I was over at the Cook County Courthouse for Day 4 of the trial of Dr. Chris Amman v CM Punk & Colt Cabana. Here are the notes from the afternoon session.

Continued Testimony of Phil Brooks (CM Punk)

Punk cannot confirm the definition of Z-Pack. “It’s antibiotics.”

Punk recalls only officially being prescribed antibiotics once.

Punk says the rest of his antibiotics were received in a small envelope. He’d text Drs. Amman or Samson, or he’d ask them in person for antibiotics.

Punk notes he could ask for them anywhere in the building. “Whenever I wanted them.”

Punk confirms getting Z-Packs from Dr. Samson

Antibiotic line of questioning is derailed by objection after objection from Amman’s attorney. Judge sustains as Punk’s attorney is not doing a great job of laying foundation for her line of questioning.

Punk confirms getting a little envelope of antibiotics on 2013 European Tour.

Punk confirms he was never given paperwork, electronic or otherwise, for antibiotics

Punk confirms symptoms would get worse as he wrestled, and would subside when he rested.

Punk’s attorney tries to ask about the Z-Pack stories from the podcast, but can’t ask without leading and is stopped by Amman’s attorney repeatedly, until line of questioning is abandoned.

Punk confirms being at 2014 Royal Rumble.

Punk describes the Royal Rumble match rules.

Punk describes the pre-match meeting that wrestlers attend for Royal Rumble.

While the eighth graders from the morning session did not return, a few wandered in for Punk’s testimony.

Punk, about the Royal Rumble being scripted: “Writers don’t have a lot of say in what happens in the ring.”

“Writers write storylines. Wrestlers put their matches together.”

Punk describes the process of wrestlers deciding eliminations. Wrestlers are given a list of entry numbers and eliminations and are supposed to build from there.

Punk can’t recall how many wrestlers he interacted with that day.

Punk was supposed to be one of the last 4 in the ring.

Punk describes a clothesline, both the move and the laundry equipment.

“Is there contact or is there simulated contact?” “Oh no. There’s contact.”

Punk describes what makes up a wrestling ring.

Footage of Kofi Kingston clotheslining Punk from the 2014 Royal Rumble is shown.

Punk confirms clothesline was planned.

Punk praises Kofi’s athleticism.

Punk confirms the clothesline gave him a concussion.

Punk can’t confirm how long he’d been in the Rumble.

Punk explains a flat back bump.

Punk says there’s no ill will or blame on Kofi for the concussion. “We probably crowded each other.”

Punk describes the feeling of being concussed.

Punk confirms he had no notes for Cabana’s podcast.

Punk told a camera guy, whom Punk only knows as “Johnny Photo,” to get Dr. Amman.

Punk stands by his version of the conversation he relayed in podcast.

Punk confirms feeling “helpless” when Amman responded to his concussion with “What do you want me to do?”

Punk confirms asking to compose himself mid-match during the 2014 Royal Rumble.

Punk has started crying.

Punk describes his judgement in 2014 as “poor.”

SIDEBAR

10-15 minute break is called, Judge tells Punk to compose himself.

Punk agrees that he disagreed with instructions during Royal Rumble.

Punk says he only had one conversation with Amman during Rumble.

Punk confirms viewing the entire Royal Rumble PPV(at a later date)

Punk cannot recall his conversation with Amman happening on screen.

Video footage of Amman is shown from later in the match, counsel states it is the only time Amman’s face is visible on tv.

Punk confirms not seeing Amman’s face on TV in his Rumble viewing.

Punk recalls The Lump first appearing in fall 2013.

Punk confirms traveling by bus from city to city while working for WWE.

Punk confirms providing his own bus.”It cut down on wear and tear.”

Punk confirms changing and showering on bus.

Punk confirms himself, AJ, Kofi Kingston and the bus driver as the main group that traveled on the bus, but there would be a “rotating crew of people.”

