I thought this was a joke. No one calls me that in real life. I answered<\/p>\n\n\n\n
in the same tone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He again announced: \u201cYou were a JUROR on the Westmoreland ver- sus CBS Trial.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWho is this?\u201d I demanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
***<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Four days later my husband and I were entering the lobby of The Scottsdale Princess Hotel in Arizona. I\u2019d been invited by the American Bar Association to be on a panel representing the Westmoreland CBS trial\u2019s tenth anniversary. As I signed in at the counter, I saw the brochure announcing the event we were to attend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The panel\u2019s names were in alphabetical order: Boies, Dorsen, Kovner, Leval, Smith, Vradenburg, Wallace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The name Roth was nowhere to be found. Boies was nowhere to be seen at the convention neither was Smith. I laughed to myself, I wondered which one I replaced at the last minute?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I felt like a country bumpkin surrounded by hundreds of first amend- ment attorneys from all over the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There was a cocktail party upstairs for anyone that wished to attend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My husband and I stayed close together as we navigated the sea of suits and ties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It seems that many old friends were in attendance. I heard my name, I looked over my shoulder, and saw Mike Wallace motion for us to sit with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I can\u2019t describe how that gesture made me feel<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He greeted both Bob and I with incredible warmth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we were about to sit, Senator John McCain appeared. Mike and John shook hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mike immediately introduced Bob and I to the senator. \u201cPat was a juror on the Westmoreland trial; she\u2019s going to be on the panel Saturday; she wrote a book about her jury duty experience,\u201d he said a lot more that I can\u2019t remember, being too busy processing the fact that hard-nosed Mike Wallace was promoting my book to the senator of Arizona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The moment John left, Mike turned to Bob and me, \u201cWatch, he\u2019s going to be president some day!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The place was packed, I didn\u2019t know where to look but someone came into focus walking toward us and I froze; it was David Dorsen, the attorney for Westmoreland that I wrote about so unflatteringly in my book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I wanted to hide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He shook hands with Mike. I thought maybe he didn\u2019t recognize me. I focused on the crowd around us. I\u2019d written that \u201che moved around so much he made me nervous, no wonder he\u2019s almost bald with all that activ- ity in his head, hair just falls out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s easy to write stupid things like that in a diary that you think no one will see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mike\u2019s voice brought me back to the table. \u201cDavid, you remember Patricia Roth, she was a juror.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before Mike could finish his sentence, David leaned over to shake my hand then Bob\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOf course! I remember her, we all stared at each other for eighteen weeks, how do you forget?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I breathed a sigh of relief! Obviously, he didn\u2019t read my book, he\u2019s acting too friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat book you wrote about the trial is a perfect addition to my law classes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Law students must be reminded how the jurors are judging them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou mean, you read the book?\u201d I asked in disbelief. \u201cYou read how unprepared I thought you were?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dorsen laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou were absolutely correct, our team was fighting with each other,\u201d he waved his hand in the air. \u201cThat was ten years ago; what are you up to these days?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He was so totally different in person; away from the courtroom he was humorous and entertaining. He was also a food critic for some big newspaper in Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It surprised me how curious these courtroom experts were about my opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was surprised at how friendly the lawyers are to each other even though they argue like cats and dogs in court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the most talked about event for the entire weekend!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal had just made headline news the night before. The story was on everybody\u2019s lips.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most eye-opening experiences for me was to hear how these lawyers processed the information before they had time to analyze it and spew it out for public consumption. Everyone had a different view. Our table was no exception. My husband leaned into the table and asked, \u201cWhat kind of an ego does this guy have anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mike Wallace leaned in and asked, \u201cWhat kind of lack of an ego?\u201d as he went on to give us his opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I realized that this guy with the reputation of being so aggressively hard on his news interviews was one of the more empathetic, caring people I\u2019ve met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat poor girl, her life has been ruined!