Radiance3 wrote:
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I think that investigator Rachel Mitchell did not do a good job. She did not interrogate her to prove her case. I think she instead helped her. It was an embarrassing performance.
Actually. Mitchell did an excellent job under the circumstances. She even commented toward the end of her questioning that conducting a witness interrogation in five minute intervals, alternating with five minutes of comments by the senators was not the prescribed method of questioning a witness. Mitchell said that a one on one meeting, just the two of them is the proper method. It would make them both more comfortable and remove the stress of being under public scrutiny.
I just watched for the third time prosecutor Rachel Mitchell's questioning of Blasey Ford in its entirety. I paid close attention to Ford's responses to the questions.
Blasey Ford is accusing Kavanaugh of an assault that occurred 36 years ago. Initially, Mitchell focused on events of the alleged assault and Ford began many of her responses to these questions with, "I don't recall exactly . . . . .", "I can't remember if . . . . ", "I'm not sure about . . . . ." "I'll have to get back to you . . . . "
Later on Mitchell focused on events as recent as July this year, asking Ford questions about her communication with Feinstein, her attorneys, and the Washington Post, referring to specific details about those contacts. Again, Ford responded with, "I don't remember exactly . . . .", "I don't recall if . . . ." "I'm not sure about . . . . ", " I don't know for sure . . . "
I also watched a video of the same questioning as an expert on body language analyzed Ford's mannerisms, facial expressions, eye, hand and body movements, voice inflections, breath control, and other elements of physical responses. The most striking thing was Ford's almost instant transformations from a timid, frightened 14 year old girl into a stoic, defiant woman. The body language expert said this behavior is indicative of a person with much to hide acting out a role.
And, I watched Blasey Ford's opening statement. I saw the 14 year old girl, near tears, choking and whimpering and talking with teenage "up-speak inflections. It was pathetic, not to mention unbelievable.
I'll give Rachel Mitchell a
for her interrogation of Ford under difficult circumstances.