On May 21, 2002, I was present at the Attorney General's Office in Springfield, Missouri, to take the deposition of Lee Allen Martin. Mr. Martin walked into the conference room and immediately started asking me questions of how many years I've been a court reporter, where I'm originally from, and what agency I'm with. He started to ask me how many times I had worked for the Attorney General's Office, and Mr. Krause cut in and said Mr. Martin would have to do this on the record. Mr. Halcomb then walked in and wanted to get started. Mr. Martin said he would like to ask me some more questions before we got started. He asked when I found out about the deposition, and he then asked me if I had to take an oath. I said that yes, I did to be a notary public. He asked what that oath was. I said it is to be a notary public to enable me to swear witnesses. He then asked what the specific oath was that was said to me, and I said I didn't know; that was three years ago. He then said that since I didn't know my oath, he questioned my ability as a court reporter, and then he made his objection on the record.

I asked him to raise his right hand to be sworn, and he asked me if I was authorized to swear him in, and that's when I refused to go on. He was very rude and had me in tears. If I was told from the beginning that he was going to challenge my abilities, I would have handled the situation at first differently. I thought he was just making small-talk.

I am a Registered Professional Reporter and, also, a Certified Shorthand Reporter. I am an officer of the Court, and that also enables me to swear the witness. The oath that I didn't have memorized has nothing to do with my ability to be a court reporter and make a very accurate transcript.

DEBBI J. SONNTAG Notary Public
Christian County, State of Missouri
My Commission Expires Sept. 2.2003
DEBBI SONNTAG, PRR, CSR