\u201d He shook his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The American Bar Association went out of their way to put on an unforgettable event. In addition to lavish breakfasts and wonderful din- ners, they arranged tennis matches and golf games and special trips for the spouses while the lawyers were attending seminars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The barbecue after Bob\u2019s golf game was especially memorable. Bob Roth\u2019s name was called as the winner of closest to the pin. He won $50.00 to spend in the pro shop. Our table yelled and applauded as if he had broken an Olympic record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saturday was the big day for the Main Event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The panel discussion, ten-year anniversary of the Westmoreland vs. CBS trial<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I went to bed early but it ended up the worst night\u2019s sleep; I had a nature call every half hour. I ate a simple Danish and coffee for breakfast but was doubled over with indigestion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019d been milling around the breakfast tables set up in the large hall outside of the Forum Rooms. I was wearing my badge with the red ribbon speaker label. A few individuals stopped to talk to me. I worked hard at keeping on my smiley face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was shocked at my body. My mind was so eager. I have always enjoyed public speaking. But I was suddenly aware of my audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There were some interesting people at our table. A woman from Seattle had just arrived from Colorado where she\u2019d been taking a deposi- tion in a maximum-security prison. She said everyone was there; Timothy McVeigh; the Unabomber; a few serial killers. She re-counted what a sobering experience it had been. She was a criminal attorney married to a media attorney like most of the guests here this weekend. She introduced us to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He shook my hand and told me he was looking forward to hearing the inside story of the Westmoreland trial; he had followed it closely when it was happening back in the eighties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His comments put my stomach into a ball of knots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, it was time for the panel to assemble. I followed George Vradenburg, who was chief counsel for CBS and America on line, Judge Pierre Leval, Mike Wallace, David Dorsen and Victor Kovner who was Crile\u2019s personal attorney from the trial, into the large assembly hall, past rows of seats for the audience up to a platform in the front of the room. Our names were printed in big bold letters on plaques. There were five leather seats with microphones in front of each one. My seat was between Mike Wallace and Judge Leval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There was a glass in front of each chair. Pitchers of water were on the table to share. Thank God! I needed a drink the moment I sat down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There was a platform against the back wall, behind the audience filled with cameras and other technical equipment. One of the technicians pinned a microphone on me and put a battery pack in my jacket pocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I felt wired technically and figuratively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The lights in the room dimmed, speakers were turned on, and Victor tapped the microphone. He proceeded to address the audience. He intro- duced himself then introduced each one on the panel along with their bio. When he came to me he also held up my book. My heart started skip- ping beats.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n There was a large screen to our left where we were instructed to watch the documentary that started This whole thing: \u2018The Uncounted Enemy\u2019 a Vietnam Deception<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Seeing it brought back memories; I began to study the faces in the audience just as I used to do back in court after I\u2019d seen it the ump- teenth time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After fifteen minutes, Victor turned off the TV and addressed Judge Leval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHere is the man that was presiding over the libel trial of the century. Judge tell us how you felt. What did you do to prepare for this trial and what prompted you to make the rulings that you did?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Victor made a presentation gesture and stepped back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The judge leaned forward tapped on the mic and said, \u201cCan you hear me?\u201d He adjusted his glasses and began. I can\u2019t remember his exact words but he sounded good. He sounded like a judge. He described the long pro- cess of preparations. He re-counted why he deemed certain information not admissible. He went on for about ten minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thank you, your honor.\u201d Victor Kovner made a few more comments and looked over at me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPat Roth; could you tell us your thoughts and how you prepared for jury duty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell,\u201d I began. And suddenly my mouth got dry. I had to take a drink. I tried to remember those public speaking lessons I\u2019ve had in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take a deep breath, push your feet into the floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I looked at Victor Kovner. I looked at the audience. I looked at the judge and I laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy preparations were slightly different.\u201d I laughed again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was a teacher. I had to get a substitute and plan lessons for 500 students in grades K-6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, I find out for 4 or 5 months. I also was a Real Estate agent working on the biggest deal I had in four years of real estate; I was closing a million-dollar deal that I now would have to share with my colleagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I firstly considered myself an artist and was working on a commis- sion for an art gallery\u2019s holiday show that was due by Thanksgiving. I was to make life-size sculptures of the Brothers Grimm and was still researching my subject when jury duty began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now I\u2019ll have to add a one and a half-hour commute to Manhattan, every morning and every night.