Punk describes the process of dropping off wrestlers at the arena. After which, Punk would stay on the bus until it was time for him to be at the arena.

Punk confirms changing on bus.

Punk confirms changing alone.

Punk is handed a target bag by his attorney.

Punk defines wrestling gear

Punk confirms that all of his gear came from a WWE seamstress, Julie.

Punk is asked to describe his gear: Speedo, trunks, kickpads, etc.

Punk takes exhibit 119, his speedo, out of the target bag.

Punk positively identifies the speedo as his speedo.

Punk mentions that it is the only speedo he ever wore in WWE, and calls the fact a “little piece of WWE Trivia.”

Punk takes exhibit 120, a pair of black and white wrestling trunks, out of the bag and positively identifies them as his trunks from the 2014 Royal Rumble.

Punk confirms that he’d wash his speedo in the sink.

Punk pulls out a pair of shorts that he would wear backstage, so as not to appear bottomless, and positively identifies them.

Punk says wearing a Gracie hoodie in his entrance was “not typical,” but it was what he had in the bus at the time.

Punk describes the fit of his gear. Trunks are tighter than speedo.

Punk shows on his person where The Lump was, points to his beltline.

Punk claims to still have a scar where The Lump was.

Punk doesn’t know why he said “back,” and not “butt.”

Punk points out on his RR trunks that The Lump would’ve been “above or around the star,” on the left side of his waist.

Punk defines a hydroculator (used to warm hot packs)

“If no one was in the trainer’s room, I’d do it myself.”

“I had a bad everything,” Punk, on his injuries.

Punk points out the area on his lowerback where he would use hot packs.

Punk said no one ever applied a heat pack near The Lump.

Punk says he never received a heat pack inside his shorts.

Punk says Larry Heck never would’ve seen The Lump.

Heck was never on bus or in shower.

Punk says he was never undressed around Mark Carrano, John Cone, Tim Gaeng or Larry Heck.

Punk described the color of The Lump as “purple, reddish, blue.”

Punk confirms taking no notes about The Lump.

Punk confirms taking no photos of his butt.

Punk unsure when The Lump started getting “tough.”

Punk describes The Lump as “super, super sore,” even when getting dressed.

Punk said The Lump felt like it was radiating heat.

“A lot of things hurt, I’m still throwing myself on the ground.”

Punk confirms Cabana’s account of seeing The Lump.

“If anyone’s gonna see my butt, that isn’t my wife, it’s Scott.”

Punk describes the camo shorts entered into evidence as “standard issue…straight edge kid pants.”

Punk, on wearing shorts in winter: “Shorts and a hoodie, that’s what I wear.”

Punk says massage therapist from Spa Soak on Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago would’ve seen The Lump.

“It was hard to miss if I was naked.”

Massage therapist was told, and asked about The Lump twice.

Punk confirms AJ was employed by WWE.

Text messages between AJ & Punk, regarding The Lump

1/28/2014- “This fucking lump hurts.”

Punk describes this text as “telling [AJ] how my day went,” which got a chuckle from the court.

Punk describes this text as “telling [AJ] how my day went,” which got a chuckle from the court. “I’m going to stab it.” -Punk, joking in a text about The Lump.

Later text message: “I’m going to poke this growth on my butt. it’s time.”

AJ: “Let me bring you to a doctor.”

Punk: “Noooo, baby” “I don’t like ’em.”

Later text: “This thing on my butt/back fucking hurts. I hate doc Amman for not helping me.”

When AJ texts Punk, saying she’s on her way to orlando, Punk responds: “I have a giant growth on my upper left butt.”

Punk, in a text: “This thing is starting to really hurt. I think it’s a person.”

Punk on 2/13/2014 (date of visit with Physician’s Assistant Patrick Duffy): “Your dreamy doc says its a staph infection.” -Punk believed Duffy was a doctor because AJ believed Duffy was a doctor.

End of text messages

Punk confirms never texting Amman about The Lump.

Punk dates showing Amman The Lump in fall of 2013.

