# Looking for an oldish vid - something like "10 Rules of Cross-Examination!"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-oldish-vid-something-like-10-rules-of-cross-examination/606815>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [December 20, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-oldish-vid-something-like-10-rules-of-cross-examination/606815 "2011-12-20T04:16:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-oldish-vid-something-like-10-rules-of-cross-examination/606815/1 "2011-12-20T04:16:44Z")

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I saw it back in the 90s. It was a VHS tape. I was on the debate team, and the coach showed us a magnificient old video - the theme was effective cross-examination. Video was 80s or 90s. The lecture (in the video) was given by a crankyish old professor/lawyer type. It’s hazy, but it seemed like the video was aimed at law students. It was absolutely great. The “professor”, or lawyer, or whatever he was hilarious in that cranky way. The absolute highlight, and indeed the reason I’m searching for the clip:

One of the points was something like “NUMBER X: NEVER ASK THE LAST QUESTION!”

And it had this cranky old bastard gloriously retelling an old cross-examination joke. He attributed it to Lincoln, but I doubt that’s true. The delivery is just great. He’s shouting, pounding the table, acting all the parts. That’s why I want to find this clip or video again, it’s just great. Anyways, the cross-exam joke goes something like:

Lawyer: “So, Mr. Jones. You say you saw Mr. Clark bite off Mr. Smith’s nose?”

Mr. Jones: “Yes”

…numerous questions in between, detailing how it was midnight, it was a new moon, it was overcast, Jones was 200 yards from Clark and Smith, how Jones was nearsighted, etc. Making the claim seem completely untrustworthy.

And then the lawyer, at the exact moment he should stop asking questions, feeling triumphant, despite having completely destroyed the witness’s testimony credibility, asks something like:

“WELL, Mr. Jones. It was MIDNIGHT, a NEW MOON and OVERCAST. You were at least 200 YARDS AWAY. You admit to being NEARSIGHTED, and a bit DRUNK. So how is it that you’re certain that Mr. Clark bit Mr. Smith’s nose off?”

/lawyer feels smug

Mr. Jones: “Well, I ran up to Mr. Clark and then he spit it out.”

Anyone know the vid?

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**Author:** ![buncombe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@buncombe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buncombe)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-oldish-vid-something-like-10-rules-of-cross-examination/606815/2 "2011-12-20T05:19:35Z")

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I know exactly what you’re talking about, and I can’t find the vid right now, but the lawyer giving the lecture is Irving Younger.

> **[Irving Younger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irving_Younger)**
>
> Irving Younger (born Irving Yoskowitz; November 30, 1932 – March 13, 1988) was an American lawyer, law professor, judge, and writer. He is well known among lawyers and law students for his energetic talks on effective trial advocacy and legal history.
> Younger was born in New York City and attended high school at the Bronx High School of Science, followed by undergraduate studies at Harvard University, from which he graduated in 1953. After serving for two years in the United States Army, Younge...

I’ll see if I can’t find the vid… Though you may need to check it out from a nearby law school.