Letter Speaks Of Simpson Beating His Former Wife
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Jan. 13, Noon) -- On the stand Monday morning in his civil trial, O.J. Simpson confronted some of the major pieces of evidence against him, offering explanations about his behavior at his younger daughter's dance recital the night of the murders, about his golf bag, his police interview, and the Bronco chase. The former football star also discussed his actions in the days leading up to the killing of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
At the midday break, Simpson finished direct examination and plaintiffs' attorney Daniel Petrocelli had begun a cross-examination. But the questioning was halted after several minutes as the attorneys wrangled at sidebar over whether Petrocelli could introduce a letter Nicole wrote about an alleged domestic violence episode. The letter details an incident when Simpson supposedly hit Nicole and the couple told a doctor that she fell off a bicycle. The legal argument delayed testimony for more than an hour. Judge Fujisaki is expected to rule on the letter's admissibility when court reconvenes.
Under the gentle guidance of lead defense attorney Robert Baker, Simpson explained many of the actions that the plaintiffs say showed he was a murderer. For example, Simpson denied that he was excessively worried about getting his golf clubs back from the Hertz employee who picked up Simpson at the Chicago airport and kept the clubs in the trunk of his car. The plaintiffs have contended that Simpson may have hid bloody clothes or a murder weapon in the golf bag. But Simpson, who was scheduled to play in a golf tournament in Chicago, testified that he would not have even seen the clubs until he started to play. It is standard procedure at golf tournaments, Simpson said, to allow the golf club employees to take your golf bag, open it up, get out your balls and shoes, and place them on your golf cart. Simpson told the jury that he fully expected to see his clubs open when he reached the golf course.
After finding out about Nicole's death, Simpson told the jury that he made numerous telephone calls, from his hotel room, from the car on the way to the airport, and from the plane back to Los Angeles. Simpson said he spoke with several LAPD officers, his daughter Arnelle a few times, his secretary, and his business manager.
"It was tough to be sitting, doing nothing, so I was just calling," Simpson explained. "Everybody I called, I asked what happened."
The testimony was designed to counter Mark Partridge, a lawyer who sat next to Simpson on the plane from Chicago. Partridge testified that Simpson said his ex-wife was killed in her garden, with another person. The plaintiffs, however, contend Simpson could not have know those details unless he was involved in the killing.
Simpson also portrayed himself as a person who was happy to cooperate with police on the investigation. He told jurors that he hired expert criminalist Henry Lee to help the LAPD. Simpson also noted that he voluntarily went to police headquarters for an interview and blood test.
"You volunteered to take a blood test, why?" Baker asked.
"I didn't do anything," Simpson replied. "I was innocent . . . I did whatever I could to help them."
At the same time he gave blood, Simpson noted, the police inspected and photographed one cut on his left hand, and a police nurse dressed the wound.
"At that time, did you have any cut on your left hand, other than the cut that was on the knuckle of your middle finger?" Baker asked.
"No," replied Simpson, who testified in November that numerous other cuts and abrasions on his hand occurred after the police interview -- but before he was photographed several days later by his doctor. On the stand this morning, Simpson did not explain how he received any of the cuts on his hand.
The Bronco chase also played a prominent role in Simpson's testimony. Simpson admitted that he brought along a gun and was feeling suicidal. But he said the main reason that he took off was because he wanted to see Nicole's grave. After he was not able to get into the graveyard, Simpson said, he climbed into the back of the car and pulled out his gun.
"I was in a lot of pain. I was missing Nicole, [and] my kids didn't cry," Simpson explained. "I guess [the media] had attacked me somewhat and that hurt me. I just didn't know what to do."
However, Simpson said that thoughts of his mother and the words of Al Cowlings, who was with him in the Bronco, convinced him not to himself.
"It was partially A.C., and my mother ,[who] told me years ago that you couldn't go to heaven if you committed suicide," Simpson said.
On cross-examination, Petrocelli and Simpson fought from the very beginning, as Simpson refused to answer a question in a yes-or-no format. Petrocelli tried to ask Simpson if he knew how important it was to his case that the jury believe him. However, Simpson would only say that he thought it was important to tell the jury the truth. Even after Judge Fujisaki ordered Simpson to provide a yes-or-no answer, Simpson refused. Petrocelli, then sought to show that Simpson had often lied -- to the jury and to Nicole.
"You were unfaithful to her?" Petrocelli asked.
"From time to time, yes," Simpson replied.
"And that was dishonest?" Petrocelli continued.
"I think morally, yes," Simpson said.
"That was a lie, wasn't it?" Petrocelli demanded.
Replied Simpson: "I think morally it was dishonest. I don't know if I would characterize it as a lie."
LATE BREAKING: When court reconvened, Judge Fujisaki allowed the plaintiffs to use the letter about the bicycle incident to show Nicole Brown Simpson's state of mind.
-Robert Schmidt
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