Amman asked how long it’d been there, Punk wasn’t sure, and said it didn’t hurt.

Punk made no notes, no one was there.

Punk says this conversation happened in the trainer’s room.

Punk describes showing Amman The Lump a second time, as Punk was hoping to get it cut out.

When asked about wrestlers routinely have everything from zits to lumps cut out, Punk says “Wrestlers are a strange breed.”

Punk says he showed Amman The Lump at the Royal Rumble.

When asked about comparing The Lump to a baseball, Punk says, “It’s what I said and it’s what it looked like.”

“It looked raised.”

Punk on The Lump: “It felt like a giant mass, and it felt like it was on my butt.”

AJ is present at the Rumble meeting.

Punk says AJ cared more about Punk’s health than Punk did.

Punk confirms hundreds backstage at Royal Rumble.

Punk stands by conversation described in podcast, but “not accurately.”

Punk described constant pain caused by The Lump.

Punk stands by his podcast statements, or at least the “gist” of it.

Punk says golfball and baseball comparisons felt right.

Punk says The Lump looked like a bruise at the Royal Rumble.

Punk says Amman said he’d take care of The Lump.

After the Royal Rumble, Punk felt “hurt,” “furious,” and “confused.”

Punk recalls asking “cut this fucking thing out of me,” but cannot recall Amman’s response.

Punk believed Duffy was a doctor, and supposedly told him to take antibiotics for two weeks and then return for removal.

Punk confirms that Patrick Bateman is “an eccentric serial killer,” played by Christian Bale, and felt that Patrick Duffy looked like Patrick Bateman with white hair.

Punk stands by description of visit to Duffy, but cannot speak to the intent of the words.

Punk recalls Duffy calling The Lump staph infection.

Punk confirms not knowing the difference between Staph and MRSA.

Text Message from Punk to AJ: “gotta be out on antibiotics for two weeks before he can remove it.”

Text Message from Punk to AJ: “I’m going to fucking email Vince and bury Dr. Amman.”

About the idea to email Vince, “I had a eureka moment as to why I’d felt so bad for so long.”

Text from AJ to Punk: “I can’t believe Dr. Amman didn’t catch that.”

Text from Punk to AJ: “I showed this to doc twice.”

AJ and Punk continue to discuss treatment.

Text from Punk to AJ: “He’s going to cut it open and drain it.”

Text from Punk to AJ: “This is dumb. Staph can kill you.”

Punk felt discharge on his neck during procedure, hence podcast comment about fluid hitting the ceiling.

Texts From Punk to AJ, rapid succession it seems:

“Says its all infected.”

“They’re squeezing me to death.”

“I died.”

“Ugh.”

“Saying it was a cyst.”

End of text messages.

Punk confirms memory of Duffy diagnosing The Lump as staph upon initial exam.

Counsel shows Punk Duffy’s medical report.

Punk, about antibiotics: “I felt better immediately.”

There is a series of objections to Punk’s attorney’s next bit of evidence, a page of texts between Punk and his “adopted sister” Chez, and it ends in a furious judge calling a 10-15 minute break, while they determine if the text exchange. Judge is also furious about unwillingness by both sides to set an actual schedule for Monday and Tuesday.

Break

Judge allows just the first text to be admitted. It is Punk telling Chez about The Lump, the treatment by Duffy, and Amman. This is dated 2/14/2014 (one day after Duffy procedure)

Punk explains his relationship with Chez.

Punk stands by the text message.

Punk felt “relief” after the podcast. “I could move on with my life.”

Punk never listened to the podcast because “he lived it.”

Counsel: “Do you feel bad about anything you said in this podcast?” Punk: “No.”

Punk confirms the text exchange with Colt that ends in “but fuck him.” Him referring to Amman.

“Everything was the truth, and I think the truth can hurt.”

“He was threatening my friend with lawyers.”

Punk stands by the “essential truth” of his story on the podcast.

End of Day 4.