Reid Schar objected to Sam Adam's attempts to make reference to state of Illinois lawyer Bill Quinlan as the head ethics officer. Adam is trying to cite advice from Quinlan to Rod Blagojevich while characterizing Quinlan as an ethics officer.
The two sides bitterly hash this out over break, as defense lawyer Aaron Goldstein uncharacteristically grows loud, saying that two deputy governors "their witnesses" testified that Quinlan was also head of ethics in the state.
"Why are we discussing this if you just refuse to accept my ruling?" Judge James Zagel tells Goldstein.
"At the momentum of this kind of closing argument, people make misstatements...
You are giving them an opportunity to stop the freight train. You don't want them to stop the freight train. One way to make sure this doesn't happen is to make sure he speaks with precision about the testimony and about the dates," Zagel tells Goldstein, urging him to give transcripts to Adam and sort out the specifics.
Zagel has sustained at least a dozen objections from the prosecution and Adam has visibly protested -- and even mocked the prosecution for interrupting him.
Zagel suggested Adam can stave off the interruptions if he's sure to accurately go through details in the case. Fudging will not help him with the jury, Zagel said.
"Go to the testimony and make sure you're right on all of these little details. Then instead of 'objection sustained,' you're going to get "objection overruled," if you get any objections at all."
Unlikely.
"This is all I have to say at this point, and because it's all I have to say, it's all you have to say," Zagel said, bidding adieu for a short break.
enjoy a hearty lunch - i think it will be a long afternoon.
Please tell me that they'll release the full video of this trial someday...