Swearing in Delbert Wong

📄 Swearing in Delbert Wong — Wednesday, March 29, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\MAR\29\SWEARING-IN-DELBERT-WONG.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 47 of 167

◀ Redirect examination of Allan Park (part 3) Direct examination of Delbert Wong ▶

Date: Wednesday, March 29, 1995 • Utterances: 12

Judge Wong was called as a witness and sworn in by the clerk. Before testimony could begin, Johnnie Cochran requested an unreported bench conference with Judge Ito. The proceeding ends with a brief exchange of greetings, with no substantive testimony yet given.

# 1 MR. DARDEN:

HOW ABOUT JUDGE WONG.

# 2 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. JUDGE WONG. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COUNSEL.

# 3 (BRIEF PAUSE.)

# 4 THE CLERK:

PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. YOU DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT THE TESTIMONY YOU MAY GIVE IN THE CAUSE NOW PENDING BEFORE THIS COURT, SHALL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP YOU GOD.

# 5 THE WITNESS:

I DO

# 6 THE CLERK:

PLEASE HAVE A SEAT ON THE WITNESS STAND AND STATE AND SPELL YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAMES FOR THE RECORD.

# 7 MR. COCHRAN:

YOUR HONOR, MAY WE APPROACH JUST FOR A MOMENT BEFORE WE START?

KEY QUOTE

# 8 THE COURT:

SURE. WITHOUT THE REPORTER.

# 9 (A CONFERENCE WAS HELD AT THE BENCH, NOT REPORTED.)

# 10 (THE FOLLOWING PROCEEDINGS WERE HELD IN OPEN COURT:)

# 11 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE WONG.

# 12 THE WITNESS:

GOOD AFTERNOON.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (2)

The Clerk

YOU DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT THE TESTIMONY YOU MAY GIVE IN THE CAUSE NOW PENDING BEFORE THIS COURT, SHALL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP YOU GOD.

Standard oath, notable because the witness being sworn in is a sitting judge.

Johnnie Cochran

YOUR HONOR, MAY WE APPROACH JUST FOR A MOMENT BEFORE WE START?

Cochran interrupts immediately after the oath to request an unreported sidebar, suggesting a last-minute issue with the testimony about to be given.

Notable Exchanges (1)

Johnnie Cochran•Lance A. Ito

Cochran requests a bench conference immediately after Wong is sworn in but before any testimony; Ito grants it without a court reporter present.

strategic

Witness Demeanor

(BRIEF PAUSE.)

(A CONFERENCE WAS HELD AT THE BENCH, NOT REPORTED.)

Objections

None recorded

Proceeding 5498 • 12 utterances

Criminal Trial

Department 103