Stewart's assistant breaks down during testimony

0 Comments | USA TODAY, February, 2004 | by Greg Farrell

NEW YORK -- Martha Stewart's personal assistant broke down in tears on the witness stand Monday as a prosecutor zeroed in on the events of Dec. 27, 2001, the day Stewart made her controversial sale of ImClone stock.

Ann Armstrong, Stewart's personal assistant since 1998, had already told the jury about taking a message from Stewart's Merrill Lynch broker, Peter Bacanovic, sometime between 10 and 11 that morning. Bacanovic's message was that "ImClone was going to start trading downward."

As Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Schachter asked further questions, Armstrong said Stewart was flying to Mexico for a New Year's holiday and would check in later that day. She said Stewart did, in fact, call that afternoon.

Asked by Schachter to describe the conversation...