DAY 1 JURY IN: OCT 24, 2002

Okay here I go, bein' a reporter...

Today I went to Beverly Hills, California to see what I could see at the Winona Ryder trial. I criss crossed the roads off the 10 Freeway working my way upwards to the 90210 and couldn't help thinking about Brandon and Brenda and Dylan and the whole gang. When I finally noticed the sign that read, “Beverly Hills City Limit”, there was an overwhelming sense of cleanliness. I just have to remember to be calm and collective. I was early, and the actual trial was not going to start until 1:30pm so I wandered around the courtroom and tried to get on the guest list to see the trial. After a thorough cavity search, I started poking around the courthouse to find some much needed coffee (I was up all night making T-shirts).

While I was looking for coffee, I met these two strange cats who called themselves Bounty License Recovery, with a slogan, “Justice Will Be Served”. They dressed like ZZ Top and even had their own badges. Their website is www.civicusa.org I wonder if it is worth a look. As I walked down the street I wondered how strange it must be to live in Beverly Hills where everyone is so rich. I felt like everything was isolated and separated by cleanliness and luxury. I finally found a café down the street that had tables outside, just like in my neighborhood. The food was not as expensive as I thought it would be and the eggs tasted exactly the same as they do in my crappy neighborhood. That made me feel better somehow.

I went to buy a pen because I forgot that I would have to be taking notes and all that. Keep in mind, I normally make T-shirts, not scribble stuff on a legal pad. Since I couldn't find a pen anywhere in the rich stores I ended up at a Radio Shack and I bought a pen that also worked as a recording device. It was on sale and I couldn’t resist. I felt like Dick Tracy or a Soviet spy. That is, until I went back inside and was knocked on my ass by two security guards when I set off the metal detector.

Finally, after a less intensive cavity search, I walked back to the courthouse and listened to journalists dispensing justice through comments like “well, she didn’t run anybody over in an SUV” and “This isn’t good for her no matter how it turns out.” I felt kind of weird hanging out without a press credential and I wondered if I was the world’s first t-shirt journalist. Would they accept that type of credential when I apply for my press pass? I thought about mentioning Bob From Accounting, but then I remembered they made me promise if I got in trouble, I should just take the blame like a man.

Meanwhile lots of photographers were juggling for position near the window that has the metal detector on the other side. There was a lot of talk about when and where she would approach. As the crowd of journalists grew it seemed like a feeding frenzy and one journalist even mentioned that he was happy because at least this was a legitimate news story. Really? Watching someone get assaulted with cameras is news? Then I started thinking how much fun it would be to photograph the photographers. Did I mention, I usually spend my day making T-shirts?

It’s lunchtime and the courthouse is vacant, except for me. I think about leaving but decide to stay. I feel more effective at home where I can make designs and find images for more T-shirts and never have to go outside in the smog. Except for a couple that had just gotten married, it was a rather uneventful morning. And I didn't even catch the bouquet, which I guess is okay since I'm married. (Hi Honey!)

I spend several hours imagining myself in the middle of a river floating on a raft with nothing to do except wait for something to happen.Then I think a bit about the T-shirts The media trucks outside seem practiced in their patience. Some of the broadcasters are putting on their makeup or watching the monitors for other news. Most of the bystanders are disinterested sorts looking at the ground in between snappy comments. I check through the window and there are vans from a variety of networks, KCAL 9, ABC 7, Eyewitness News, CBS 2, and CNN.

I imagine creating a T-shirt news network, buying a van with a big fake antennae and a large logo on the side of the truck. Get some flashy badges and maybe some plastic surgery to sharpen my features and then drive around and make up stories like I was a professional. The news business is very predatory by nature.

I listen to other conversations about how many jurors are in the building and how many jurors are needed and if they have enough of them in the building. A woman with a Hebrew accent asked me, “Are you with this group?” I meekly replied, “I’m just watching.” There are discussions concerning Nick Nolte and his drunken driving arrest and the fact that his problem has been reduced to a misdemeanor and he won’t even have to go into trial.

I'm starting to nod off so I'll try to wrap Day 1 up now: after what seemed like ages, the jury was finally brought in and Winona sat attentively facing them. She smiled often and was gracious towards the audience and the jury. She seemed very much in control and often whispered to her attorney. She wore a pink sweater with an above the knees floral print dress with beige open backed shoes and a handbag with a fur handle, which just so happens to be my absolute outfit for this kind of function.The judge maneuvered the jury around and estimated seven days of trial. Wow, seven days of seeing Winona Ryder live in person. THANK YOU GOD.

Winona looked towards the audience after the jury left and provided a glimpse of sadness that was different from the concerned looks earlier. I stood outside with the photographers and took pictures of them taking pictures. Sorry for the brevity but I'm running late and have to get back to the courthouse. I sure hope the security guards give me my secret spy pen back. It's really hard to memorize all this stuff!

DAY ONE PHOTO GALLERY

GO TO DAY 2