THE O.J. SIMPSON MURDER TRIAL : THE DEFENSE RESTS

O.J. Simpson’s Dream Team of more than a dozen attorneys launched his defense on July 10, 1995 -- more than a year after the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Lyle Goldman. The defense argued that evidence linking Simpson to the crime scene was either compromised by sloppy handling or planted by police. They also sought to show that Simpson was not fit enough to overpower two victims in minutes, as the prosecution suggested. The most dramatic moment of the defense case came when tapes of Detective Mark Fuhrman, who found the bloody glove, were played in court. Among other things, the tapes and transcripts contradicteded Furhgman’s testimony that he had not used a racial epithet to describe blacks during the past decade.

Opening Statement

“The evidence in this case, we believe, will show that O.J. Simpson is an innocent man wrongfully accused. This case is about a rush to judgment, an obsession to win at any cost and by any means necessary. . . . All evidence passes first through the LAPD’s hands.

If it is compromised when it starts, it is compromised when it comes out.”

-- Johnnie L. Cochran Jr.

THe Conspiracy Theory

The defense has long claimed that O.J. Simpson was framed. Through 10 weeks of testimony, Simpson’s lawyers have sought to undermine the prosecution’s “trail of blood” linking Simpson to the crime scene. Key elements of their conspiracy theory include:

The Rockingham Glove -- The defense claims Det. Mark Fuhrman may have tucked the bloody glove into his sock and planted it on Simpson’s estate.

The Bedroom Sock -- Defense lawyers have argued that someone, presumably from the LAPD, could have sprinkled blood from the reference sample vials onto the sock found near Simpson’s bed. Attorney Barry Scheck in court with the socks.

The Back Gate - Blood was not scraped off the gate until three weeks after the murders. A defense witness testified that it contained traces of EDTA, a preservative used in police test tubes.

The Missing Blood - The jailhouse nurse who drew blood from O.J. Simpson testified he collected about 8 cubic centimeters for a reference sample. But the vial contained only 6.5 c.c. on later inspection. The defense argues that conspirators dripped Simpson’s blood onto evidence. The nurse later recanted.

The LAPD Lab - Several swatches containing blood from outside Nicole Simpson’s condo were apparently wet when wrapped in a paper package, even though technicians testified they left the swatches to dry overnight. Suggests someone may have tampered with the swatches.

The White Bronco - Defense maintains lax security left the Bronco open to intruders and the smears of blood inside could have been planted from reference vials. Simpson neighbor Charles G. Cale testifies with Bronco in background.

Key Events in the Defense Case

The defense covered four broad areas: comments about Simpson’s demeanor, testimony from people who walked past the crime scene, scientific analysis suggesting that prosecution evidence was untrustworthy, and an attack on Mark Fuhrman, the LAPD detective who found a bloody glove at Simpson’s home.

July 10 - Simpson’s daughter, sister and mother take the stand to praise the ex-football great. All are wearing pale yellow -- what one analyst called “the O.J. team uniform.”

July 11 - Eight witnesses testify, most saying they did not hear barking dogs at the time prosecutors contend the murders took place.

July 18 - On cross-examination, prosecution shows jury outtakes from a Simpson exercise video during which he jokes about spousal abuse and another video in which he claims Juice Plus has nearly cured his arthritis.

July 24 - Fredric Rieders begins parade of expert witnesses describing contamination in the LAPD lab and possible planting of evidence. His testimony is interrupted for a few days while FBI Special Agent Roger M. Martz takes the stand to rebut Rieders’ conclusions.

July 28 - A Forsyth County, N.C. Judge rules that aspiring screenwriter Laura Hart McKinny does not have to turn over tapes of her interviews with Fuhrman. His decision is overruled Aug 7.

Aug. 11 - Forensic scientist Herbert MacDonell testifies that blood found on one of Simpson’s socks appeared to have been pressed into the fabjric, not spattered. He suggests the bloodstain was planted.

Aug. 15 - Prosecutors argue that Ito should turn the trial over to another judge because the Fuhrman tapes contain dispraging references to his wife, LAPD Capt. Margaret York.

Aug. 16 - Prosecutors withdraw their objections about Ito. The Goldman family accuses the defense of shifting attention from the murder victims with the heavily hyped Fuhrman tapes.

Aug. 17 - Police technician Gilbert Aguilar testifies that none of the 17 fingerprints found at the crime scene matched O.J. Simpson.

Aug. 18 - Judge John Reid rules that Ito’s wife is not a material witness. The decision clears the way for Ito to continue presiding.

Aug. 23 - Henry Lee testifies about finding imprints at crime scene that could come from a second set of shoeprints, suggesting a second assailant.

Aug. 31 - Ito rules that defense can only present two snippets from the Fuhrman tapes.

Sept. 5 - Restless jurors hear Kathleen Bell testify about Fuhrman’s racist remarks. Other witnesses follow to impeach Fuhrman.

Sept 6 - Without the jury present, Fuhrman takes the 5th Amendment, refusing to testify further.

Sept. 12 - Prosecution begin their rebuttal case even though defense refuses to rest.

Sept. 19 - Defense calls two Mafia informants and an FBI agent to impeach testimony of a key prosecution witness, Detective Philip Vannatter.

Sept. 21 - Defense rests.

