I love reading transcripts of great cross-examinations, and Mary really devastates Rothstein (her cross starts at page 2393 and the whole thing is definitely worth reading). The blogs are abuzz about this exchange (at page 2427):
Q At some point Debra Villegas' best friend and then your former lover was murdered?
A That's correct. She was.
Q She was murdered because she knew too much, right?
A Excuse me? Are you attempting to insinuate that I had something to do with that poor girl's death? Have you lost your mind?
Q You would deny that?
A I would deny it? You're disgusting. Everyone knows that I wasn't involved in it. That's disgusting.
Q How about Julie Timmerman?
A No. No. That is disgusting. Okay. I was a criminal involved in white-collar crime, involved in fraud and the like, involved with the mob and corrupt politicians and corrupt law enforcement. I'm paying for that. Melissa Lewis was a good person. She didn't know too much. She was killed by a psychopath. And you're disgusting for doing that.
Q You gave Debra Villegas a house, right?
A Why drag her family through that? They're going to have to read this, for your purposes, to defend John Harris, who's guilty.
Q You gave Debra Villegas a house --
A You should be ashamed.
Q -- right?
THE WITNESS: I want five minutes. You should be ashamed of yourself. You think I should be in jail. You should be ashamed.
MS. BARZEE FLORES: We'll talk about Julie Timmerman when you come back.
THE WITNESS: You're a disgusting human being. You're the only one out of this entire group of lawyers. You are truly, truly a disgusting human being.
MR. NURIK: Scott, relax. (Thereupon, a recess was taken.)
This exchange made me laugh:
Q You've violated oaths before, though, haven't
you, sir?
A In my prior incarnation, I certainly did.
Q You violated your oath as an attorney?
A I did.
Q You lied to judges?
A I did.
Q You put money, filthy lucre, ahead of your
clients' interests?
A Filthy lucre?
Q Yes. Money?
A Yes. I know what "lucre" is. I've just never
heard anyone use that in a question before.
Q It's in the oath, sir.
A I know it is. I remember the oath. I just --
"for lucre or malice," I remember that. Yes, I violated
that oath.
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