Judge Samuel Leibowitz at first tried persuasion. But when Gross bolted off the witness stand, the judge growled: “Bring that man back.”
Gross: “I refuse to take the stand.”
Leibowitz: “Bring him back and have the gentleman sit down on the stand, by order of the court. I will chain you to the stand with handcuffs. You cannot thwart the dignity of the court in that fashion … Your silence will be deemed a refusal to answer and the court finds you guilty of contempt.”
Gross: “Why don’t you give me the chair and let us get it over with, huh?”
Leibowitz: “Face around, Mr. Gross. Sit around straight. You are not at a race track now.”
Gross: “I wish I was.”
Leibowitz: “Now, do you want to name the people that threatened you [Gross had said his life was in danger] ? .. . You can say yes or no. If you say no … we will go on to something else.”
Gross: “Let’s go on to lunch.”
Leibowitz: “I warn you, Mr. Gross, all of this sarcasm and smart-aleck retort is going to cost you dearly.”
Gross: “How much more trouble can I have than I got?”
The only problem: his gangster alias was “Mr. G,” which is just barely sassy.
