Quotes About Trial

Experimentation is a big part of how you find the best of the best.

The trial has at any rate proved', The Times correspondent continued, 'that to plot against the constitution of the Reich is not considered a serious crime in Bavaria.

It is a foolish judge who, before the evidence is presented, makes a judgement.

Back at his office, knowing he could now never be Richard's lawyer, Adashek phoned Gallegos and asked him to visit Richard at the jail. To keep Richard from calling the press, Adashek phoned Judge Soper and asked her if she'd bar Richard from having access to the phone and telling reporters that he was guilty. Such a story would virtually destroy Richard's chances at trial if his new counsel decided to litigate the case. Judge Soper took his request under advisement.

Richard told Gallegos he was intent upon pleading guilty to all of the crimes except the abduction-molestation charges. He knew, he said, he'd probably get the death sentence, but that didn't matter. He didn't want to go through with any long, drawn-out trial that he'd lose in the end because of all the negative publicity against him. He didn't want his father to suffer the disgrace of all the details that would surely come out during a protracted trial.

Jury selection took six months, longer than most had anticipated. On January 10, 1989, a jury and twelve alternates were sworn in, comprised of six Hispanics and six blacks, seven females and five males. The Hernandezes felt it was a victory for the defense.

Midway through the jury selection, juror expert Jo 'Ellan Dimitrius was brought in to help the defense. She had a long, thin face, intense dark eyes, and bouffant platinum hair. Richard often conferred with her.

It didn't take long for the press to learn about Gallegos's prior problem with the law. Both the Times and the News did detailed front-page pieces on his arrest and trial for assault with intent to commit murder and the subsequent reduction in charges by the judge which led to the guilty verdict being put aside.

Richard was taken to San Quentin ten days after he'd been sentenced. The authorities viewed him as a security risk: they knew he had many female admirers, and they knew about the Satanists who had regularly visited the trial, and there were always rumors that someone was going to try and break him out. For security reasons it was decided it would be better if he was flown to Quentin rather than driven.

When recently asked if she believes Richard is innocent, Doreen said, "I've always fervently believed in his innocence! I can't even conceive of his being guilty of the terrible things they say he did. He received an unfair trial with very inadequate legal representation. Someday the truth will be known.

When Adashek first spoke to Richard at the jail, Richard was despondent, humble, and shy. He said he didn't think he'd ever get a fair trial, that everyone already felt he was guilty, and he wanted to plead guilty to get it all over as fast as he could. Adashek advised him not to plead guilty and to fight the case. Richard said he'd think about it and was then taken back to his cell.

On all the important decisions, Judge Nelson ruled against the defense: he allowed in the evidence recovered from the bus station and from Richard's car and his sister Ruth's house.

Judge Nelson sent the case for trial to Superior Court Judge Dion Morrow.

By the time of the jury selection, the State of California had spent $1,301,836 on Richard Ramirez, and the case hadn't even gone to trial.

Tynan gave the defense two weeks to prepare their case and set a firm court date of May 1 to begin.

Richard didn't want to put on any defense at all. He had continually told his lawyers the trial was a circus and a farce. He refused to take it seriously or give it the dignity of putting on a defense. Clark strongly urged him to plead insanity and try to show the court through expert medical witnesses that he was crazy, but Richard told him he would never plead insanity. He had his pride, his dignity.

Clark said it was stupid not to put his father on the stand. Daniel told Richard he had spoken to his mother and she had cried and begged him to convince her youngest-born to put up a defense. That seemed to strike a chord somewhere deep inside of Richard. He said he would like to talk with Dr. Jo 'Ellan Dimitrius and ask how the jury might react if he didn't put up a defense, didn't take the stand and deny the charges.

When court resumed, Clark told the judge Richard had changed his mind and was now thinking about putting on a "limited defense," but he wanted to speak with Dr. Dimitrius. Reluctantly, Tynan agreed to give the defense until morning to decide what direction they were going to take.

Halpin finished his summation on July 21. The people had presented 139 witnesses and 537 pieces of evidence.

Tynan ruled they would continue with this jury, Richard scowled at the judge and moved about in his chair anxiously, chains rattling. The judge told the jury he was allowing their deliberations go on and read a prepared statement to them, imploring them to put Ms. Singletary's murder behind them. He reiterated her death had nothing to do with the trial and told them about James Melton, his suicide and the note. At 10:45, the jury recommenced its deliberations.

He read each juror's name: Cynthia Haden, Martha Salcido, Verbe Sutton, Alfredo Carrillo, Arthur Johnson, Lillian Sagron, Felipe Rodriguez, Mary Herrera, Choclate Harris, Arlena Wallace, Don McGee, and Shirley Zelaya.

The judge then read the verdict sheets, announced they were in order, and gave them to Clerk Josephine Williams to be read out loud. Beginning with the Vincow charge, the jury voted guilty on every one of the forty-six counts.

lately a scholar at Eton, who aroused everyone's suspicions by knowing Latin and Greek [at the Billing trial, the judge made a point of not knowing any Greek, and disparaged those who did]

A criminal trial is not a search for truth. It is much too circumscribed for that. Rather, a trial is a formalized contest for the hearts and minds of a panel of twelve. It is a quest for a verdict in which information is selected and screened (we can almost say "processed") before it is allowed to reach jurors.