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kpete

(71,981 posts)
Mon Mar 26, 2012, 11:12 PM Mar 2012

A Furious Lawrence O’Donnell Interrogates Empty Chair After George Zimmerman’s Lawyer Cancels

Source: Mediate

George Zimmerman‘s attorney, one Craig Sonner, seemed a bit out of his league when he tried to answer such difficult questions from Anderson Cooper on Friday as “where is your client?” and “did he tell you what happened that night?” So it may not be that big of a shock that he canceled his appearance with Lawrence O’Donnell last-minute tonight. What may come as a surprise is that O’Donnell went on and did the segment anyway, interrogating an empty chair about who was paying its legal fees and what it feared it would have to argue to keep his client out of trouble.


The segment began with O’Donnell reporting first on some of the new developments of the Trayvon Martin story, including Zimmerman’s new claims of self-defense. He then noted that Sonner was meant to appear at the top of the hour, but not only canceled, but just “walked out of the studio”– a point that led O’Donnell into a five minute or so lecture consisting of reasons why, perhaps, Sonner wouldn’t want to appear, of assurances that he could not imagine Sonner rescheduling with O’Donnell, and O’Donnell’s assertions that Sonner could not feel particularly comfortable about his client’s chances if he wouldn’t go on the show. “He literally run away,” O’Donnell railed, “he is in our car right now taking him away from the studio.” Accusing him of “getting away with the craziest stuff any lawyer has attempted to get away with,” he warned his audience to watch him if he resurfaces anywhere else.

O’Donnell then turned to the segment his show planned with Sonner, showing the chair from which Sonner should have reported in Orlando. He did not, of course, but that did not stop O’Donnell from actually conducting his interview. He began asking questions passionately– “Who is paying you?,” “Did you represent Zimmerman in the domestic violence case in 2007?,” “Do you have photographs of your client’s broken nose that night?”– until he exhausted his list of questions, raising his voice dramatically at the empty wooden chair staring back at him helplessly from Orlando, bearing no answers.



Read more: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/a-furious-lawrence-odonnell-interrogates-empty-chair-after-george-zimmermans-lawyer-canceled/



VIDEO:
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/a-furious-lawrence-odonnell-interrogates-empty-chair-after-george-zimmermans-lawyer-canceled/
29 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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A Furious Lawrence O’Donnell Interrogates Empty Chair After George Zimmerman’s Lawyer Cancels (Original Post) kpete Mar 2012 OP
umm defense lawyers should NOT BE giving interviews to anybody and neither should police... msongs Mar 2012 #1
I can never figure out why defense attorneys go on tv anyway jberryhill Mar 2012 #2
To get more famous, to get more work, to get paid more for your work AngryAmish Mar 2012 #20
Uh... no, that's not how it goes in the legal profession jberryhill Mar 2012 #21
For poor little money grubbing ambulance chasers like myself, yes it is. AngryAmish Mar 2012 #23
That doesn't attract the best paying clientele jberryhill Mar 2012 #24
a pissed off Lawrence O' Donnel is a beautiful thing to see JitterbugPerfume Mar 2012 #3
ain't that the truth grasswire Mar 2012 #5
Really? That's good to hear. A lot of people were wondering why she didn't mention it last week. Drunken Irishman Mar 2012 #6
That's depressing since she's usually wrong about everything tularetom Mar 2012 #9
that's why it is surprising grasswire Mar 2012 #11
Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Unless it's digital. TahitiNut Mar 2012 #13
+1 stevedeshazer Mar 2012 #16
15 minutes of fame Politicalboi Mar 2012 #4
The Ending of "To Kill A Mockingbird" ..... Grassy Knoll Mar 2012 #7
Oh no! I missed it! frogmarch Mar 2012 #8
It is on the MSNBC site. TexasTowelie Mar 2012 #10
Thank you! nt frogmarch Mar 2012 #25
I love that Lawrence. Don't attempt to pull shit on him and get away with it! We need more like lonestarnot Mar 2012 #12
If I needed a lawyer I would prefer Kalidurga Mar 2012 #14
When I saw the empty chair being interrogated, I couldn't help but ROFL. Jamaal510 Mar 2012 #15
O'Donnell continues to impress me as both a good journalist and a decent human being. 99th_Monkey Mar 2012 #17
O'Donnell knows a lot about a similar previous case his father was a lawyer on muriel_volestrangler Mar 2012 #18
Very interesting -- thanks for posting this. pacalo Mar 2012 #26
They call that a "cold chair interview." sofa king Mar 2012 #19
One reason that ATTY didn't show: SamG Mar 2012 #22
O'Donnell should win a prize goclark Mar 2012 #27
Ouch davidthegnome Mar 2012 #28
Jon Stewart opened tonight's show with a piece mocking this. Seems the missed the point. lib_wit_it Mar 2012 #29

msongs

(67,394 posts)
1. umm defense lawyers should NOT BE giving interviews to anybody and neither should police...
Mon Mar 26, 2012, 11:17 PM
Mar 2012

this entire event is a disaster on the part of the law regardless of the merits of any potential cases coming out of this situation.

