTS TO DO. I WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED WITH MY EXAMINATION. SHE'S BEEN UP THERE FOR PART OF TWO DAYS WITH THIS WITNESS AND I WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED IF I MAY. THIS IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL AND UNFAIR, YOUR HONOR.

37 MS. CLARK:

I DON'T SEE WHAT IS UNFAIR --

38 MR. COCHRAN:

I WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED, YOUR HONOR. THAT'S WHAT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROCEED WITH MY QUESTIONING. IF SHE HAS SOMETHING SHE WANTS TO CLARIFY, SHE CAN DO IT ON REDIRECT EXAMINATION.

39 MS. CLARK:

I'LL TELL YOU, WHAT'S UNFAIR IS THE UNFAIR IMPRESSION CREATED WITH THE JURY THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO PRESENT SOMETHING THAT THE DEFENSE IS BEING ALLOWED TO PRESENT.

KEY QUOTE
40 MR. COCHRAN:

THAT'S NOT TRUE AT ALL.

41 THE COURT:

MISS CLARK, WAIT A MINUTE.

42 MS. CLARK:

IT IS TRUE.

43 THE COURT:

WAIT A MINUTE.

44 MR. COCHRAN:

SHE'S THINKING OF ANOTHER CASE NOW.

45 THE COURT:

HERE'S THE PROBLEM. YOU HAD THIS TRANSCRIPT, AND THE USE OF TRANSCRIPTS WITH REGARD TO TAPE-RECORDED CONVERSATIONS, WHEN YOU PRESENT A TAPE-RECORDING, YOU ARE SUPPOSES TO HAVE THE TRANSCRIPT TO PRESENT TO THE JURY. YOU ASKED ME FOR PERMISSION TO PASS OUT THAT ONE PAGE. I TOLD YOU NO BECAUSE WE HAD THE ELMO WITH THE PORTION THAT YOU WERE USING.

46 MR. COCHRAN:

UNDERLINED.

47 THE COURT:

THAT WE DIDN'T NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO PASS IT OUT. WE ARE NOW GOING TO USE IT WITH A TAPE-RECORDING. THIS IS A MUCH DIFFERENT SITUATION, ONE. SO THERE IS A VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO SITUATIONS. SECONDLY, FOR ME TO ALLOW YOU TO REOPEN YOUR DIRECT EXAMINATION AT THIS POINT AFTER DEFENSE COUNSEL HAS ALREADY TOLD YOU WHAT THEY'RE ABOUT TO DO -- I MEAN THERE'S STRATEGY INVOLVED HERE AS TO HOW THEY WANT TO PRESENT THEIR CASE, THAT I WOULD THEN ALLOW YOU TO CUT THEM OFF AT THE PASS ON SOME OF THESE THINGS.

48 MS. CLARK:

WHAT IS THE STRATEGY INVOLVED THAT I'M INTERFERING WITH BY POINTING OUT OTHER PORTIONS OF THE TRANSCRIPT? I DON'T UNDERSTAND. EXCUSE ME.

49 MR. COCHRAN:

YOU'VE ALREADY RULED.

50 THE COURT:

WELL, THE OBJECTION IS OVERRULED.

51 MR. DARDEN:

JUDGE, BEFORE WE GO --

52 MR. COCHRAN:

ONE PERSON.

53 MS. CLARK:

THIS IS SOMETHING ELSE.

54 MR. DARDEN:

ON THE RECORD WHILE MR. BAILEY WAS DOING CROSS, WE ASKED THE COURT TO INSTRUCT COUNSEL TO SHOW EXHIBITS TO OPPOSING COUNSEL BEFORE THEY PRESENT THEM BEFORE THE JURY. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN HERE. IF WE HAD NOT COME HERE ON THE OBJECTION, WE WOULD NOT KNOW --

55 MR. COCHRAN:

THAT'S NOT TRUE AT ALL.

56 MR. DARDEN:

WE DID NOT KNOW THAT THE JURY WAS ABOUT TO RECEIVE THIS DOCUMENT WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE END OF THE TRANSCRIPT.

