Word: sirica
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...News. News of the impending verdict had galvanized defendants, attorneys and reporters waiting in Washington's U.S. Courthouse. Quickly they filled austere Court Room No. 2, in which Federal Judge John J. Sirica had presided over 61 days of legal argument, testimony and the playing of 34 tapes since the trial opened on Oct. 1. Sirica entered the room at 4:47 p.m. and faced the jury foreman, John Hoffar, a pale, retired superintendent of park police. Did the jurors have a verdict? "Yes, they have," Hoffar replied impassively...
...virtually conceded that the best hope for his client, John Ehrlichman, was that one or two jurors might hold out for acquittal and thereby produce a hung jury. As the arguments finally ended on the trial's 61st day and the panel awaited only Federal Judge John J. Sirica's instructions, the Government had drawn its case tightly around each of the five defendants. So effective had been the final summation by Chief Prosecutor James Neal that Prates warned the jury against being swayed "by the silver tongue of a great lawyer...
When it was proposed that Saturday sessions be held in an effort to finish before Christmas, Gould drafted a firm, graceful letter to Sirica on the group's behalf. "The Watergate jury panel," she wrote, "wishes to let you know that while they would of course enjoy spending Christmas at home, it is not an overriding concern among them ... should the trial extend through the holidays and beyond, they are quite prepared to accept that fact." Said a beaming Sirica after reading the note aloud in court: "Didn't I tell you to never underestimate the intelligence...
...last Thursday, Judge John J. Sirica adjusted his black robe, settled himself in his red leather chair and ordered: "Call the jury." With that began the penultimate public act of the Watergate trial. In ten weeks, the jury had heard complicated and often contradictory testimony from more than 80 witnesses, the playing of 34 White House tapes and the presentation of more than 200 documents. Now it was time for the lawyers' final arguments before Sirica turns the case over to the jury, probably on the day after Christmas...
...tried to overwhelm Assistant Special Prosecutor Jill Wine Volner by sneering contemptuously at her questions. To one, he replied: "Go ahead and make a speech, Mrs. Volner." When she asked a follow-up question, he shot back: "Do you want me to say yes-yes?" Ignoring rebukes from Judge Sirica, Mardian frequently turned to the jury to deliver his own version of the evidence...