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I shook my head and looked at the audience shrugged my shoulders and chuckled, \u201cHow did I feel?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The audience returned a thunderous applause. \u201cPhew\u201d That broke the ICE.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n A sheepish voice from the end of the table piped up \u201cDoes anyone want to know what I was doing?\u201d David Dorsen quipped into the micro- phone. The audience chuckled and gave a welcoming clap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It turned out to be a wonderful session. Each person spoke. Some were serious, some light, and quite honest; I enjoyed the give and take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mike Wallace told us how he felt as a defendant. \u201cWhen the Plaintiff \u2019s attorneys would be at the sidebar so jovial while I sat like a victim in my seat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pierre Leval interrupted. \u201cMike we\u2019ve all heard from some of your guests that were on sixty minutes feeling that same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The audience roared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Victor shared more of the Documentary. Then the panel had an open debate session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our Forum began at 9:45 and was to end at 11:15. It was now 11:45. Kovner turned to the audience and invited questions. There were many for everyone on the panel. Victor raised his hand, appearing to end the Q and A, when a woman in the second row yelled out my name, \u201cDid you really heed the judge\u2019s warnings to not watch or read the news?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYES, my husband is a channel surfer so I knew I had to stay away from TV,\u201d I couldn\u2019t have been more honest. I paused \u201cas far as newspa- pers!\u201d I stopped and raised my hand leaning into the mic, \u201cInfluences come from all directions. This was a high-profile case. As soon as anyone found out that I was on the jury they wanted to talk about the trial. We were going to Florida for a long weekend. My husband warned me that Richard our host was going to want to talk about the trial. Just firmly tell him you can\u2019t. The minute we got into his car at the airport he began telling me he knows what\u2019s going on. Carver\u2019s on the stand showing these guys they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRichard, stop do not say another word you are trying to influ- ence me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m not trying to influence you. Everyone knows that Mike Wallace and sixty minutes is nothing but a Witch Hunt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The laugh monitor shot over a ten. Mike\u2019s laugh might have been the loudest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When the laughter subsided, a new voice yelled out the question on everyone\u2019s mind. \u201cHow would you have voted if you went to deliberations?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pierre Leval leaned into his microphone like a judge \u201cYou don\u2019t have to answer that question!\u201d Everyone laughed some more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI know that, but I feel obligated after the American Bar Association went to all this trouble and expense to bring us all here. I was leaning toward CBS. But I\u2019m not sure what would have happened in deliberations.\u201d I pointed to Leval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe judge made it very clear that we were to only consider the Defense\u2019s state of mind. Were they guilty of attempting to ruin the General\u2019s reputation?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was noon. Victor Kovner pointed to the clock. \u201cI think this is a good time to end. Thank you all for coming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The judge leaned over to me \u201cYou were great,\u201d he said as I was saying \u201cIt turned out good!\u201d at the same time. Mike grabbed my hand. \u201cYou were the star.\u201d He was grinning from ear to ear. All five of us on the panel con- gratulated each other and shook hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mike and I started to leave when he stopped to give me a hug. \u201cI\u2019ll say goodbye now. I\u2019m taking a plane back this afternoon, so I won\u2019t be see- ing you at tonight\u2019s Dinner<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMike,\u201d I hugged him \u201cIt was great to see you again. You look terrific and I want to thank you for being so public with the mental issues you had to deal with. Our family had suffered with my father\u2019s bipolar disorder back in the fifties before they discovered the proper medications. I could tell when my dad entered the room if he was manic or depressed by the dif- ference in his body odor. People like you being so open about the suffering helps to take away the stigma. Having lived for several years with it I know the pain and what you endured.\u201d He grabbed my hand with both of his and kissed me on both cheeks. I was beyond touched by his display of gratitude; his presence, his voice of such strong conviction: but as he held my hand within his, I felt his frailty<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, He is eighty years old<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The phone rang.An authoritative voice on a speaker phone announced that he was looking for Mmmm Par-trish-err Roth.I thought this was a joke. No one calls me that in real life. I answered in the same tone. He again announced: \u201cYou were a JUROR on the Westmoreland ver- sus CBS Trial.\u201d \u201cWho is this?\u201d I demanded. 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