ALL these people in positions of authority on this matter should just STFU

 

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)
2. I can never figure out why defense attorneys go on tv anyway
Mon Mar 26, 2012, 11:19 PM
Mar 2012

Why on earth an attorney would want to talk about a pending case on television is one of those mysteries of the universe to me.

 

AngryAmish

(25,704 posts)
20. To get more famous, to get more work, to get paid more for your work
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 08:49 AM
Mar 2012

That is how it goes. There are exceptions of course. If your client is being widely reviled in the press and popular culture and people are calling for terrible things to happen to him, it may be helpful to speak to the public (and future jury pool) to get your client's side of the story out there and make sure that your client is not convicted before there is a trial.

 

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)
21. Uh... no, that's not how it goes in the legal profession
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 09:31 AM
Mar 2012

You've never heard of the highest paid attorneys.

 

AngryAmish

(25,704 posts)
23. For poor little money grubbing ambulance chasers like myself, yes it is.
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 09:47 AM
Mar 2012

I suppose there are white shoe firm attorneys who do securities law that I have never heard of, but for the retail types like myself it is important to get in the public eye.

 

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)
24. That doesn't attract the best paying clientele
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 09:51 AM
Mar 2012

And talking about a pending case on television is, IMHO, instant malpractice.

I always tell people, "if you see your lawyer on television, fire her."

grasswire

(50,130 posts)
5. ain't that the truth
Mon Mar 26, 2012, 11:28 PM
Mar 2012

But guess what?

Nancy Grace was just as brutal as O'Donnell tonight! I happened upon her show; I never watch her. She had multiple excellent guests who were authoritative and informed! She is on this like a dog on salami. She wants justice. Justice.

tularetom

(23,664 posts)
9. That's depressing since she's usually wrong about everything
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 12:40 AM
Mar 2012

and extremely vocal in the process.

She has about 1/10 the intellect of O'Donnell and I just don't think she's much of an asset to anyone trying to get to the bottom of what actually happened here.

grasswire

(50,130 posts)
11. that's why it is surprising
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 12:44 AM
Mar 2012

She is usually on the other side of these matters. But, then, she is the mother of a son, and her heart is in this.

TahitiNut

(71,611 posts)
13. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Unless it's digital.
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 12:49 AM
Mar 2012

Nancy Graceless is digital. The flaring nostrils of justice are invariably full of snot.


frogmarch

(12,153 posts)
8. Oh no! I missed it!
Mon Mar 26, 2012, 11:45 PM
Mar 2012

I'll check to see if the show will be on again. If it's not on again, I hope it'll show up on You Tube!

 

lonestarnot

(77,097 posts)
12. I love that Lawrence. Don't attempt to pull shit on him and get away with it! We need more like
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 12:44 AM
Mar 2012

him!

Kalidurga

(14,177 posts)
14. If I needed a lawyer I would prefer
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 01:06 AM
Mar 2012

that wooden chair to Sonner. At least I could get some use out of that.

Jamaal510

(10,893 posts)
15. When I saw the empty chair being interrogated, I couldn't help but ROFL.
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 01:15 AM
Mar 2012

I never would've expected someone to duck an interview on such short notice. Not even Willard Romney is that cowardly...

 

99th_Monkey

(19,326 posts)
17. O'Donnell continues to impress me as both a good journalist and a decent human being.
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 03:36 AM
Mar 2012

Thanks for sharing this, esp. since I had to cut my cable channels WAY back to
just a few (no MSNBC, no HBO, etc.) so I missed it live.

muriel_volestrangler

(101,295 posts)
18. O'Donnell knows a lot about a similar previous case his father was a lawyer on
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 06:03 AM
Mar 2012
When I worked for the Boston Phoenix, my colleague, the late Dave O'Brian, was entangled in a case involving the events that occurred when he'd gone on a "ridearound" with some Boston cops one night in 1975. At one point, the cops blew away a black hospital worker named James Bowden for the crime of driving a car with a license plate "similar" to one that had been seen on a car fleeing a grocery store robbery. Covering their asses, the cops tried to frame the dead guy for the grocery-store robbery. Bowden's family had the great good fortune of hiring as its lawyer Lawrence O'Donnell, Sr. The senior O'Donnell started out as a Boston cop. He also was counsel for the defense in the legendary Brinks Job robbery trial. And, you can believe me when I say this, O'Donnell was exactly the kind of lawyer that you do not want to see at the other table if you're a cop trying to bullshit your way out of a bad shoot that stunk to high heaven. As I recall, all of the O'Donnell sons were involved in the investigation of the case, too, and Lawrence, Jr. eventually wrote a book about it.