Key Testimony

ARNELLE SIMPSON: O.J. Simpson’s daughter

ON STAND: July 10

TESTIMONY: Describes Simpson as shocked and dazed after the murders. Says he was a loving father who continued to care about Nicole even after they separated. Portrays prosecution witness Ron Shipp, who said Simpson told him he dreamed of killing his ex-wife, as a heavy drinker.

ROBERT HEIDSTRA: Brentwood resident

ON STAND: July 11-12

TESTIMONY: Says he heard two men arguing near the crime scene, then heard dogs barking at about 10:30 p.m. -- later than prosecution witnesses, who pegged the disturbance at 10:15 or 10:20. Says he saw a white utility vehicle that could have been a Ford Bronco speeding away from the murder scene.

ROBERT HUIZENGA: Beverly Hills physician who examined Simpson after the murders.

ON STAND: July 14, 17-18

TESTIMONY: Says Simpson’s injured finger was more likely cut by glass, not a knife. Says Simpson’s body was unbruised, suggesting he had not recently engaged in a struggle. Adds that Simpson walked “like Tarzan’s grandfather” because of disabling arthritis.

FREDERIC RIEDERS: forensic toxicologist

ON STAND: July 24 and Aug. 14

TESTIMONY: Says he found traces of a preservative known as EDTA on bloodstains from a sock in Simpson’s bedroom and the back gate of Nicole Simpson’s condo. EDTA is used in the LAPD’s blood-storage test tubes; the testimony suggests the LAPD might have dipped into its reference samples to plant evidence and frame Simpson.

JOHN GERDES: Microbiologist

ON STAND: August 2-4, 7

TESTIMONY: Describes the LAPD lab as a cesspool of contamination. Tells the jury that all evidence processed in the lab is unreliable because of sloppy procedures. Says lax control over Simpson’s Ford Bronco also could have compromised evidence recovered from the vehicle.

MICHAEL BADEN: Former medical examiner from New York

ON STAND: August 10-11

TESTIMONY: Says he never saw blood on Simpson’s sock when he examined it nine days after the murders. Describes many mistakes Los Angeles medical examiners made on the autopsies. Says neither victim received wounds that would have prevented them from screaming during the attack.

HENRY LEE: Connecticut criminalist

ON STAND: Aug. 23, 25, 28

TESTIMONY: Describes finding imprint patterns that could indicate a second pair of shoeprints. Says Goldman put up a long fight, contesting theory of quick murders, and criticized police handling of blood evidence.

LAURA HART McKINNY: Aspiring screenwriter

ON STAND: Sept. 5-6

TESTIMONY: Reports that Fuhrman used the “nigger” 42 times while she was interviewing him for a screenplay on sexism in the LAPD. Also hints that during her research she found male officers who covered up misdeeds.

Off The List

Over the course of the trial, Ito has barred several of the defense’s potential witnesses from testifying about topics he considered irrelevant. Other witnesses were dropped from the defense lineup because their personal behavior would have left them vulnerable to biting cross-examination. Among them:

- Mary Anne Gerchas, who planned to testify that she saw four men rushing away from the murder scene about the time of the slayings. Gerchas had been dogged by allegations she committed fraud and skipped out of payments. In July, she was sentenced to six months in jail for lying on a car loan application.

- Rosa Lopez, who was to testify that she saw Simpson’s Bronco parked outside his house when the murders were committed. Fearing she would leave the country, defense lawyers videotaped Lopez’ testimony. Her halting, confused testimomy, however, was never shown to the jury.

- Christian Reichardt, who was prepared to testify that his ex-girlfriend Faye Resnick, a friend of Nicole Simpson, used drugs. Reichardt did take the stand to comment on Simpson’s demeanor before the murders. But Ito ruled that the defense could present their theory that drug dealers gunning for Resnick had mistakenly killed Nicole Simpson.

- KNBC-TV reporter Tracie Savage, who reported results of DNA tests on Simpson’s socks before those tests were performed. The defense had hoped to force her to reveal her sources to bolster the theory that LAPD officials knew the test results in advance because they had planted the blood on the socks.

- Fuhrman tapes, in which the former detective boasts of beating and framing black suspects. The judge allowed just two snippets from the tapes in which Fuhrman used the word “nigger.”

- Frederic Whitehurst, a disgruntled FBI agent who has accused colleagues of manipulating evidence--including Roger Martz, whose testimony in the Simpson case bolstered the prosecution.

Memorable Quotes

“Something’s wrong.”

-- Dr. Henry Lee, a criminalist, on prosecution’s blood evidence.

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“He was numb.”

--Arnelle Simpson describing her father’s reaction to the murders.

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“I love my wife dearly, and I am wounded by criticism of her. As any spouse would be. I think it is reasonable to assume that that could hav e some impact.”

--Judge Ito, recusing himself from deciding the admissibility of the Fuhrman tapes.

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“Ron and Nicole were butchered by their client. This is not now the Fuhrman trial. This is a trial about the man who murdered my son.”

--Fred Goldman, father of Ronald, blasting defense tactics.

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“I told you we’d get you, nigger.”

--Witness Roderic Hodge, repeating a comment he says Fuhrman made while arresting him in 1987.

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“This inexplicable, indefensible ruling lends credence to all those who say the criminal justice system is corrupt . . . The cover-up continues.”

-- Cochran, on Ito’s decision to let jurors hear just two snippets from Fuhrman tapes.

Graphic by ROB HERNANDEZ

Researched by STEPHANIE SIMON and JACQUELYN CENACVEIRA / Los Angeles Times