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The
Trial of Bernhard Goetz:
Testimony of Myra Friedman
 Direct Examination by Gregory Waples: Waples:
Do you consider
yourself a friend of him? Friedman:
No, absolutely
not. Waples:
Have you ever considered yourself a
friend of the defendant? Friedman:
Absolutely not. Waples:
How do you
characterize your acquaintance with him? Friedman:
Mr.
Goetz
was
and is a distant acquaintance. I had
nothing to do with him. Nothing. Cross Examination by Barry Slotnick: [After
Friedman admitted that she had not called the police to identify the
subway gunman, Slotnick asked a series of questions.] Slotnick:
Were you aware of the
fact that on December 29, 1984, other than Mr. Goetz, you were the only
other
person that knew who the tall, blond man on the train was? Waples:
Objection.
How could
she
possibly know that? [Objection
overruled.] Friedman:
I wondered if anyone
else knew about that but thought that I was the only one that knew. Slotnick:
You were aware, after
the phone conversation, that Mr. Goetz had not turned himself in? Friedman:
Yes, I was aware of
that. Slotnick:
And
you did nothing
to alert the authorities who the. person on the subway was? Friedman:
No, I did not. Slotnick:
As
a
matter
of fact, were you--when Mr. Goetz called, did he call you Myra or Miss
Friedman? Friedman:
He called me
Myra. Slotnick:
And
did you call him
Mr. Goetz or Bernie? Friedman:I
called him
Bernie. Slotnick:
As
a matter of fact,
during the phone conversation, you not only asked him what happened,
but you
rendered advice to him: "Bernie, this is what you should do": things of
that
sort? Friedman:
I
most certainly
suggested that he turn himself in. Slotnick:
And
did you tell
Bernie, "I'm not going to tell a soul"? Did you tell him that? Friedman:
sure,
yeah. Slotnick:
And
did you also say,
"Bernie,
when
you get in tomorrow, give me a call"? Friedman:
Yeah, something like
that. Slotnick:
In
other words, did
you express to Mr. Goetz sympathy, concern, and care? Friedman:
Of some
nature, yes, I did.... Slotnick:
Miss Friedman, when
you had this phone conversation on December 29, 1984, the first one you
taped,
you expressed the feeling that Mr. Goetz was innocent of any
wrongdoing. Why did you have that
impression? Waples:
Your Honor, I
object. Justice
Crane: Objection
sustained. The jury is to disregard questions
that don't have answers. Waples:
This is
outrageous. Justice
Crane: Mr. Slotnick, please don't reveal any contents of any
conversations between the witness and your client. Slotnick:
Without going into
words,
did you
have
an impression as to Mr.
Goetz's
culpability? Waples:
Your Honor-- Justice
Crane: Objection
sustained. Waples:
Would Your Honor
direct Mr. Slotnick to please cease and desist from this line which you
have
already ordered him not to pursue? Justice
Crane: Mr. Slotnick, please
don't ask any further questions about the communications at all and go
on to
another subject. I think you have had enough on this line.... Slotnick:
Now, between the time
he left your apartment and the time he returned, did you happen to call
the
police and the authorities and say, "The man you are looking for has
just been in my apartment"? Friedman:
No, I did
not. Slotnick:
And when he left your
apartment, it was still Bernie and Myra, was it not? Friedman:
Well,
yeah. Slotnick:
Now,
he came back,
and when he came back he came back with a package, is that correct? Friedman:
That's correct. Slotnick:
And
you let him
in? Friedman:
Yes. Slotnick:
And
it was stilI Bernie
and Myra, was it not? Friedman:
I
don't remember. I
don't remember if he said "Myra"
or
just "you." I
mean, I don't
remember. I mean, do you mean did he call me Miss Friedman, the answer
is
no. Slotnick:
Of
course not....You kept [Goetz's guns] in your closet? Friedman:
Yes. Slotnick:
And
you didn't say,
"Oh, no, Bernie, don't put them in my closet"? Friedman:
To
be a little less
humorous about it,
this
was a very unexpected visit. Slotnick:
Please
answer my
question. Did you tell him not to put them in your closet? Friedman:
No,
I did not tell
him that. Slotnick:
You
were and you are
and you were then a mature adult? Friedman:
At
that moment I was
kind of in a state of shock, but I am a mature adult, yes. Slotnick:"That
was the
thirtieth, is that correct? Friedman:
Yes. Slotnick:
Isn't
it a matter of
fact you kept the package in your closet the entire day? Friedman:
Yeah,
uh-huh. Slotnick: You didn't call police? Friedman:
No. Slotnick:
And
you still, on the
thirtieth, maintained this concern, sympathy, as you expressed before,
about
Mr. Goetz. Is that correct, yes or no? Waples:
Objection. Justice
Crane: Sustained. Slotnick
then discussed
with Friedman her second telephone conversation with Goetz, which took
place
the following day, on December 31, and which she also taped. Here he
was
clearly trying to establish that she was an accomplice. Slotnick:
Isn't
it correct you
told him [in a phone conversation on December 31] you were very
concerned because you thought you may be committing a
crime? Friedman:
Yes,
indeed, That I-Yes, I was very frightened. Slotnick:
And
did you ever say
to him,"Well, can I drop them in the river"? Friedman:
Yes,
I said
that. Slotnick:
That
was a good way
of getting rid of them? Friedman:
Yeah. Slotnick:
By
the way, that was
your idea, not his? Friedman:
That's
correct. It
was
my
remark. Slotnick:
As
a matter of fact,
at that point really what was going on is that you and your neighbor,
Bernie,
were somewhat conspiratorial with regard to what was in your closet? Friedman:
I
did not
feel conspiratorial,
Mr.
Slotnick.
I felt scared. Slotnick:
But
the essence of it
was
you
and he were discussing how you would dispose with what was in your
closet? Friedman:
I
was extremely
concerned about being in the position I was put in. Slotnick:
Why
didn't you call
the police? Friedman:
I
did not--contrary to
the turmoil that later developed, and got out of hand--I did not want
to end up
in the headlines. Slotnick:
You
did not want to
end up in the headlines? Friedman:
No,
I did not.... |