📄 Witness scheduling — Monday, July 31, 1995
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C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\JUL\31\WITNESS-SCHEDULING.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 125 of 167

Witness scheduling

Date: Monday, July 31, 1995 • Utterances: 64
The court handles scheduling and witness logistics around the DNA evidence leak investigation, including rescheduling Michelle Kestler (SID lab director) to the following afternoon and hearing an offer of proof from Robert Shapiro regarding journalist Joseph Bosco, who published information about DNA sock test results in Penthouse magazine. The proceeding also touches on the Gretchen Stockdale tape issue and checking on a juror who had fallen ill.
1 MR. UELMEN:

Your Honor, we would like to call Michelle Kestler with respect to those issues.

2 THE COURT:

Is she available?

3 MR. NEUFELD:

She was under subpoena.

4 MR. UELMEN:

I believe she is on call.

5 MR. GOLDBERG:

Well, the last we heard Michelle Kestler had gone this morning to a doctor's appointment for a neck injury that she received earlier.

6 THE COURT:

All right. Let's do this. As far as Michelle Kestler is concerned, as I indicated to counsel in chambers this morning, one of our other jurors has a medical appointment tomorrow at 4:00 that we have to conclude at four o'clock.

7 MR. COCHRAN:

Today?

8 THE COURT:

Tomorrow. Tomorrow. So why don't we--since tomorrow is a six o'clock day, let's schedule Michelle Kestler for four o'clock tomorrow afternoon.

9 MR. GOLDBERG:

I would also say about Michelle Kestler, your Honor, perhaps to short-circuit this, the Defendant might make a specific offer of proof as to what she can supposedly testify to some this issue, because my understanding, and counsel also had the opportunity to interview her at length, is that she doesn't have any personal knowledge as to the circumstances surrounding this fax and when specifically the leak occurred and that she only knows these things based on than what she has heard from knowledge--

10 THE COURT:

She may also have knowledge about any internal investigation that may have been conducted. She may have participated in that investigation she may have been interviewed and there are a lot of things that she can tell us about.

11 MR. GOLDBERG:

Of course the position of the police department, as we have been advised previously, is that all of information is official information under 1040 and that the Defense must use the provisions of 1040 in order to try to get that information.

12 THE COURT:

Well, I'm sure we will see the city attorney tomorrow afternoon.

13 MR. NEUFELD:

Your Honor, just--

14 THE COURT:

All right. Counsel, what we will do then now, we will shift back to Mr. MacDonell. We will bring the jurors down. As I indicated to Mr. Cochran and to Mr. Darden, the Court would like to personally inquire of the juror who fell ill last week just do assure myself the juror can continue.

15 MR. NEUFELD:

Two scheduling matters, your Honor.

16 MR. SHAPIRO:

Your Honor, we do have one other witness who will be brief on this issue.

17 THE COURT:

Who is that?

18 MR. SHAPIRO:

Joseph Bosco.

19 THE COURT:

As to the shield issue?

20 MR. SHAPIRO:

Yes, sir.

21 THE COURT:

All right. What is your offer as to Mr. Bosco?

22 MR. SHAPIRO:

Thank you.

23 THE COURT:

Good morning, Mr. Shapiro.

24 MR. SHAPIRO:

Good morning, your Honor. Thank you. Your Honor, Mr. Bosco will offer testimony that he also was a recipient of similar information, that he is a professional journalist, that he has been assigned a permanent seat by your Honor in the courtroom to cover this case.

25 THE COURT:

That is a misnomer. It is a regular seat. There is nothing permanent about it.

26 MR. SHAPIRO:

Permanent to this date.

27 THE COURT:

Yes.

28 MR. SHAPIRO:

He has regularly attended all the courtroom sessions.

29 THE COURT:

He has.

30 MR. SHAPIRO:

And he has published an article that reported the same information that reporter Savage has just testified to and that he will confirm that he is the recipient of information from a source that told him that DNA test results were in on the socks that were recovered in the bedroom.

KEY QUOTE
31 THE COURT:

When?

32 MR. SHAPIRO:

In September--about the same date, September 21st, and that that information came from a member of the Los Angeles Police Department who is known to him as a badged member of the police department and a person who is active in this investigation.

33 THE COURT:

All right. Do you have--this is published information?

34 MR. SHAPIRO:

Yes.

35 THE COURT:

And what is the publication?

36 MR. SHAPIRO:

Penthouse magazine.

37 THE COURT:

All right. What issue?

38 MR. SHAPIRO:

The July issue.

39 THE COURT:

All right. So you want to call Mr. Bosco regarding that?

40 MR. SHAPIRO:

Yes.

41 THE COURT:

All right. Mr. Bosco is present in the courtroom?

42 MR. SHAPIRO:

Yes, he is.

43 THE COURT:

Good morning, sir.

44 MR. SHAPIRO:

He is under subpoena.

45 MR. BOSCO:

Good morning, sir.

46 THE COURT:

Do you have counsel, Mr. Bosco?

