“I sold you a television!”
Allen Press says that the funniest thing that ever happened to him in a courtroom happened several years ago in a case he tried with Joe Jacobson in the City of St. Louis. We represented two gentlemen who had been defrauded in a business transaction by their former lawyers.
One of our witnesses was Steve Mizerany. For those of you that do not know Mr. Mizerany, he was for many years a local appliance store owner who achieved celebrity status in St. Louis from his television ads in which he would roller skate through his showroom and shout about the great deals he was offering. Mr. Mizerany was a character, to say the least, and at trial he wore a black silk tie covered with large, yellow smiley faces.
Mr. Mizerany was Mr. Press’s witness. After Mr. Press finished his questioning of Mr. Mizerany, opposing counsel began his cross-examination, but was stopped dead in his tracks when Mr. Mizerany shouted from the witness stand at the lawyer: “I know you, I sold you a television!” It was so innocent and genuine that the entire courtroom, including the judge and jury, erupted with laughter. Opposing counsel actually hid behind his legal pad to shield his own laughter from the jury.
Suffice it to say that no points were made on cross-examination. And, by the way, we won the case for our clients, too.