State v Bradley Cooper 4-25-11

[NCEast]

I couldn't disagree more. I thought BZ did a great job today.

ETA: I was among the many that did not like his cross of JW. It made me squirm in my seat sitting in my family room. So I'm not just saying that as some "pro prosecution" poster.

I think he did too, even though he became confused a few times referencing either Brad's phone or Nancy's.
His style is very staccato-like.....short, brisk and to the point. I can see how others may find his style offensive but I don't--it's almost refreshing compared to Cummings. And he doesn't whine like Kurtz.
I am praying he does the closing argument for the state, I just don't think I can listen to Cummings for what will seems like days and days.

 

[Cheyenne130]

With all due respect, the fact that one witness can't wait to get off the stand and another feels the need to defend himself on a public forum......is a reflection of them as weak "experts" and not the fault of the DA. If a witness is solid...they will stand up to cross examination.......It is the job of the DA to discredit them.....a strategy that he seems to be good at so far.

I am nervous that BZ is the one who is going to cross SH. He just seems like such a gentle soul to me. I think he is very honest and sincere in his testimony. I know there is more to come but right now I don't know what they would cross him about except more to do with the "affair".

 

[Lori59]

I would hope the prosecution. I though BZ was very confrontational, unprofessional and just grabbing onto anything he could to try to discredit the witness. I don't think it worked. I think the jury will see him in a bad light if based on today's antics

Enjoy your post CaryNJ, but I think the DA got the best of him and he fell apart. I think the jury was left with a witness that had an agenda and confused about his own testimony, even though he had points to make. JMO

 

[johnfear]

With all due respect, the fact that one witness can't wait to get off the stand and another feels the need to defend himself on a public forum......is a reflection of them as weak "experts" and not the fault of the DA. If a witness is solid...they will stand up to cross examination.......It is the job of the DA to discredit them.....a strategy that he seems to be good at so far.

Right, well, the prosecution sort of sailed that ship when they decided to throw up law enforcement shields over everything relevant to their major piece of evidence. I don't have a problem with him being a lawyer. I have a problem with him and Kurtz bailing on all things sane in the name of juris prudence and then NOTHING coming out of it. (Defense or Pros)

Now, it all looks like a magician angrily defending the prestige because someone else guessed the pledge and the turn. Nobody wants anyone to see the man behind the curtain because no one is sure if Oz is nice or not. I am pretty sure if we open the curtain at this point we'll find a note that says "Gotcha" and nothing else.

If I had sat there for two months of this, on the jury, I'd be like....."Your honor, can I bring my iPod in? I've got some stories to catch up on that are way better written than this."

 

[Cheyenne130]

I think he did too, even though he became confused a few times referencing either Brad's phone or Nancy's.
His style is very staccato-like.....short, brisk and to the point. I can see how others may find his style offensive but I don't--it's almost refreshing compared to Cummings. And he doesn't whine like Kurtz.
I am praying he does the closing argument for the state, I just don't think I can listen to Cummings for what will seems like days and days.

Yes! And it was exactly the same when he was doing the direct of the state witnesses. He has not changed his style. He is who he is. He was different with JW. I will grant that.

 

[NCEast]

I am nervous that BZ is the one who is going to cross SH. He just seems like such a gentle soul to me. I think he is very honest and sincere in his testimony. I know there is more to come but right now I don't know what they would cross him about except more to do with the "affair".

Most of the 'personal' witnesses have been questioned by either the female ADA or Cummings. Boz has handled all of the technical testimony. I hope the female will do the cross on SH.....I, too, feel that he's a very gentle soul.

 

[Lori59]

I am nervous that BZ is the one who is going to cross SH. He just seems like such a gentle soul to me. I think he is very honest and sincere in his testimony. I know there is more to come but right now I don't know what they would cross him about except more to do with the "affair".

He is an interesting witness I agree. The fact that his wife had an affair and he seems to forgive Brad..makes him seem sad and weak .....not to be mean. He is like the ultimate nice guy in the situation. His cross has to be easy IMO or it will be like kicking a dog when it is down, so to speak. In a strange way, although he befriended Brad, he is also a victim of him......how do you go after that strange friendship????

 

[otto]

Are you making reference to the prosecution? the defense? or both? :wink:

I think that we can safely say both.

 

[Cheyenne130]

Most of the 'personal' witnesses have been questioned by either the female ADA or Cummings. Boz has handled all of the technical testimony. I hope the female will do the cross on SH.....I, too, feel that he's a very gentle soul.

BZ has been the one objecting during direct.

 

[WolfpackWoman]

BZ has been the one objecting during direct.

Nice catch. That really is unfortunate though. Although, I really didn't think Fitzhugh's cross of Dr. Dittner was kind enough for her either, but I think she would be kinder to SH.

 

[gracielee]

I'm guessing, as a fellow San Diegan, that you remember the Westerfield trial, Fran. The phone "stuff" reminds me of the dueling bug experts at the DW trial. The jury heard so much, that I think they felt that the testimony by the various experts more or less negated the significance of that evidence.

I may be mistaken, but I think that considering the disagreement and the variables associated with the phones, the jury might disregard some of the things that many here see as important...IMOO...

And all those lies in the Westerfield trial. come to find out he's trying to broker a deal to give up the body. That's the thing about killers, they lie.

