THE RECORD SHOULD REFLECT THE DEFENDANT IS PRESENT WITH HIS COUNSEL, MR. SHAPIRO, MR. DOUGLAS, MR. BAILEY. THE PEOPLE ARE REPRESENTED BY MISS CLARK, MR. DARDEN, MISS LEWIS. THANK YOU. ARE WE MISSING SOMEBODY?
THE INTERPRETERS WERE NOT ASKED TO COME BACK. WE HAVE BEEN SITTING IN THE BACK WAITING FOR AN INTERPRETER, YOUR HONOR, AND WE JUST GOT THE INTERPRETER.
WELL, IN THE MEANTIME, MR. DARDEN -- ALL RIGHT. MR. COCHRAN, GOOD MORNING. ARE WE READY TO GO?
YOUR HONOR, SO IT DOESN'T GET LOST IN THE HOUSEKEEPING, DOES THE COURT WANT TO ISSUE AND HOLD A BENCH WARRANT TODAY FOR MISS THOMPSON?
MARCH 31ST. ALL RIGHT. MR. JONES, DO YOU HAVE MARCH 31ST AVAILABLE ON YOUR CALENDAR?
YES. THANK YOU VERY KINDLY, YOUR HONOR. YOUR HONOR, I HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM A VINCENT C. GILLIAM, A PH.D., OF WHICH WE ALSO RECEIVED ONE AND A NUMBER OF OTHER CALLS, AND FOR THE RECORD, IF THE COURT WOULD ALLOW ME TO, I WOULD LIKE TO READ A PARAGRAPH FROM THAT LETTER AND I WOULD ASK THE COURT FOR PERMISSION TO GET AN INTERPRETATION FROM THE INTERPRETERS.
YES, I'M SORRY, A COMMENT. THIS IS FROM THE LETTER. "FIRST, A POINT THAT MAY EASILY BE LOST TO AMERICANS IS THE DIFFERENCE IN CULTURES BEING MANIFESTED BY MISS LOPEZ' RESPONSES. NOT ONLY DOES SHE DISPLAY A TENDENCY TO DEFER SOMEWHAT MEEKLY TO PEOPLE IN AUTHORITY, (MR. DARDEN) BY SAYING, QUOTE, 'IF YOU SAY SO, SIR,' AS ONE MIGHT SUSPECT FROM SOMEONE FROM A HUMBLE BACKGROUND AND FROM EL SALVADOR AT THAT, BUT SPANISH-SPEAKING CULTURES ARE MUCH MORE SUBTLE THAN ONE SUCH AS THE U.S. THUS, WHEN MISS LOPEZ SAYS, 'NO,' AND THEN 'NO, I DON'T REMEMBER HAVING SAID THAT, SIR,' WITH FURTHER PRODDING, IT IS NOT AN EQUIVOCAL RESPONSE, NOR IS IT PREVARICATING THAT SHE CHANGE HER RESPONSE. IT IS SIMPLY THAT COMES FROM A MORE INDIRECT AND LESS CONFRONTATIONAL TYPE OF CULTURE. AND MORAL IMPORTANTLY, QUOTE, 'NO, I DON'T REMEMBER HAVING SAID THAT,' END QUOTE, DOES NOT MEAN, 'POSSIBLY YES' AS MR. DARDEN WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE IT MEAN." WE RECEIVED A NUMBER -- A NUMBER OF CALLS, AND JUST BEFORE I CAME OUT I WAS JUST TALKING TO ONE OF THE INTERPRETERS ABOUT THAT, AND AT SIDE BAR I MENTIONED IT TO THE OTHER INTERPRETER, AND I WOULD ASK THE COURT IF THE COURT COULD OBTAIN A COMMENT FROM EITHER ONE OR BOTH OF THE INTERPRETERS, IF THEY WANT TO CONFER, WITH REGARD TO THIS, BECAUSE I THINK IN FAIRNESS TO THE WITNESS WE NEED TO AT LEAST ESTABLISH WHAT THIS MEANS, BECAUSE UNDOUBTEDLY THERE WILL BE TESTIMONY WITH REGARD TO THIS AT SOME POINT.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU I DON'T FIND A LETTER FAXED TO THE COURT TO BE SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE, FRANKLY. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS PERSON'S QUALIFICATIONS ARE. IT IS AN ISSUE, IF YOU WANT TO PURSUE IT LATER, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO DO SO. IF YOU WANT TO HAVE DR. RHEINOFF FROM UCLA OR SOMEBODY FROM USC COME IN AND TALK TO US, WE CAN DO THAT, BUT LETTERS FAXED TO THE COURT WITHOUT ANY SUBSTANTIAL BACKGROUND, I AM NOT WILLING TO GIVE MUCH CREDENCE TO IT. IT IS AN ISSUE, IF YOU WANT TO RAISE IT LATER.
I WOULD, YOUR HONOR, AND PERHAPS RAISE IT ON REDIRECT ALSO. THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR.
I TURNED OVER TO MR. DARDEN TWO VIDEOTAPES WHICH CONTAIN SOME FOOTAGE THAT WE MY INTEND USE IN THE FUTURE. WE WANTED TO GIVE THEM A FULL OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE WHAT IT IS WE HAVE IN OUR POSSESSION.
MAY I INQUIRE, YOUR HONOR? ARE THESE TWO VIDEOTAPES YOU INTEND TO USE WITH DETECTIVE LANGE?
NOT NECESSARILY LANGE, BUT PERHAPS WITH OTHER WITNESSES, BUT PERHAPS WITH LANGE AS WELL, BUT NOT NECESSARILY.
I CAN'T REMEMBER HIS NAME.
APRIL FOOL'S DAY?
IT MEANS MAYBE. IT MEANS YOU SHOULD ANTICIPATE YES.
NOT ONLY DOES SHE DISPLAY A TENDENCY TO DEFER SOMEWHAT MEEKLY TO PEOPLE IN AUTHORITY... SPANISH-SPEAKING CULTURES ARE MUCH MORE SUBTLE THAN ONE SUCH AS THE U.S.