“Was he wearing any overcoat or raincoat?”
“No.”
“And was this staircase exposed to the rain?”
Mason said, casually, “If Counsel is going to lead the witness throughout her entire testimony, I suggest Counsel should be sworn.”
The judge said, “You will avoid leading questions as much as possible, Counselor.”
“All this is merely preliminary,” Scudder retorted. “There can be no question about it.”
“We’re coming to the point in this young woman’s testimony where’ there’s going to be lots of question about it,” Mason said. “I don’t want Counsel to elicit that testimony by leading questions.”
“Counsel won’t,” Scudder snapped.
“Proceed,” Judge Romley ordered.
Aileen Fell said, “Rain was falling in torrents. That staircase was entirely open and unprotected. I could see rain beating down on the shoulders of Mr. Moar’s coat as he started up the stairs.”