Cross Examination: Jordan Nelson

1.) Mr. Nelson, how often do you visit Pat at his home?
a. Once a year.
2.) For how long?
a. About a day each time.
3.) So you visited Pat once in 2006.
a. Yes.
4.) And once in 2007.
a. Yes.
5.) Just once in 2008?
a. Yes.
6.) How many times in 2009?
a. Yes.
7.) And how many times this year?
a. Once so far.
8.) So in the last five years, approximately 265 weeks, you have visited for a total of
less than one week.
a. Yes.
9.) How can you possibly have an accurate idea of the state of the house given so
little time spent in and around it? * I think this is poorly worded, not sure how to
rephrase for strength.
a. I grew up in that house. I’m quite familiar with it.
10.) But that was years ago. You said your parents kept great care of it, but
remember that Jan was sick for a long time, and Pat spent much of that time
caring for Jan. Attention to maintenance would have lessened. Additionally, you
spent little time at your parents’ home even before Jan’s death. Upon what are
you basing your assertion that the house was in good condition? * I know this is
much too wordy, and I don’t know how to break it down.
a. My memories.
11.) Not personal, recent experience with the house?
a. I don’t have any recent knowledge of the house, aside from the
renovations and alleged reasons.
12.) Then what reason do you have to disbelieve it?
a. Because Alex is untrustworthy.
13.) But Pat supports the reasons for renovation as well. Is your father a liar?
a. Of course not!
14.) Then why don’t you believe him about the renovations?
a. Um…. * I have no idea how a competent witness would have responded to
this line of questioning. I’m just assuming it would turn out something like
this. The point of this section is to prove that Jordan has little to no idea
what the state of Pat’s life is right now.
15.) Let’s go back to Alex. You say in your affidavit that Jan would be rolling
in her grave if she saw what Alex was doing with the money, correct?
a. Yes.
16.) But you also say that Jan left enough money for Pat to be comfortable.
True?
a. Yes.
17.) Is Pat living comfortably?
a. I guess not.
18.) So what is wrong with the way the money is being used?
a. It’s wasteful!
19.) But the money is for Pat, and if Pat doesn’t mind being wasteful, why
shouldn’t he be?
a. Because Jan wouldn’t like it.
20.) What was the purpose of the money that Jan had put away?
a. For Pat to live comfortably.
21.) And we’ve established that Pat is living comfortably. So aside from your
assertion that Jan wouldn’t like it that Pat is being “wasteful”, why do you dislike
how the money is being spent?
 a. I just don’t think Jan would like it. * At this point, I’m not sure what to do.
I want to do something that makes it seem like Jordan is just using Jan’s
opinion as an excuse to hold onto the money for personal reasons, but I’m
not sure how to structure such a question.

Other than these questions, I’m not sure what else to cover. What I really want to
accomplish is make Jordan look greedy or like he doesn’t really understand how Pat is
living, and I think these questions cover that.