47 MR. BOSCO:

Your Honor, I've been through this down in New Orleans and I have counsel down there. I have been through this process. I could call my attorney in New Orleans who has handled this thing on another case for me for the past year and a half. He may holler at me but I think I know the issue well enough to take the stand. It might be nice that I call him. Maybe my mother will do so watching the television, I don't know, or my wife, I don't know, but whatever your wish is, sir.

48 THE COURT:

No. The wish is on your behalf, sir. If you wish to have counsel to confer with before you are called as a witness, given the nature of the issue, I will give you leave to do so. If you feel no need to confer with counsel, we can proceed. It is up to you, sir.

49 MR. BOSCO:

I'm--could I just have a few minutes to call him?

50 THE COURT:

Absolutely. I'm not--I mean, I will--Mr. Bosco, let's do this.

51 MR. BOSCO:

Yes, sir.

52 THE COURT:

Why don't you report back to the Court when we come back after lunch at one o'clock. I will give you plenty of time to locate your counsel in New Orleans.

53 MR. BOSCO:

Yes, sir.

54 THE COURT:

Confer with him by phone. If you feel it is necessary to have local counsel, we will accommodate you. All right. So why don't you take care of that when we recess. All right?

55 MR. BOSCO:

Yes, sir.

56 MR. SHAPIRO:

Thank you, your Honor.

57 THE COURT:

All right.

58 MS. LEWIS:

Your Honor, there is also the issue of the Gretchen Stockdale tape. When was the Court willing to hear that?

59 THE COURT:

Well, I think I have my plate full with this tissue issue, don't you agree?

60 MS. LEWIS:

This should be a no brainer, your Honor, frankly, on the tape.

KEY QUOTE
61 THE COURT:

Well--

62 MS. LEWIS:

Excuse the colloquialism.

63 THE COURT:

Well, you will make a much better Judge than I ever will. All right. We need to take a recess to bring the jury down. All right. We will take ten to bring the jury down.

KEY QUOTE
64 (Recess.)

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (5)

Robert Shapiro
He has published an article that reported the same information that reporter Savage has just testified to and that he will confirm that he is the recipient of information from a source that told him that DNA test results were in on the socks that were recovered in the bedroom.
Establishes Bosco as a corroborating witness to the DNA sock results leak from an LAPD source, strengthening the defense's argument about improper police disclosure.
Robert Shapiro
Penthouse magazine.
The unexpected publication venue for trial-sensitive DNA evidence — the article's source becomes a key point in the leak investigation.
Joseph Bosco
Maybe my mother will do so watching the television, I don't know, or my wife, I don't know, but whatever your wish is, sir.
Bosco's colorful, self-aware humor about being on camera while deciding whether to waive counsel.
Cheri Lewis
This should be a no brainer, your Honor, frankly, on the tape. Excuse the colloquialism.
Lewis pushes for the Gretchen Stockdale tape ruling and then immediately walks back her bluntness — prompting Ito's sharp retort.
Lance A. Ito
Well, you will make a much better Judge than I ever will.
Ito's dry, pointed response to Lewis's implication that the ruling should be obvious — one of the few moments of wit in the proceeding.

Evidence (3)

Informal
Fax referenced in connection with the DNA leak investigation — circumstances of when the leak occurred
discussed as subject of potential Kestler testimony
Informal
Penthouse magazine, July issue — article by Joseph Bosco reporting DNA test results on socks recovered from OJ Simpson's bedroom, sourced to a badged LAPD member active in the investigation
described in offer of proof; to be introduced through Bosco's testimony
Informal
Gretchen Stockdale tape
raised by Cheri Lewis as pending matter; scheduling deferred by Ito

Notable Exchanges (3)

Robert ShapiroLance A. Ito
Shapiro describes Bosco's courtroom seat as 'permanent'; Ito pointedly corrects him — 'That is a misnomer. It is a regular seat. There is nothing permanent about it.' Shapiro gracefully concedes 'Permanent to this date.'
light/strategic
Hank GoldbergLance A. Ito
Goldberg argues Kestler lacks personal knowledge of the leak and invokes Evidence Code 1040 (official information privilege) to block defense inquiry into any internal LAPD investigation. Ito pushes back, noting Kestler may have participated in or been interviewed as part of an internal investigation.
strategic
Cheri LewisLance A. Ito
Lewis presses for a ruling on the Gretchen Stockdale tape, calling it 'a no brainer.' She immediately apologizes for the colloquialism. Ito responds dryly that she would make 'a much better Judge' than he ever will, and moves on.
tense/light

Light Moments (3)

Joseph Bosco
Joseph Bosco muses aloud that his mother or wife might be watching him on television as he deliberates whether to call his New Orleans attorney before testifying.
Lance A. Ito
Ito corrects Shapiro's characterization of Bosco's courtroom seat as 'permanent' — 'There is nothing permanent about it.'
Lance A. Ito
After Lewis calls the Stockdale tape ruling 'a no brainer' and walks it back, Ito quips she would make 'a much better Judge than I ever will.'

Objections

None recorded
Proceeding 7067 • 64 utterances
Criminal Trial
Department 103
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📂 JUL 31, 1995 📄 Witness scheduling
JUL 31, 1995 KRT DvH TD