Page:Cesan v The Queen.pdf/16

French CJ

The judge's associate made a commotion with some papers and books and noticeable banging of the table until the judge opened his eyes. Members of the jury looked at the friends and family of Cesan during the proceedings and smiled, rolled their eyes, stared, laughed and engaged in "similar behaviour". This was most apparent when Cesan was on the stand and the judge was sleeping.

In cross-examination Mr Amaro denied that the judge normally appeared to be asleep for only a few minutes. He could only recall one specific occasion of the judge sleeping while Cesan was giving evidence. He did not recall snoring on other occasions but did remember heavy breathing.

Veronica Cabrera was a friend of Cesan who was present during most of his trial during June 2004. On each day that she attended the court she sat through the whole day. She said that her view was unobstructed. On 3 June 2004, towards lunch time she observed that the judge was sleeping. She mentioned this to the person beside her. Those present began murmuring amongst themselves. She continued to look at the judge to make sure she was not mistaken. She described him as slumped in his chair whereas previously he had been sitting upright. His head was tilted forward, his chin resting on his chest and his movements "erratic as if he was in and out of sleep". She said she had observed this behaviour for about 15–25 minutes before the lunch break interrupted. She said that the judge continued to sleep at various times throughout the trial. Often he would fall asleep six or more times in one session and would be asleep anywhere between five and 20 minutes. When taped evidence was being played the judge often slept for 15–20 minutes at a time.

Ms Cabrera said that some of the jurors and officials dozed unchecked throughout periods when the judge was sleeping. She observed court officers attempt to wake him by banging their books loudly. She said:

"It seemed as if the whole courtroom slipped into a state of irreverence."

During Cesan's evidence she heard the judge snoring. The snoring subsided after a court officer banged on the table with some papers. The judge slept at some point on every day of the trial, except one day which was shorter than the others. She was cross-examined along lines similar to those of the preceding witnesses and gave broadly similar answers.

Patricia Lawson, another friend of Cesan and his family, attended at least nine days of the trial in June 2004 and was there each day in the morning until lunch time. She remembered attending on days when taped telephone conversations were being played and the days when Cesan and Mas Rivadavia gave evidence, and when a witness for Cesan gave evidence. She could see everybody in the courtroom including the judge.