Yogi Berra is supposed to have said “You can observe a lot just by watching,” and that is not a bad method of learning the principles and techniques of cross-examination. You sometimes even learn more from watching a wretched cross-examination than you can from watching a brilliant one. Set forth below are videos of cross-examinations performed in celebrated trials both recent and historical. In the videos you will see examples of both wretched and brilliant techniques.
STATE OF TEXAS vs AMANDA HAYES
Amanda Hayes stood trial for helping her husband kill and dismember his ex-wife. She defended herself by claiming that she was an innocent victim of circumstance who knew nothing of the murder until her husband told her about it and enlisted her aid in disposing of the body.
Amanda Hayes Cross-Examination https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BCd0bGDZDw
STATE OF TENNESSEE vs JESSIE DOTSON.
Jessie Dotson stood trial for the mass murder of his brother and five other people. The State contended that he killed his brother in an argument and then killed the others in an attempt to eliminate witnesses.
Jessie Dotson Cross-Examination https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_hHcpos5tk
STATE OF TEXAS vs JODI ARIAS
Jodi Arias stood trial for killing her boyfriend Travis Alexander, who was found dead in his home with 27 to 29 stab wounds in his body. Arias claimed she killed Alexander in self-defense.
Jodi Arias Cross-Examination, Day 1, Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Muqjj4B_9Kg
Jodi Arias Cross-Examination, Day 1, Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl21IwjLkQ0
Jodi Arias Cross-Examination, Day 1, Part 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl21IwjLkQ0
Jodi Arias Cross-Examination, Day 2, Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23SBSj5VhL0
Jodi Arias Cross-Examination, Day 2, Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7czwIw9iPc
Jodi Arias Cross-Examination, Day 2, Part 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7czwIw9iPc
Jodi Arias Cross-Examination, Day 3, Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRxKpQqfBrE
Jodi Arias Cross-Examination, Day 3, Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuDwXwt9UHs
Jodi Arias Cross-Examination, Day 4, Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DHS3h4Cp98
Jodi Arias Cross-Examination, Day 4, Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQY1hwcSpY4
Jodi Arias Cross-Examination, Day 5, Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIpwiPxPn7Y
 Jodi Arias Cross-Examination, Day 5, Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_TCy2_816Y
Jodi Arias Cross-Examination, Day 5, Part 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iniso_hINQY
STATE OF FLORIDA vs MICHAEL DUNN
Michael Dunn stood trial for murder and attempted murder for firing multiple shots into an automobile which was playing music too loudly to suit him. Dunn claimed he acted in self-defense. The jury convicted him on the attempted murder counts but hung on the murder count. Dunn awaits retrial on the murder charge.
Michael Dunn Cross-Examination, Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtqSnInyWQo
Michael Dunn Cross-Examination, Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0WlOniKN68
Michael Dunn Cross-Examination, Part 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWaRfKDBXfI
Michael Dunn Direct Examination https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvUZxfG6VBI
INTERNATIONAL MILITARY TRIBUNAL vs HERMANNN GOERING
Hermann Goering, who at one time was Adolph Hitler’s right-hand-man, stood trial at Nuremberg for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Goering proclaimed himself to be “not guilty in the sense of the indictment.” He testified that he was blindly loyal to Hitler and completely ignorant of the Holocaust.
Nuremberg, Cross-Examination of Hermann Goering, Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfwujaV7Ia8
Nuremberg, Cross-Examination of Hermann Goering, Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clNXvdkJs44
Nuremberg, Cross-Examination of Hermann Goering, Part 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuI9IfbPsKk
Nuremberg, Cross-Examination of Hermann Goering, Part 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKRZCyO-htE
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA vs OSCAR PISTORIUS
Oscar Pistorius, the “Blade Runner,” stood trial for the murder of his girlfriend. Pistorius claimed that he accidentally shot his girlfriend in self-defense when mistook her for a burglar.
Oscar Pistorius Cross-Examination, Appears to Change His Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rcVtBcvCTo
Oscar Pistorius Cross-Examination, Summary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geNb0u5pHdg
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA vs O.J. SIMPSON
Mark Fuhrmann was an L.A.P.D. officer who participated in the investigation of the murders of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman. Fuhrmann discovered key evidence in the case, and the defense attempted on cross-examination to establish that he fabricated the evidence because of his bigotry and racism.
Mark Fuhrmann Cross-Examination https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfMrZk5H2tY