My haiku from 20 years ago yesterday:
Judge Manella asked.
Two witnesses protected.
The plug briefly pulled.
9/19/95
Ito excluded camera coverage of the testimony of two small-time hoods, who apparently were informants, at the request of U.S. Attorney and former L.A. Superior Court Judge Nora Manella.
“The men were not in the federal witness protection program, ” I wrote in Anatomy of a Trial. “They had given interviews, had been photographed, and had appeared on TV.
“‘It was just too funny,’ I recorded in my journal. ‘There two characters were right out of central casting, with shiny silver pants and wide shoulder-padded jackets. There were just incredible. Tony “The Animal” [Fiato] in particular.’
“[Defense jury consultant Jo-Ellan] Dimitrius, who often sat next to me in the courtroom, said she thought we should all have mafia names and than mine could be Jerrianne “The Muscle” Hayslett, which I figured referred to my role as media enforcer.”
From 20 years ago today:
A simple syringe.
A simple stipulation.
Both parties draw blood.
9/20/95
What should have been a quick stipulation by both sides concerning the syringe used to draw a sample of Simpson’s blood deteriorated into an acrimonious squabble that angers Judge Ito so much he left the bench and courtroom so he could cool down.
Anatomy of a Trial blog 