If any of us think that prosecutors don't grieve about itheir lost cases, let me relate what I overheard at the Spector trial yesterday, May 2, 2007:
I adore Dominick Dunne and the horse he rode in on. After what he and his wife experienced after the brutal murder of his daughter, I use his rage against injustice as my touchstone.
Yesterday, in court for the Spector hearing, I saw and heard that he has feet of clay.
There are 6 rows of benches. The first row is taken up with "lawyers only. " The next four rows, for accredited media. The last and sixth row, members of the public. Since her morning's prosecutorial work (the LA Grannie case) was over, she headed to the Spector hearing. She had a seat in the front row, D. Dunne was in the third row and I, in the back/sixth row. During the morning break, people left their seats so that most of the benches around Dunne were empty. Ms Samuels got up from the first row, went over to DD's row. I thought she was going to greet him, "Nice seeing you again, you're looking great," etc. She didn't. Standing and bent over from about one foot away from him, she had a serious, if not sad look on her face: "How could you have written that you were glad that Blake got off? Why did you write that? Please tell me so that I can learn how to read a jury better." DD didn't take his eyes off of her face and looked seriously stricken. No, his mouth did not drop open. He just didn't say a word. Shelley Samuels looked deeply hurt. And then she left.