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Reported
in the Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyers Journal, the
following are questions
actually asked of witnesses by attorneys
during trials and, in
certain cases, the responses given by
insightful witnesses:
1. "Now doctor, isn't it true
that when a person dies in his sleep,
he doesn't know about it until the
next morning?"
2. "The youngest son,
the twenty-year old, how old is he?"
3. "Were you present
when your picture was taken?"
4. "Were you alone or by
yourself?"
5. "Was it you or your
younger brother who was killed in the war?"
6. "Did he kill
you?"
7. "How far apart were
the vehicles at the time of the collision?"
8. "You were there until
the time you left, is that true?"
9. "How many times have
you committed suicide?"
10. Q: "So the date of
conception (of the baby) was August 8th?"
A: "Yes."
Q: "And what were you doing at that time?"
11. Q: "She had three
children, right?"
A: "Yes."
Q: "How many were boys?"
A: "None."
Q: "Were there any girls?"
12. Q: "You say the stairs
went down to the basement?"
A: "Yes."
Q: "And these stairs, did they go up also?"
13. Q: "Mr. Slatery, you went
on a rather elaborate honeymoon,
didn't you?
A: "I went to Europe, sir."
Q: "And you took your new wife?"
14. Q: "How was your first
marriage terminated?"
A: "By death."
Q: "And by whose death was it terminated?"
15. Q: "Can you describe the
individual?"
A: "He was about medium height and had a
beard."
Q: "Was this a male or female?"
16. Q: "Is your appearance
here this morning pursuant to a
deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?"
A: "No, this is how I dress when I go to
work."
17. Q: "Doctor, how many
autopsies have you performed on dead
people?"
A: "All my autopsies are performed on dead
people."
18. Q: "All your responses
must be oral, OK? What school did you
go to?"
A: "Oral."
19. Q: "Do you recall the time
that you examined the body?"
A: "The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m."
Q: "And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?"
A: "No, he was sitting on the table wondering why
I was doing
an autopsy."
20. Q: "You were not shot in
the fracas?"
A: "No, I was shot midway between the fracas and
the naval."
21. Q: "Are you qualified to
give a urine sample?"
A: "I have been since early childhood."
22. Q: "Doctor, before you
performed the autopsy, did you check
for a pulse?"
A: "No."
Q: "Did you check for blood pressure?"
A: "No."
Q: "Did you check for breathing?"
A: "No."
Q: "So, then it is possible that the patient was
alive when
you began the autopsy?"
A: "No."
Q: "How can you be so sure, doctor?"
A: "Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a
jar."
Q: "But could the patient have still been alive
nevertheless?"
A: "It is possible that he could have been alive
and practicing
law somewhere."
23. Q: What is your date of birth?
A: July 15th.
Q: What year?
A: Every year.
24. Q: What gear were you in at the
moment of the impact?
A: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
25. Q: How old is your son, the one
living with you.
A: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
Q: How long has he lived with you?
A: Forty-five years.
26. Q: What was the first thing
your husband said to you when he
woke that morning?
A: He said, "Where am I, Cathy?"
Q: And why did that upset you?
A: My name is Susan.
27. Q: Where was the location of
the accident?
A: Approximately milepost 499.
Q: And where is milepost 499?
A: Probably between milepost 498 and 500.
28. Q: Sir, what is your IQ?
A: Well, I can see pretty well, I think.
29. Q: Did you blow your horn or
anything?
A: After the accident?
Q: Before the accident.
A: Sure, I played for ten years. I even went to school
for it.
30. Q: Do you know if your daughter
has ever been involved in the
voodoo or occult?
A: We both do.
Q: Voodoo?
A: We do.
Q: You do?
A: Yes, voodoo.

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