 

[NCEast]

BZ has been the one objecting during direct.

Not sure I understand you here.

 

[Cheyenne130]

He is an interesting witness I agree. The fact that his wife had an affair and he seems to forgive Brad..makes him seem sad and weak .....not to be mean. He is like the ultimate nice guy in the situation. His cross has to be easy IMO or it will be like kicking a dog when it is down, so to speak. In a strange way, although he befriended Brad, he is also a victim of him......how do you go after that strange friendship????

The way his story came across, he and Brad feel apart as friends. When Nancy was missing, he reached out to Brad because he felt bad for him. Brad turned to him for a place to stay. To me I wondered why Brad didn't have any friends that were closer to him that he could turn to. It's not evidence of anything but that is the one thing that really struck me as odd today. Brad just didn't seem to have any real friends. MOO

 

[Lori59]

Right, well, the prosecution sort of sailed that ship when they decided to throw up law enforcement shields over everything relevant to their major piece of evidence. I don't have a problem with him being a lawyer. I have a problem with him and Kurtz bailing on all things sane in the name of juris prudence and then NOTHING coming out of it. (Defense or Pros)

Now, it all looks like a magician angrily defending the prestige because someone else guessed the pledge and the turn. Nobody wants anyone to see the man behind the curtain because no one is sure if Oz is nice or not. I am pretty sure if we open the curtain at this point we'll find a note that says "Gotcha" and nothing else.

If I had sat there for two months of this, on the jury, I'd be like....."Your honor, can I bring my iPod in? I've got some stories to catch up on that are way better written than this."

Your post are very entertaining......in a good way! I think I get what you are saying. Both sides are making their game of chess so apparent, we are left with a battle between them, rather than seeking the truth????

 

[Cheyenne130]

Not sure I understand you here.

Usually the one who has been objecting during the direct is the one who does the cross. That's what I meant. Although I don't know that I have ever heard AF object to anything.

 

[CaryFrom NJ]

The way his story came across, he and Brad feel apart as friends. When Nancy was missing, he reached out to Brad because he felt bad for him. Brad turned to him for a place to stay. To me I wondered why Brad didn't have any friends that were closer to him that he could turn to. It's not evidence of anything but that is the one thing that really struck me as odd today. Brad just didn't seem to have any real friends. MOO

I don't think BZ has any business doing the cross on SH. SH seems very sincere, professional, quiet, meek and non-confrontational at all. If BZ handles the cross on SH the way he did today I don't think it will be seen positively by the jury. I agree that the female should do the cross and not get into the specifics about the affair, etc. This guy doesn't seem the type that has an agenda either way. (But, I will say that he is easy on the eyes - looking forward to tomorrow).

 

[ncsu95]

Listen to his testimony one more time. He was definitely confused but utimately, with some prompting, remembered that it was NC's phone that was used for the filming.

eta - to help a bit, at the WRAL site, DAY 32 part 5 at approx 38 minutes he (after much confusion), under cross by boz, concludes that he did the demo on Nancy's phone and the demo wiped the phone clean so it was returned to evidence just as they'd received it. Then again at 41 minutes under redirect by Kurtz he again states that the video was done using NC's phone.

The confusion came about because he actually did try to reproduce the scenario on another phone in June of 09. So he did a re-enactment on another phone and then again on NCs phone in Sep 10. I found BZ to be completely unprofessional today. He kept intentionally (in my opinion), calling the phone Brad's phone or throwing out wrong dates on purpose to try and impeach the witness. I could see once, but he probably called that Brad's phone at least 5 different times.

 

[Cheyenne130]

I don't think BZ has any business doing the cross on SH. SH seems very sincere, professional, quiet, meek and non-confrontational at all. If BZ handles the cross on SH the way he did today I don't think it will be seen positively by the jury. I agree that the female should do the cross and not get into the specifics about the affair, etc. This guy doesn't seem the type that has an agenda either way. (But, I will say that he is easy on the eyes - looking forward to tomorrow).

Agreed. If the paralegals are reading here, I hope they pass along and I hope AF is prepared to do the cross tomorrow. This is not a make-or-break witness. He should not be treated as an expert witness.

 

[otto]

I would hope the prosecution. I though BZ was very confrontational, unprofessional and just grabbing onto anything he could to try to discredit the witness. I don't think it worked. I think the jury will see him in a bad light if based on today's antics

I do too. I think the jury is beginning to see BZ as someone that will do everything from confusing the witness to putting words in their mouths to try to convict Cooper. That is not how it should be. If the prosecutor can't accomplish his task in a respectful, "clean" manner, I would be very suspecious of what else he is pulling.

 

[NCEast]

The confusion came about because he actually did try to reproduce the scenario on another phone in June of 09. So he did a re-enactment on another phone and then again on NCs phone in Sep 10. I found BZ to be completely unprofessional today. He kept intentionally (in my opinion), calling the phone Brad's phone or throwing out wrong dates on purpose to try and impeach the witness. I could see once, but he probably called that Brad's phone at least 5 different times.

I didn't see it that way. I honestly think Boz was confusing himself and the witness. And the witness was confusing Boz. It was just a big mess and I was so thankful to get that man off the witness stand for his own sake and everybody else's.