Cross-Examination Questions for Stanley Martin
Confrontation and Initiation of Violence
1. Mr. Martin, you testified that you confronted Mr. Britto because he stepped on your foot,
correct?
2. You said to him, "Aye, what you doing man? You can't wait like everybody?" Isn’t that right?
3. Would you agree that your tone at that moment was aggressive?
4. You then grabbed onto Mr. Britto and initiated physical contact, did you not?
5. Isn’t it true that you threw the first punches during that altercation?
6. You stated that you hit Mr. Britto "a few cuffs well"—can you clarify how many punches you
actually threw?
Dominance During the Struggle
7. You also stated that during the fight, you "had the better of him," correct?
8. You were holding Mr. Britto tightly around his waist and squeezing him, isn’t that right?
9. Would you agree that at that moment, you were physically overpowering Mr. Britto?
10. You acknowledged that you continued to struggle with him even after friends tried to intervene,
correct?
Intent and Continuing Hostility
11. After the fight was broken up, did you continue to make any remarks or threats toward Mr.
Britto?
12. Isn’t it true that you still felt angry and upset after the initial confrontation?
13. Were you planning to confront him again after being separated?
14. Did you attempt to move toward him after being pulled away, despite the fight being broken up?
Perceived Threat and Justification
15. You would agree that being held tightly and punched repeatedly could cause someone to fear for
their safety, correct?
16. Isn’t it reasonable that Mr. Britto might have felt threatened and acted in self-defense, given that
you had already overpowered him once?
17. You testified that you had the upper hand during the fight—did you consider how your actions
might have appeared threatening to Mr. Britto?
Intoxication and Judgment
1. Mr. Martin, you had been drinking on the night of the incident, correct?
2. How many alcoholic beverages had you consumed before the altercation?
3. Would you agree that alcohol can impair your judgment and perception?
4. Isn’t it true that you were feeling the effects of alcohol at the time of the confrontation?
Memory and Accuracy of Events
5. Given your level of intoxication, would you agree that your memory of the incident might not be
entirely clear?
6. Is it possible that your recollection of how the fight started or how many punches were thrown
could be inaccurate?
7. Can you be absolutely certain about the specific details of who hit whom first, considering you
had been drinking?
Aggressive Behavior and Intoxication
8. Alcohol can sometimes make people more aggressive, would you agree with that?
9. Isn’t it possible that your intoxication made you more likely to confront Mr. Britto aggressively?
10. Could it be that your judgment was impaired, causing you to react more violently than you
would have if you were sober?
Cross-Examination Questions Regarding the Line
Formation of the Line
1. Mr. Martin, you stated that Mr. Britto stepped in front of you, correct?
2. Can you describe what the line looked like that night?
3. Was there any form of barrier, rope, or marker indicating where the line should be?
4. Isn’t it true that there was no clearly defined line, but rather a group of people congregating in
front of the food stand?
Positioning and Perception
5. Would you agree that people were standing around in clusters rather than in a single-file line?
6. Isn’t it possible that Mr. Britto didn’t realize he was stepping in front of you because there was no
obvious line to follow?
7. Did you actually see him intentionally push past others, or was he simply trying to get closer to the
stand like everyone else?
Reaction to the Situation
8. Instead of calmly pointing out that he may have gotten ahead, you immediately confronted him, didn’t
you?
9. Would you agree that, given the lack of a clear line, it might have been a misunderstanding rather
than an intentional act of cutting in line?