Spector Goes Back To Court

Unedited draft entry.

I hardly slept last night. I had several things to do in the morning, and I didn't want to forget to do everything before I left the house. I had to find out where the library was closest to the court, so I could go write my story asap. And, I wanted to find out the name of the Judge in a case starting today in Van Nuys. Both tasks accomplished, I felt a bit better.

Mr. Sprocket fixed me a great breakfast, and I got out the door by 7:00 am. I wasn't sure what time the hearing would be, but I wanted to be there early just in case. As I enter the rear of the court building, there is a huge line all the way from the back, toward the entrance on Temple Street and there is only one scanner for the public. There's not the excitement I used to feel when I was going every day, and there was testimony. The line is going very slow, and I'm hoping there's not a crowd on the 9th floor.

As I round the second security checkpoint on the 9th floor, I see at the very end of the hall a familiar face. It's Dr. C. Carroll Adams, (CCA) and we give each other a big smile and a wave. He's still attending a trial in courtroom 107, and as he waits for that courtroom to start (promptly at 8:30 am), we chat a bit and get caught up.

I learn that it was District Attorney Cooley who over rode AJ's and PD's objections to accepting Juror #10 on the panel. Apparently, DA Cooley wanted to follow the advice of the jury consultant, who felt this Juror wouldn't be a problem. However, everyone, Cooley, the consultants, and our hard working guys AJ & PD totally misread Juror #1.CCA and I talk a bit about jury tampering, and whether or not this happened in the Spector case. There's no proof that any of the jurors were tampered with, and anything we think might have happened is just speculation.

CCA didn't know about Peter Y. Hong's transfer to the business section of the LA Times, and I'm hoping either Steven Mikulan or Ciaran McEvoy will show, so I can ask him if they know anything. CCA's courtroom finally opens, and he's off.

People approach this end of the hall but they all enter other courtrooms. The hallway is virtually empty. There are a few people on benches, waiting. Most have jury bades. Some swing their legs nervously, others pass the time reading. As some suits enter Fidler's courtroom, I try to guess which are attorneys and which might be DEA agents. When it get's to 9:00 am, I'm realizing that this thing isn't going to start until about 10:00 am.

A still photographer shows up, and Wendy, Fidler's clerk, tells him to set up in the jury box in the seat wher Juror #10 sat. It's 9:06 and I sit and wait. More attorneys enter the hallway, more potential jurors arrive but they are all for other courtrooms. A short, strange looking guy with short frizzy dirty blond hair, shows up wearing a T-shirt that says "Turkey Tournament 2006" on the back. His jeans are almost falling off of him, as he gets close to the courtroom door to read the notice left there from Spector round one. I try to think of a name to give him, and when I see his face I think that this could be a long lost Spector son because the guy has virtually no chin. I decide to call him chinman. He wanders off down towards the other end of the hall and I think maybe he was just wishfully lost.

Rod Lindbom, one of the family attorneys rounds the corner, as he comes down the hallway, and sees me he calls out "Sprocket!" His arms are open wide and he gives me a a big hug. It's really nice to see him and get such a warm welcome. We head into the courtroom and find out from the Bailiff that the hearing is at 10:00 am. I talk to him about who I've been told is still on the case beside Plourd, and he asks me if I want to go down on the elevator with him because everyone is in the cafeteria in one of the far corners. So we head down. John Taylor, Mrs. Clarkson, Fawn and one of Fawn's friends are all sitting at a table, and everyone gives me big warm greetings and asks how I'm doing. I reply that I am so sad that Mrs. Clarkson is still here. That that we are going to have to do a round two. They want to know what's going on the CTV message boards, and I reply, "Not much right now." I pass on my news of who I was told was still on the case, but it remains to be seen if they will be in court today. We all speculate on how long a rope Fidler is going to give Spector, and if anything will be accomplished today.

It gets closer to 10:00 am, and we head back to the 9th floor. I head on into the courtroom, and see Steven Mikulan sitting in his old spot. I go sit next to him. The Judge is on the bench but it is a hearing for another case. Spector, Child Bride Rachelle Short and Plourd are all sitting in the front row. A single bodyguard (I think it's Horace) is in the back row, sitting next to another black man, but he doesn't look like the type of security guard that Spector hires. He's not large enough. The attorney I was told would be still on the case is not here. Better go recheck with my source on that. Maybe the attorney was fired again. Sandi Gibbons, spokesperson from the DA's office comes in a few minutes later. Steven and I are the only ones covering the hearing, and Sandi thinks the fire kept most away. Last she heard, Linda Deutsch was supposed to cover this, but she isn't here yet. Ciran McEvoy shows up and talks to Rod. It's, almost like old home week, except Dominick isn't here. Last I heard, he was still in London, but he might be back in New York by now.

Pat Dixon walks in and he's got a fresh haircut. He looks handsome and stately as always. Rick Ocampo is already here and will be sitting second chair. AJ is not at this hearing today, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's still on a sabbitical. I've heard he's been traveling. Looking around the courtroom I see Meredith from the Court's Public Relations Office sitting by the door. Right at 10:00 am the clerk Wendy calls out, "Ready for the Judge?" Someone whispers, "What does it say when there are more lawyers here for the family than there are for Spector." It is noticably empty in the courtroom, even more so on the defense side of the room.

Plourd stands up and tells the Judge that there are two declarations. One from Spector himself, documenting his efforts to sign up a new attorney, and one from the potential attorney that has not been signed yet. He wants these to be submitted exparte and sealed, and Dixon objects. Dixon doesn't think there's anything in there that needs to be sealed. I look on over at Rachelle and notice that her hair straight down, not fixed and overly streaked again. Her outfit was unremarkable for once. Just black slacks and a half sleeve type of jacket/top. I didn't even see what Spector was wearing.

As the Judge is reading the documents, Linda Deutsch arrives. After reading the first document, the Judge grants the exparte and sealing of the document stating that it deals with financial arrangements Mr. Spector is going to get to obtain counsel. After he reads the second document, he grants the exparte on that one also. The Judge mentions that he does want Mr. Spector to have counsel that he feels comfortable and confident with, and with the sealing of the documents, Mr. Spector is not ready to reveal who his new counsel might be, and since the counsel still hasn't signed the document yet anyway. Dixon asks if the counsel will remain "Mr. X?" And someone replies, I didn't catch who, "Or Mrs. X." Plourd asks that a continuance be given until November 6th, and the Judge grants the motion. The Judge then says, "10:00 am, November 6th, oh-sixty." After he leaves the bench, all three of us turn to Sandi Gibbons for an explaination of the oh-sixty. She says that it's a straight waiver, and a set up of "sixty days from November 6th." That means that Spector has the right to a speedy trial in 60 days from November 6th. Sandi indicated that this would be the first of many continuances.

As I walk towards the elevators, I see Linda Deutsch in deep conversation in the middle of the hall with Chris Plourd. Ciaran and Steven and I all catch an elevator together, and Steven asks if we all have time to get coffee. Ciaran has to go to his office to follow up on this, but he can in a bit. I can't; I have to go shop for fabric, so we say our goodbyes until November. It's going to be more of the same, throughout the rest of the year.

I'll update this with a bit more info when I get home tonight.