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[Bob Pickle]

Original? There were some things that were probably unique, yes.

Here's how the first or one of the first questions went.

"Q. My name is Greg Simpson, and I represent Three Angels Broadcasting network in this lawsuit. Do you understand that?

"A. No."

Based on how that answer seemed to surprise Simpson, I think it possible that he hadn't had that sort of answer to that sort of question before.

He wanted me to explain what I meant, so I did. And it seemed to me that after my explanation he had sort of tensed up. It was the only time during the whole deposition that anyone seemed less than even keeled.

I need to explain a little after I say what I said, so make sure you read the whole thing.

Simpson wanted me to explain what I meant by "No," so I said something like this:

"3ABN is a supporting ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As such it is expected to uphold certain principles and standards, and it is contrary to those principles and standards to hire a lawyer that lies. So no, I don't understand that."

Think he's ever deposed a witness that answered the first or so question that way?

Simpson brought a lot of printouts of stuff that he wanted me to acknowledge that I had written, but how was I to verify that I really had written everything he was showing me? He certainly hadn't given the stuff to me before noon on Friday, and I wasn't provided with a computer and internet connection that I could verify everything with.

So when this kind of thing came up again and again, and I refused to say I had written this or that without verifying it, I had to get very specific and said something like the following: "On October 17, 2008, you outright lied to me." "In June 2008 you produced a document that didn't include everything you had agreed to include." He didn't deny these things, and I made it clear that I couldn't trust him.

If Alex's attorney shows up at trial with documents that he has never shown Simpson, Simpson will object for the very same reasons I did. It's standard practice. You have to verify that the documents haven't been tampered with.

So at some point Simpson gave up trying to authenticate all the printouts he had brought. And as far as the explanation for my initial "No," he did seem to tense up, but became more relaxed as we continued.

And it went downhill from there. Way downhill.

[Artiste]

Original? There were some things that were probably unique, yes.

Here's how the first or one of the first questions went.

"Q. My name is Greg Simpson, and I represent Three Angels Broadcasting network in this lawsuit. Do you understand that?

"A. No."

Based on how that answer seemed to surprise Simpson, I think it possible that he hadn't had that sort of answer to that sort of question before.

He wanted me to explain what I meant, so I did. And it seemed to me that after my explanation he had sort of tensed up. It was the only time during the whole deposition that anyone seemed less than even keeled.

I need to explain a little after I say what I said, so make sure you read the whole thing.

Simpson wanted me to explain what I meant by "No," so I said something like this:

"3ABN is a supporting ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As such it is expected to uphold certain principles and standards, and it is contrary to those principles and standards to hire a lawyer that lies. So no, I don't understand that."

Think he's ever deposed a witness that answered the first or so question that way?

Simpson brought a lot of printouts of stuff that he wanted me to acknowledge that I had written, but how was I to verify that I really had written everything he was showing me? He certainly hadn't given the stuff to me before noon on Friday, and I wasn't provided with a computer and internet connection that I could verify everything with.

So when this kind of thing came up again and again, and I refused to say I had written this or that without verifying it, I had to get very specific and said something like the following: "On October 17, 2008, you outright lied to me." "In June 2008 you produced a document that didn't include everything you had agreed to include." He didn't deny these things, and I made it clear that I couldn't trust him.

If Alex's attorney shows up at trial with documents that he has never shown Simpson, Simpson will object for the very same reasons I did. It's standard practice. You have to verify that the documents haven't been tampered with.

So at some point Simpson gave up trying to authenticate all the printouts he had brought. And as far as the explanation for my initial "No," he did seem to tense up, but became more relaxed as we continued.

And it went downhill from there. Way downhill.

That may have been a first for any lawyer!  Was your telling him that he had lied to you a response to the fact that he kept asking you to verify documents and you were unable to go online to verify?

Then, in what way did it go downhill from there?

[Bob Pickle]

That may have been a first for any lawyer!  Was your telling him that he had lied to you a response to the fact that he kept asking you to verify documents and you were unable to go online to verify?

I believe so, other than my answer to his first question or so.

You know, they called Gailon and me liars in Danny and 3ABN's lawsuit's complaint against us. But in this deposition it was very clear that I was doing my best to be meticulously accurate, while 3ABN's lawyer had lied to us. I also made clear that Danny and Walt had lied, but didn't get specific about Walt, as far as I can recall.

Interestingly, Simpson never denied that he had lied to me on October 17, 2008. And in the status conference of October 30,, 2008, he never denied it either.

Then, in what way did it go downhill from there?

In lots of ways, both substantive and non-substantive. Which would you like an example of first? An example of the former concerns Brad Dunning, and an example of the latter concerns spelling. Which do you want to hear first?

[Bob Pickle]

You might remember Brad Dunning's statement in which he said that Tommy told him that God had shown him that, essentially, if he molested boys he could be healed of his medical problem.

