He was using a trick that defense counsel finally called him out on. He was maintaining eye contact with his attorney to see if they’d object to the question. Some attorneys will tell their client to pause after being asked a question so an objection can be raised.
He was walking a very thin line yesterday. His email response to the defense attorney asking him to verify the facts of the motion put him in a box.
He was trying to parse words in order to save his own ass.
Judge said he can look at whomever he wants. Yes most attorneys will advise clients to pause and not blurt out answers in case there is an objection. But his long long pauses with an eventual I do not recall answer was nuts. The man should never play poker!
The Viva Frei guy said the state was using their objections to coach the witness on the stand. “I object! It could be he was just XXXXX” - so the objection contained a potential response the guy could (and did) then give. He thought the judge needed to warn the lawyer not to use objections to coach the witness.