Donald Sterling, the ousted 80-year-old majority owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, is nothing if not memorable. After a fiasco involving a racist tirade caught on tape, his lifetime ban from the NBA, and the sale of his team to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, Sterling has taken his wife Shelly to court in a last-ditch effort to save his stake in the $2 billion franchise. On Tuesday, Sterling testified in front of the courtroom and things quickly spiraled out of control.
Contentious Donald Sterling’s testimony included calling his neurologist ‘drunk’ and much more
The deposed billionaire owner made quite the scene in court on Tuesday.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Several notable reporters were in Los Angeles to cover the trial, including ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Arash Markazi, the L.A. Times’ Bill Plaschke and Nathan Fenno and the Orange County Register’s Dan Woike. Sterling’s cross-examination by veteran barrister Bert Fields was the main show of the evening, which got weirder and weirder as the day wore on.
So typical....first called witness in Sterling trial is Donald Sterling, but he doesn't show up!...Court is halted while they figure it out
— Bill Plaschke (@BillPlaschke) July 7, 2014 Shelly Sterling didn't even look Donald's direction as she walked back into courtroom.
— Nathan Fenno (@nathanfenno) July 8, 2014 Donald Sterling is very sharp on the stand. He's a lawyer, and knows exactly what's being asked of him. He's picking apart every Q
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 8, 2014 Donald to Burt Fields, voice dripping with sarcasm: "Oh, you're terrific." Really giving Fields the business.
— Nathan Fenno (@nathanfenno) July 8, 2014 Donald says of the NBA, "I’m not going to do it with them, because they’re not to be trusted. The only one who I love and trust is my wife"
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 8, 2014 Donald to Fields: "Stand up and be a man." Really getting revved up.
— Nathan Fenno (@nathanfenno) July 8, 2014 Sterling talking in circles, doesn't understand questions, challenging Fields to ''stand up and be a man''...no longer funny, just sad
— Bill Plaschke (@BillPlaschke) July 8, 2014 If you've seen any previous Donald Sterling video depositions, this is how he always is: Combative, Lawyerly, Dfficult
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 8, 2014 Sterling said his wife hired doctors for his 80th birthday so he would be healthy. He called them enemies and hired guns.
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) July 8, 2014 Sterling chokes up as he talks about his wife and looks at her. Asks for a tissue.
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) July 8, 2014 Now Sterling says one of his nuerological examining docs was drunk and wanted to finish examination after a few more drinks..
— Bill Plaschke (@BillPlaschke) July 8, 2014 Donald calls Fields a "smart ass" and says "I've never met a lawyer like this before."
— Nathan Fenno (@nathanfenno) July 8, 2014 Sterling to Fields: "Tell me where that’s relevant if you’re not just trying to be a smartass? Judge, ‘I wouldn’t have said it that way."
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 8, 2014 Sterling is so off the rails at this point you can't even see the train anymore.
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) July 8, 2014 Sterling to lawyer: "You're wrong just as everything you've asked today." Judge: "How can he be wrong, he's asking questions?"
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) July 8, 2014 Donald: "You're wrong, like you've been wrong on every question you've asked today." Judge: "How can you be wrong when you ask a question?"
— Nathan Fenno (@nathanfenno) July 8, 2014 Donald: "I don't agree with anything the New York Times says ... usually it's what they all create in their minds."
— Nathan Fenno (@nathanfenno) July 8, 2014 Judge adjourns for the day, but Donald still going: "Are you finished with me counsel?"
— Nathan Fenno (@nathanfenno) July 8, 2014 Sterling: "Are you finished with me council?" Judge: "You can step down." And we're done for the day.
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) July 8, 2014 I've read through thousands of pages of Donald's testimony from the last 20 years. Today is a typical performance. This is what he does.
— Nathan Fenno (@nathanfenno) July 8, 2014 At this point, Sterling might have lost his mind in addition to the team.
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