Sign up for a free 30-day trial (no pun intended) with Court TV Extra and watch the Duke rape case hearing at 2:30 p.m. EST. Then again, you may be able to watch it on Court TV without signing up for anything.
Currently showing: the boring Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing for CIA chief nominee Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden. Wish I knew how to do a snoring smilie.
2:33: No Duke hearing yet.
2:42: Wrong channel. The hearing is being broadcast on Court TV, not over the web. Defense lawyer is asking for accuser’s cell phone (last 10 calls) and criminal records. Ah…the southern accents make me homesick!
Nifong says evidence isn’t processed and the phone may belong to a third party, who has privacy expectations. Judge orders that the phone be examined in confidence to find out what’s on it.
I don’t think anything important will happen during this hearing. Defense moved to have all proceedings recorded. Judge granted the motion. Defense asked for bond reduction. The lawyer seems kind of weak. He needs to sound more confident and assertive. Judge says he won’t rule on bond request today. He’ll review and get back to defense.
2:50: Boring procedural stuff. Motion to preserve written evidence and notes for trial. Judge asks, “Why?” Paraphrase: Why do you believe evidence will not be preserved? But grants motion without waiting for an answer. Defense wants permission to go to DA’s office and look through files. Judge says all that will be handled during discovery. It’s the DA’s call, and if defense thinks he’s not forthcoming, it will be dealt with at that time.
Judge says today he’s not going to order things that are usually done voluntarily. He agrees with the defense that the case is important, but so are others. Judge says he won’t allow this case to jump ahead of the others in the process.
Wish I were up there making arguments. Ho-hum. It’s over. Exciting stuff. Reade Seligmann, who got a warm welcome, doesn’t look too pleased with his lawyer. Another hearing scheduled for June 19. Surprisingly, Nifong turned over most of the discovery, according to the talking heads (I missed the first 10 minutes): 1200+ pages, CD-ROMs, etc.
Well, that was anticlimatic. Carry on.
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