57 THE COURT:

MR. DARDEN, HE JUST HANDED YOU --

58 MR. COCHRAN:

I HANDED YOU A COPY OF THAT BEFORE I GAVE IT TO YOU.

59 MS. CLARK:

IT'S NOT THE SAME ONE.

60 MR. COCHRAN:

IT'S THE SAME ONE. GO GET IT. IT'S THE SAME ONE.

61 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. STOP IT.

Temperature

tense

Key Quotes (5)

Lance A. Ito
FOR ME TO ALLOW YOU TO REOPEN YOUR DIRECT EXAMINATION AT THIS POINT AFTER DEFENSE COUNSEL HAS ALREADY TOLD YOU WHAT THEY'RE ABOUT TO DO -- I MEAN THERE'S STRATEGY INVOLVED HERE AS TO HOW THEY WANT TO PRESENT THEIR CASE, THAT I WOULD THEN ALLOW YOU TO CUT THEM OFF AT THE PASS ON SOME OF THESE THINGS.
Ito explains why Clark cannot reopen direct — doing so would let prosecution exploit the defense's revealed strategy, which he views as fundamentally unfair.
Marcia Clark
WHAT'S UNFAIR IS THE UNFAIR IMPRESSION CREATED WITH THE JURY THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO PRESENT SOMETHING THAT THE DEFENSE IS BEING ALLOWED TO PRESENT.
Clark's core concern: the jury will see the defense playing the full tape and assume the prosecution suppressed it, damaging the People's credibility.
Johnnie Cochran
YOU GUYS, WHY DON'T YOU GUYS GROW UP.
Cochran's dismissive response to Darden's complaint about the notation on the back page of the transcript — reveals the combative dynamic between the two sides.
Christopher Darden
YOUR HONOR, LOOK AT THE LAST PAGE. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS.
Darden flags an apparently unauthorized or unexpected notation on the back of the transcript document being submitted to the jury.
Lance A. Ito
EXCUSE ME, MR. SHAPIRO. ONLY ONE VOICE PER SIDE.
Ito reins in Shapiro mid-sentence, enforcing courtroom order and signaling irritation at the overlapping arguments.

Evidence (2)

Informal
Tape recording of two conversations involving Detective Phillips, totaling seven pages of transcript
Defense prepared to play for jury; admissibility and procedure disputed at sidebar
Informal
Notation on the back of the transcript document (described as a 'one-minute gap' explanation)
Flagged by Darden as improper; Cochran dismissed concern, said it came with the document from L.A. County

Notable Exchanges (4)

Marcia ClarkLance A. Ito
Clark claimed the court had previously refused to allow her to use transcripts with the jury. Ito flatly corrected her, explaining he had refused only to pass out the transcript without the tape, and invited her to play the tape at that time — which she declined because she didn't have it.
corrective
Christopher DardenJohnnie Cochran
Darden objected to the notation on the back page of the transcript, calling it 'outrageous.' Cochran told the prosecution to 'grow up' and said the document came as-is from L.A. County. Shapiro added 'It's your stuff.'
heated
Marcia ClarkJohnnie Cochran
Clark sought leave to extend her direct examination after learning the defense would play the full tape to the jury. Cochran argued strenuously that redirect is the proper vehicle, that Clark had already spent parts of two days with the witness, and that her request was 'highly unusual and unfair.'
strategic
Robert ShapiroLance A. Ito
Shapiro attempted to interject about trial strategy. Ito cut him off immediately: 'Only one voice per side.'
procedural

Light Moments (2)

Johnnie Cochran
Cochran told the prosecution to 'grow up' when Darden raised alarm about the back page of the transcript.
Robert Shapiro
Shapiro quipped 'It's your stuff' to the prosecution regarding the transcript document — quickly shut down by Ito.

Objections

1 objections (0 sustained, 1 overruled)
Proceeding 5048 • 61 utterances
Criminal Trial
Department 103
⚖️ Start
📂 FEB 16, 1995 📄 Sidebar: transcript and tape a
FEB 16, 1995 KRT DvH TD