Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Peter Bacanovic's Defense Rests in Martha Stewart Trial

Aired February 25, 2004 - 11:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: It is a pivotal day for the Martha Stewart trial, her defense team is now presenting its case to the jury.
Our Mary Snow is outside the courthouse with the latest.

Mary, good morning.

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Daryn.

And it is expected to be brief. The team for Peter Bacanovic, Martha Stewart's co-defendant, has rested its case. And Martha Stewart's team called to the stand Steven Pearl (ph), an attorney who was present at a meeting between Martha Stewart and government investigators back in February of 2002.

What the defense is trying to prove here is that notes that this attorney took differ from the account given by an FBI investigator who was also at that meeting. Some of the statements made at that meeting go directly to charges against Martha Stewart of making false statements.

Now the defense said yesterday they anticipate this will be their only witness. They want to submit documents from another witness, a memory expert, but they say that will be on paper. And once this witness is done, the lawyers will give their summations and then this case will go to the jury -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And have the defense attorneys explained why they chose not to put Martha Stewart on the stand?

SNOW: The defense team -- a person close to the defense team saying yesterday when this decision was announced that the defense really felt that the government didn't make a strong enough case. They said they were leaning toward not putting her toward the -- on the stand. They were waiting to hear about whether or not the judge would drop any of the charges. That didn't happen yesterday. Time really ran out and then they decided that they would go forward without putting her on the stand.

KAGAN: All right. Mary Snow in Manhattan, thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired February 25, 2004 - 11:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: It is a pivotal day for the Martha Stewart trial, her defense team is now presenting its case to the jury.
Our Mary Snow is outside the courthouse with the latest.

Mary, good morning.

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Daryn.

And it is expected to be brief. The team for Peter Bacanovic, Martha Stewart's co-defendant, has rested its case. And Martha Stewart's team called to the stand Steven Pearl (ph), an attorney who was present at a meeting between Martha Stewart and government investigators back in February of 2002.

What the defense is trying to prove here is that notes that this attorney took differ from the account given by an FBI investigator who was also at that meeting. Some of the statements made at that meeting go directly to charges against Martha Stewart of making false statements.

Now the defense said yesterday they anticipate this will be their only witness. They want to submit documents from another witness, a memory expert, but they say that will be on paper. And once this witness is done, the lawyers will give their summations and then this case will go to the jury -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And have the defense attorneys explained why they chose not to put Martha Stewart on the stand?

SNOW: The defense team -- a person close to the defense team saying yesterday when this decision was announced that the defense really felt that the government didn't make a strong enough case. They said they were leaning toward not putting her toward the -- on the stand. They were waiting to hear about whether or not the judge would drop any of the charges. That didn't happen yesterday. Time really ran out and then they decided that they would go forward without putting her on the stand.

KAGAN: All right. Mary Snow in Manhattan, thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com