Dave O'Brian, naturally, was a star witness for the Bowden family in their suit against the Boston P.D. So, on the days he had to testify, I'd have to cover the trial in his place, which meant I got to watch O'Donnell Sr. at work a couple of times. Eventually, after endless delays and a near-police strike, the Bowdens won a settlement of $843,498 and an acknowledgement that James Bowden had died an innocent man. All of which is to say that, if Lawrence O'Donnell, Jr. is on this case, then it's because he's lived it once before, even though this one is immeasurably worse.

Read more: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/trayvon-martin-continued-7492410#ixzz1qJHaHk1R

sofa king

(10,857 posts)
19. They call that a "cold chair interview."
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 07:14 AM
Mar 2012

It's considered to be something of an indiscretion among journalists--or was, when journalists had more integrity than they do now. I recall Terry Gross apologizing after she continued with a cold chair interview after one of her guests walked out.

 

SamG

(535 posts)
22. One reason that ATTY didn't show:
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 09:46 AM
Mar 2012

He's afraid of being charged with perjury and obstruction of justice for the kinds of things he's been saying, and he's afraid O'Donnell would catch him in a bald faced lie, right there on the teevee!!!

Zimmerman's lawyer is teetering on the edge of obstruction of the THREE ongoing law enforcement investigations with his client's fairy tale stories he keep publicly repeating.

davidthegnome

(2,983 posts)
28. Ouch
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 11:13 AM
Mar 2012

If Sonner was afraid of the interview, why did he agree to it in the first place? Unless he had some fairly solid evidence or conviction of his client's innocence. Unless he felt that the media was destroying an "innocent man". It seems to me that this only makes Zimmerman look more guilty. Sonner is guilty of incompetence, at the very least. As much as I dislike Zimmerman and despite my utter disbelief that he acted in self defense, he should be better represented. Clearly Sonner is out of his league and a more competent attorney should be hired, or appointed.

lib_wit_it

(2,222 posts)
29. Jon Stewart opened tonight's show with a piece mocking this. Seems the missed the point.
Wed Mar 28, 2012, 01:29 AM
Mar 2012

Sometimes Jon Stewart annoys me. Like when he had Kid Rock at his rally to sing his insipid song with the lyrics:

Day by day my life gets colder
My ice grows thin, as I get older
Peace in peaces, bloody and bruised
I feel so helpless and confused

Cuz I hear screamin on the left
yellin on the right
I'm sitting in the middle tryin to live my life

Cuz I cant stop the war
Shelter homeless, feed the poor
I can't walk on water
I can't save your sons and daughters
I can't change the world and make things fair
The least that I can do
The least that I can do
The least that I can do is care

I pray and pray for life's salvation
Faith is tried and true in tribulation
Love is lost and lonely, check the news
And with these open arms I'll wait for you

Cuz I hear screamin on the left
And yelling on the right
Im sitting in the middle trying to live my life

Cuz I cant stop the war
Shelter homeless, feed the poor
I can't walk on water
I can't save your sons and daughters
I can't change the world to make things fair
The least that I can do
The least that I can do
The least that I can do is care

For the life of me, I can't see how the devil keeps enticing me
All u sees a felon, I know god can see whats right in me
How I can be labeled as a villain in the first place
When the worst case senerio is my birth place
Im just tryin to keep from fallin victim to the murder rate
Take my life lesson convincing the adolecents
There's a god up in heaven, sending down blessins
And ur furture ain't brighter than ur present
Quit Stressin

They re screamin on the left
Yellin on the right
While im sittin in the middle trying to live my life

Cuz I cant stop the war
Shelter homeless, feed the poor
Cant walk on water I cant save ur sons and daughters
I cant change the world to make things fair
The least that I can do is care

Yeah I cant stop the war
Shelter homeless feed the poor
I cant walk on water
I cant save ur sons and daughters
I cant change the world and make things fair
The least that I can do
The least that I can do
The least that I can do
Oh is CARE

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