Reported in the Massachusetts Bar Association Journal:
Questions
actually asked in court and the sometimes insightful
replies.
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 who's 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
a 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 navel."
21. Q: "Are you qualified to give a urine sample?"
A: "I have been
since early childhood."