Assistant State Attorney Kostrzewski demonstrates the Jedi mind trick.

Does everyone remember the Jedi mind trick from the movie Star Wars?  Without getting too geeky and talk Star Wars nonsense that I'm not to familiar with, the Jedi mind trick was a technique used by the Jedi to influence and control the minds of others through the use of the "Force" that only they posessed, take a look at this example of the mind trick in use...

So what does this have to do with our story?  Simple.  As you read through the hundreds of pages of deposition transcripts from the Bernardo Barrera mortgage fraud case, you come away with the feeling that Detective Jorge Baluja was being told what to do and say by Assistant State Attorney Bill Kostrzewski.  The more you read, the more you realize that the Detective didn't do anything on his own, but was instead following orders from the ASA.  Why?  I can't answer that question as I thought the ASA wasn't to meddle in the actual investigation of a crime, I was under the impression that his role was strictly as an advocate for the court.  Regardless, in one instance during one of Detective Baluja's depositions, the defense attorneys seem to be having a hard time getting the Detective to cooperate with their questions and in an effort to make things move along, ASA Kostrzewski offers to ask the Detective a few questions perhaps to clarify a few points for the defense, let's take a look...

OH!  That's great!  Now, watch as ASA Kostrzewski's attempt at using the Jedi mind trick on Detective Baluja backfires...

WHAT?!  The Detective clearly answers yes and through ASA Kostrzewski's incredible lawyering and deposition skills he turns that "yes" into a useless "I can't recall"!  NICE WORK!  I can't wait to see Mr. Kostrzewski perform his magic in court!