Simpson was pushing me for when Alex gave me details about his abuse. Did he tell me in the summer of 2007? So I backed up to Brad Dunning's statement, described it in detail, told how some of the other guys said, "Tommy told me that too," explained how Brad wasn't embarrassed to describe it since he didn't fall for Tommy's twisted tale while the other guys were embarrassed because they had fallen for it, and ended by saying, "So it doesn't bother me that Alex didn't give me details in the summer of 2007."

Now if you were 3ABN, would you want all that in sworn testimony?

[Artiste]

That may have been a first for any lawyer!  Was your telling him that he had lied to you a response to the fact that he kept asking you to verify documents and you were unable to go online to verify?

I believe so, other than my answer to his first question or so.

You know, they called Gailon and me liars in Danny and 3ABN's lawsuit's complaint against us. But in this deposition it was very clear that I was doing my best to be meticulously accurate, while 3ABN's lawyer had lied to us. I also made clear that Danny and Walt had lied, but didn't get specific about Walt, as far as I can recall.

Interestingly, Simpson never denied that he had lied to me on October 17, 2008. And in the status conference of October 30,, 2008, he never denied it either.

Then, in what way did it go downhill from there?

In lots of ways, both substantive and non-substantive. Which would you like an example of first? An example of the former concerns Brad Dunning, and an example of the latter concerns spelling. Which do you want to hear first?

I don't find it strange that Simpson didn't deny lying, since lawyers are expected to lie as part of their profession -- everyone know that!

Of course it is better if they don't get caught or there is no proof of their lying.

[Artiste]

You might remember Brad Dunning's statement in which he said that Tommy told him that God had shown him that, essentially, if he molested boys he could be healed of his medical problem.

Simpson was pushing me for when Alex gave me details about his abuse. Did he tell me in the summer of 2007? So I backed up to Brad Dunning's statement, described it in detail, told how some of the other guys said, "Tommy told me that too," explained how Brad wasn't embarrassed to describe it since he didn't fall for Tommy's twisted tale while the other guys were embarrassed because they had fallen for it, and ended by saying, "So it doesn't bother me that Alex didn't give me details in the summer of 2007."

Now if you were 3ABN, would you want all that in sworn testimony?

No, you are right, I can't see any reason why 3ABN would want that in sworn testimony.

Is this information now in the public record?

[Bob Pickle]

You might remember Brad Dunning's statement in which he said that Tommy told him that God had shown him that, essentially, if he molested boys he could be healed of his medical problem.

Simpson was pushing me for when Alex gave me details about his abuse. Did he tell me in the summer of 2007? So I backed up to Brad Dunning's statement, described it in detail, told how some of the other guys said, "Tommy told me that too," explained how Brad wasn't embarrassed to describe it since he didn't fall for Tommy's twisted tale while the other guys were embarrassed because they had fallen for it, and ended by saying, "So it doesn't bother me that Alex didn't give me details in the summer of 2007."

Now if you were 3ABN, would you want all that in sworn testimony?

No, you are right, I can't see any reason why 3ABN would want that in sworn testimony.

Is this information now in the public record?

What Brad said is. What I said in my deposition isn't at this point since we don't even have the transcript back yet.

[Artiste]

Then I take it that when you get the transcript back, it will be in the public record?

[Bob Pickle]

Then I take it that when you get the transcript back, it will be in the public record?

Depends.

[Snoopy]

Then I take it that when you get the transcript back, it will be in the public record?

Depends.

Spoken like a true lawyer.

[Bob Pickle]

Then I take it that when you get the transcript back, it will be in the public record?

Depends.

Spoken like a true lawyer.

Depends on if 3ABN and/or Alex file part of it or all of it or any of it. I have no control over what they do with it, as far as I know.

[Artiste]

You might remember Brad Dunning's statement in which he said that Tommy told him that God had shown him that, essentially, if he molested boys he could be healed of his medical problem.

Simpson was pushing me for when Alex gave me details about his abuse. Did he tell me in the summer of 2007? So I backed up to Brad Dunning's statement, described it in detail, told how some of the other guys said, "Tommy told me that too," explained how Brad wasn't embarrassed to describe it since he didn't fall for Tommy's twisted tale while the other guys were embarrassed because they had fallen for it, and ended by saying, "So it doesn't bother me that Alex didn't give me details in the summer of 2007."

Now if you were 3ABN, would you want all that in sworn testimony?

Unbelievable that Tommy Shelton would say that to a young male!

[Bob Pickle]

A more trivial point that came up at the deposition on Friday was as follows.

Court reporters need to know the right way to spell names when they are doing the transcript. Sometimes you get asked to spell this name or that name.

So maybe around 4pm or so I said something like:

"And for the record, Tommy is spelled T-o-m-m-y, with two M's, not three. I noticed that from February 28 to June 26 on five different occasions you filed documents in which Tommy was spelled with three M's in the caption."

Simpson was looking to the side as I reached the end of that part, and got just a slight smile on his face, but didn't seem to get upset at all.

[Artiste]

Very strange that anyone would spell it that way, so it didn't bother Simpson much, then.

I get the feeling you were trying to get a rise out of Simpson from time to time. 

[Snoopy]

It seems that Bob thrives on getting a rise out of people...of pointing out their mistakes and weaknesses...