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2-3 Trial Excellence 7 (1990-1991)
How Gerry Spence Won the Imelda Marcos Trial

handle is hein.journals/jurexp3 and id is 65 raw text is: Trial Excellence Vol. 2 No. 8 Artists fail most often when create in a way that they think will please others. They succeed when they create from within, and share their unique artistic vision. Lawyers are no different. I also received a mailing piece from another publisher, promoting a book on trial persuasion. This one was accompanied by a picture of an advocate, standing about five feet too close to the jury, with hand on jury rail! That may work on Perry Mason or LA. Law, but everywhere else it is too violative of the jury's space. A Report from the Front Lines How Gerry Spence Won the Imelda Marcos Trial The jury verdict in the Imelda Marcos trial - not guilty on all counts was, to most observers, a stunner. At least if you've been following the reports in the newspapers. Virtually every media account gave this slant: Gerry Spence was a little out of his element in New York City. He was not well prepared to defend Mrs. Marcos. The other attorneys for Mrs. Marcos, and those for co- defendant Adnan Khashoggi, were all displeased with Spence. Spence gave a rambling opening statement. The judge kept admonishing Spence in front of the jury. And so on. But Gerry Spence won. And he did it, remarkably, without putting on a case in chief, How did he do it? Well, some have argued that Spence didn't so much win it as the govern- ment lost it. That's a tough one to call. But when you're the quarterback of the winning team, you're the winner, even if the other team fumbled on the goal line. As a witness to part of the trial, and as a long time Spence observer, I have my own view as to what makes him a winner: Gerry Spence has a complete, almost instinctive grasp of the Gestalt of courtroom performance. In addition to whatever preparation (or lack of it!) he makes, Spence utilizes performance principles in harmony with his natural gifts (commanding voice,

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