Housewives Marc Cherry: Felicity Huffman and Eva Longoria "Were Relieved" About Sheridan's Character Leaving Show

Get the latest details on the Desperate trial

By Baker Machado Mar 06, 2012 2:03 AMTags
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The Desperate Housewives trial was in session again this afternoon and Marc Cherry continued his redirect with a bombshell. 

In reference to a secret meeting on Dec. 10, 2008 that the Desperate Housewives creator had with show stars Felicity Huffman and Eva Longoria, Cherry claimed "they were relieved," at the secret news that Nicollette Sheridan's character, Edie, would be killed off the show.

Cherry, of course, would not tell Sheridan that her character was being killed off until February of 2009. 

Cherry was very comical on the stand and very well coached by his attorneys. He was vague in his answers and routinely answered Sheridan attorney Mark Baute's questions with "I don't recall."

When discussing the exact incident in September 2008 where Cherry had allegedly hit Sheridan, Baute asked Cherry what portion of his body he used to come in contact with the actress. 

"My fingers," replied Cherry. "But you said in your deposition that you used your hand," said Baute. "Yes, they are attached to my hand, so yes," said Cherry. This line got a big laugh from the jurors and media in courtroom, but only irked Baute standing at the podium. 

Cherry said he never told human resources about the incident and was never interviewed by H.R. during the investigation that he was cleared of. His assistants Jason Ganzel and Sabrina Wind were the ones to contact the department. Cherry did say that he felt awful about the incident. 

"How long did you feel sorry about it?" asked Baute in regards to the incident. "Well, going on three-and-a-half years now," replied Cherry.

Cherry said he was contrite when he apologized to Sheridan at her trailer that day and would later go back to the writers room to write her funny line back in the script. 

A skeptical Baute questioned that Cherry assistant Jason Ganzel interviewed with human resources about the alleged assault on behalf of Cherry and was interestingly promoted to a writer's position around November. A claim that Cherry couldn't recall. 

Cherry proclaimed in a letter to ABC's Howard Davine, that since his assistants were witnesses to the incident, there was no proof he did nothing wrong. Cherry also said that he felt vindicated after the informal investigation found him to have done nothing wrong. 

During the February meeting where Cherry told Sheridan that her character was being killed off, he claimed Sheridan was in a "good mood" coming into his office and he wasn't nervous, as Sheridan claimed, but "apprehensive" about the meeting. 

"What was the date of the bye-bye meeting?" an agitated Baute asked. "Middle of February?" replied Cherry. "Middle? You mean February 10?" said Baute. "It is a short month," replied Cherry to chuckles from the courtroom. 

"Did you like Nicollette Sheridan's character?" asked Baute. "Yes," said Cherry.

Baute wrapped up his questioning by asking Cherry a series of questions of characters that have been killed off of Desperate Housewives over the years. Cherry couldn't remember the characters of many of the names that Baute listed and said that many of them were minor or "insignificant." 

Baute proclaimed that 45 of the 48 deaths happened to characters with 15 episodes or less on the show. Cherry looked back at the list and said, "I counted 40 out of 48." 

Cherry began his direct testimony with his attorneys Adam Levin, and will continue his testimony in front of his attorneys in the afternoon session tomorrow due to witness scheduling.

Sheridan attorney Mark Baute tells E! News that they are taking the witness list out of order tomorrow in due to some scheduling conflicts. 

Sheridan's personal attorney Neil Meyer will take the stand when court reconvenes at 9:30 a.m., followed by an expert witness on profit participation named Rick Olshansky and then former ABC Studio and current CW President Mark Pedowitz. 

Cherry will continue his testimony in the afternoon session.