Verbal Assault On Police Continues
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Dec. 18, Noon) -- Los Angeles Police Officer Daniel Gonzalez, who testified that he saw blood drops on the console of Simpson's Bronco on the morning of June 13, came under fierce attack by the defense Wednesday morning in the O.J. Simpson civil trial. Lead defense attorney Robert Baker accused the officer of lying about the blood and of participating in a "code of silence" to protect other investigating officers.
The defense's expert on altered photographs, Robert Groden, took the stand briefly before the jury was dismissed so the court could hold a hearing on Groden's qualifications. After about 30 minutes of wrangling, Judge Hiroshi Fujisaki ruled that Groden could testify as an expert. He will take the stand this afternoon.
Baker continued -- and escalated -- his assault on the LAPD during Gonzalez's testimony. Gonzalez arrived at Simpson's Rockingham home at 5:20 a.m. on June 13, called by Detectives Mark Fuhrman and Ronald Phillips. Gonzalez told the jury he saw blood in several places on the Bronco: outside on the driver's side door handle, on the running board on the driver's side, inside on the driver's side door panel, and on the console. Baker first turned to the blood on the running board, which he contended could not be seen unless the driver's side door was open.
"You couldn't see anything on what you say is the running board of the car unless the door was open, isn't that true Officer Gonzalez?" Baker asked.
"No, that's not true," Gonzalez said.
"In fact," Baker continued. "You got into the vehicle that night, didn't you?"
"Absolutely not . . . I'm getting offended," Gonzalez replied.
The defense also pointed out several inconsistencies in a report Gonzalez made about two weeks after the murders and Philips' notes of an interview with Gonzalez in January 1995. Gonzalez did not mention the blood on the door panel in his written report, although he told Phillips about it. The interview notes also stated that Gonzalez saw blood on the steering wheel, the driver's seat, and the floor on the driver's side -- all of which Gonzalez disputed on the stand or said he did not remember seeing.
Baker contended that Gonzalez lied about seeing the blood inside the Bronco because he knew the police were being accused of planted it. The blood on the console was collected by police more than two months after the murders. The defense attorney also used Gonzalez to bring up Mark Fuhrman, who originally found the blood on the Bronco but is not testifying in the civil trial. By doing so, Baker effectively drew Gonzalez into the police conspiracy to frame O.J. Simpson.
"Is there any code for covering up for other police officers?" Baker asked.
"You get promoted for burning each other," Gonzalez replied.
"Have you ever been promoted?" Baker asked.
"No," Gonzalez said.
-Robert Schmidt
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