📄 Cross-examination timing — Tuesday, February 21, 1995
📅 Feb 21 — Day 22
🛡️ Johnnie Cochran⚖️ Lance A. Ito
dna
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\FEB\21\CROSS-EXAMINATION-TIMING.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 22 of 167

Cross-examination timing

Date: Tuesday, February 21, 1995 • Utterances: 13
With about 12 minutes left in the court day, Cochran and Judge Ito discuss whether to continue cross-examination or adjourn. After a brief off-the-record huddle with both defense counsel and the prosecution, Darden jokes he'd rather not hear Cochran that afternoon — which Cochran promptly uses as his reason to proceed anyway.
1 MR. COCHRAN:

HOW LATE ARE WE GOING TO GO TODAY? I DON'T THINK I CAN FINISH HIM TODAY.

2 THE COURT:

WELL, DO YOUR BEST.

3 MR. COCHRAN:

DO MY BEST? WELL --

4 THE COURT:

WELL, WHAT'S YOUR PREFERENCE, COUNSEL? I MEAN, WE HAVE ABOUT 12 MINUTES REMAINING IN THE COURT DAY.

5 MR. COCHRAN:

12 MINUTES.

6 THE COURT:

THERE ARE SOME -- MR. SCHECK, ARE THERE STILL SOME DNA MATTERS WE NEED TO RESOLVE? YOUR CHOICE, MR. COCHRAN.

7 MR. COCHRAN:

MAY I HAVE JUST A MOMENT?

8 (DISCUSSION HELD OFF THE RECORD BETWEEN DEFENSE COUNSEL.)
9 (DISCUSSION HELD OFF THE RECORD BETWEEN THE DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND DEFENSE COUNSEL.)
10 MR. COCHRAN:

MR. DARDEN IS ASKING ME PLEASE NOT GO TODAY.

KEY QUOTE
11 MR. DARDEN:

I WAS JUST TELLING MR. COCHRAN I DON'T WANT TO HEAR HIS MOUTH THIS AFTERNOON.

KEY QUOTE
12 MR. COCHRAN:

BECAUSE OF THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS IF I MIGHT, YOUR HONOR.

KEY QUOTE
13 THE COURT:

YOU MAY. PROCEED.

Temperature

light

Key Quotes (3)

Christopher Darden
I WAS JUST TELLING MR. COCHRAN I DON'T WANT TO HEAR HIS MOUTH THIS AFTERNOON.
Rare moment of open ribbing between opposing counsel; Cochran immediately flips it to justify proceeding.
Johnnie Cochran
MR. DARDEN IS ASKING ME PLEASE NOT GO TODAY.
Cochran's playful misrepresentation of Darden's comment, setting up the joke.
Johnnie Cochran
BECAUSE OF THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS IF I MIGHT, YOUR HONOR.
Cochran uses Darden's mock protest as the punchline reason to continue.

Notable Exchanges (1)

Johnnie CochranChristopher Darden
Darden jokes he doesn't want to hear Cochran's cross-examination; Cochran inverts it as his stated reason to proceed.
light banter

Light Moments (1)

Christopher Darden / Johnnie Cochran
Darden says he doesn't want to hear Cochran's 'mouth' this afternoon; Cochran immediately pretends Darden is 'asking' him not to go, then uses that as his comic justification to proceed anyway.

Witness Demeanor

(DISCUSSION HELD OFF THE RECORD BETWEEN DEFENSE COUNSEL.)
(DISCUSSION HELD OFF THE RECORD BETWEEN THE DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND DEFENSE COUNSEL.)

Objections

None recorded
Proceeding 4954 • 13 utterances
Criminal Trial
Department 103
⚖️ Start
📂 FEB 21, 1995 📄 Cross-examination timing
FEB 21, 1995 KRT DvH TD