THE O.J. SIMPSON MURDER TRIAL

UCLA law professor Peter Arenella and Loyola Law School professor Laurie Levenson regularly offer their take on the Simpson trial. Joining them today is defense attorney Jill Lansing, who will rotate with other experts as the case moves forward. Today’s topic: Now picture this.

PETER ARENELLA

On the defense: “The defense never rests--even when it’s supposed to. Judge Ito rejected the defense’s proposals for continuing their case, such as immunizing Mark Fuhrman’s new testimony or striking his past statements concerning the glove. But, by allowing the defense not to rest, Ito put prosecutors in the awkward position of beginning rebuttal without knowing how the defense will end its case. Can this case get any more bizarre? Stupid question.”

On the prosecution: “To secure O.J.’s conviction, the prosecution must undo the damage of its failed glove demonstration. If they can show the jury that the brown gloves Simpson wore in some of the photos are the same gloves found at the crime scene, their present tight fit on O.J.’s hands shouldn’t matter. But, if all their glove expert can establish is a substantial similarity in appearance, the specter of that demonstration will continue to haunt them.”

LAURIE LEVENSON

On the defense: “The defense didn’t want to give it a rest. Bound and determined to end their case with a bang, they continued to train their sights on Fuhrman. But the defense must hope that the Court of Appeal is in a more generous mood this week than last. As for the prosecution’s rebuttal, the defense’s response to matching glove testimony was an ensemble of matching attorney ties.”

On the prosecution: “Back to the physical evidence. Eager to leave Fuhrman behind, prosecutors started rebuttal trying to place the incriminating gloves on O.J.’s hands. Prosecutors hope jurors will find that the gloves in the photos match two pair of gloves Nicole bought for O.J., one of which may have been worn in the brutal murders. But Richard Rubin, our favorite glove expert, must make the link.”

JILL LANSING

On the defense: “Out of a morning with no other victories, the defense salvaged the right to present evidence still being investigated, even after the prosecution rebuttal case. The rebuttal cross-examination showed that the fit of the glove is in the eye of the beholder. One person’s ‘short, tight fit’ is another person’s ‘extra folds of leather.’ What it means will depend on what Rubin, the glove expert, can tell the jury and what the jurors themselves saw during the prosecution’s now-famous glove experiment.”

On the prosecution: “The prosecution reopened their case with photos, brief, to-the-point testimony and easily accessible material. To a jury long kept waiting, this must have been welcome news. The evidence, however, will only have as much importance as Rubin’s testimony can confer on it. The closer the prosecution can get to convincing the jury that the brown gloves in the photos were those found at the crime scene, the closer they get to a conviction. How close they will get to either still is unknown.”

Compiled by TIM RUTTEN / Los Angeles Times