📄 Redirect examination of Stephen Oppler (part 2) — Wednesday, September 13, 1995
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\SEP\13\REDIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-STEPHE.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 153 of 167

Redirect examination of Stephen Oppler (part 2)

Witness: Stephen Oppler
Examiner: Marcia Clark
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Wednesday, September 13, 1995 • Utterances: 11
A brief further redirect examination of Steven Oppler that went nowhere. Marcia Clark attempted to ask Oppler about his impressions of Thano Peratis' demeanor — likely trying to counter a coaching implication — but both questions were shut down by sustained objections before any meaningful testimony could be elicited. The witness was then thanked and excused.
1 THE COURT:

Miss Clark.

FURTHER REDIRECT EXAMINATION BY MS. CLARK

2 MS. CLARK:

Was there anything about the nature of Mr. Peratis' demeanor or his answers that lead you to believe anyone had coached him, sir?

KEY QUOTE
3 MR. NEUFELD:

Your Honor, he's not qualified to answer that question.

4 THE COURT:

Sustained. Sustained.

5 MS. CLARK:

Did you form any impression about Mr. Peratis'--the nature of Mr. Peratis' responses to the question?

6 MR. NEUFELD:

Objection. He's not competent to answer that either.

7 THE COURT:

Sustained. That's for the jury to decide.

KEY QUOTE
8 MS. CLARK:

I have nothing further.

9 THE COURT:

Anything else?

10 MR. NEUFELD:

Nothing else.

11 THE COURT:

All right. Thank you. Mr. Oppler, thank you very much, sir. You're excused, sir.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (2)

Lance A. Ito
That's for the jury to decide.
Ito's reasoning for sustaining the second objection reveals the core issue: Oppler was being asked to render a credibility judgment that belongs exclusively to the jury.
Marcia Clark
Was there anything about the nature of Mr. Peratis' demeanor or his answers that lead you to believe anyone had coached him, sir?
Clark's question reveals she was trying to rehabilitate Peratis against an implied coaching attack — but the framing required Oppler to assess witness credibility, which got it shut down immediately.

Notable Exchanges (1)

Marcia ClarkPeter NeufeldLance A. Ito
Clark attempted twice to get Oppler to characterize Peratis' demeanor or responses — likely to rebut an implicit coaching allegation — and Neufeld successfully blocked both attempts on competency/qualification grounds.
strategic

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ Thano Peratis
implied coaching
Clark's questions imply the defense had raised a suggestion that Peratis had been coached, and she was trying to use Oppler to refute that impression — but the court ruled such an assessment belongs to the jury, not the witness.

Objections

2 objections (2 sustained, 0 overruled)
Proceeding 7645 • 11 utterances • Prosecution witness
Criminal Trial
Department 103
⚖️ Start
📂 SEP 13, 1995 📄 Redirect examination of Stephe
SEP 13, 1995 KRT DvH TD