Sidebar: Grisham references

📄 Sidebar: Grisham references — Wednesday, June 28, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\JUN\28\SIDEBAR-GRISHAM-REFERENCES.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 105 of 167

◀ Motion: discovery violations Jury admonition ▶

Date: Wednesday, June 28, 1995 • Utterances: 8

At a bench sidebar, Cochran requests more time to properly document relevant passages from a John Grisham book that apparently contains references to domestic violence themes. He argues that the summary prepared by Michelle Cardswell only cited pages 145 and 147, but that associate Shawn Chapman's detailed reading identified additional relevant pages (145-154) containing material about physical violence, battery, bruises, and a victim saying 'He'll kill me.' Ito grants a continuance until the next morning.

# 1 (The following proceedings were held at the bench:)

# 2 THE COURT:

We're over at the sidebar. Any other comment about the Grisham book?

# 3 MR. COCHRAN:

Yes. I knew you would say that. I guess I did. Contrary to who wrote this little summary, Michelle Cardswell, there's significant other portions of it. I would like to have it typed up. There's only reference to pages 145, 147. Shawn Chapman read it in detail and gave me a detailed thing, and from pages 145 to--147, 152, 153, 154, there's significant information about physical violence, battery, bruises, "He'll kill me. He'll kill me. I can't file for divorce." And I would like to have an opportunity to type this up. I know the jury may be unhappy about this. It may be fiction, but I think there's enough in here, more than what you have. I would like to type it up, give it to you. I can give you this. I don't think it's fair to give you this without having it typed up. It's notes from Shawn Chapman of the actual book. There's considerable here, more than I think you were told. So if I can have this typed up for you tomorrow morning.

# 4 THE COURT:

Okay.

# 5 MR. COCHRAN:

And then you can make a final decision, if that's all right.

# 6 THE COURT:

I don't want to spend the time reading it.

KEY QUOTE

# 7 MR. COCHRAN:

She read it. I will give it to the Prosecution tomorrow morning. Shawn didn't have to read it, but she did it.

# 8 THE COURT:

All right.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (3)

Johnnie Cochran

There's significant information about physical violence, battery, bruises, 'He'll kill me. He'll kill me. I can't file for divorce.'

Cochran summarizes the Grisham book passages he believes are relevant to the domestic violence thread of the civil case, suggesting they corroborate Nicole's fear of OJ.

Johnnie Cochran

It may be fiction, but I think there's enough in here, more than what you have.

Cochran acknowledges the unusual nature of citing a fiction novel as evidence but presses forward, indicating how aggressively he is pursuing the domestic violence angle.

Lance A. Ito

I don't want to spend the time reading it.

Ito signals impatience with the Grisham book tangent while still granting Cochran's request for a typed summary.

Evidence (1)

Informal

John Grisham book, pages 145-154, containing passages about physical violence, battery, bruises, and a character saying 'He'll kill me. I can't file for divorce.'

discussed, continuance requested to produce typed summary for court

Notable Exchanges (1)

Johnnie Cochran•Lance A. Ito

Cochran argues that the court's existing summary of the Grisham book (prepared by Michelle Cardswell) is incomplete, and asks permission to submit a fuller typed summary the next morning. Ito grudgingly agrees but signals he does not want to read the material himself.

strategic

Objections

None recorded

Proceeding 6574 • 8 utterances

Criminal Trial

Department 103