Bill Clinton will be remembered for a long, long time for the wrong things. Best Regards, Marshall Houston Portland, Oregon http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WAPO/19990116/V000036-011699-idx.html Federal Judge Makes Clinton Remark By Hans Greimel Associated Press Writer Saturday, January 16, 1999; 2:26 a.m. EST PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- After the first week of tense testimony in a closely watched abortion trial, tempers flared when a federal judge chided a witness by saying: ``Truthful means truthful. ... This is not a Clinton deposition!'' The remark Friday, which prompted a call for a mistrial from defense lawyers, came just minutes before U.S. District Robert E. Jones was about to recess the jury for the weekend. He quickly downplayed the statement as an ill-timed joke. ``I sincerely apologize,'' Jones told a courtroom echoing with both gasps and laughter. ``May the record reflect that the court is smiling and the witness is smiling.'' Defense lawyers, however, weren't smiling. They accused the judge of ruining the credibility of their witness, Wisconsin anti-abortion activist Monica Miller, who had simply responded to a question by asking: ``What do you mean by truthful?'' ``You yelled at this witness,'' defense attorney Denis Brenan told Jones. ``You've impugned this witness' credibility with your outburst. I call for a mistrial.'' Jones denied the motion and moved on from the gaffe, which for the moment overshadowed a case that during its first week has put the tactics of abortion foes on trial. Plaintiffs -- including Planned Parenthood and several abortion doctors -- claim that posters targeting abortion doctors and a Web site detailing personal information on ``baby butchers'' violate a 1994 federal law that bars threats of force against abortion doctors and their patients. Lawyers for more than a dozen defendants acknowledged the posters and ``The Nuremberg Files'' Web site contain strong statements and graphic images, but they maintain it is only constitutionally protected political speech. The Web site attracted national attention last October when it crossed through the name of Dr. Barnett Slepian after he was killed by sniper fire in his home outside Buffalo, N.Y. Other doctors who have been killed are also checked off, and those merely wounded are shaded out in light gray. © Copyright 1999 The Associated Press
