Petrocelli Finishes With An Emotional Appeal
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Jan. 22, Noon) -- The voices of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman echoed through the emotionally charged courtroom, as the plaintiffs finished their closing arguments Wednesday morning in the O.J. Simpson civil trial. While the victims' families wept, jurors listened to recordings of 911 calls Nicole made to police and watched a video of Ronald Goldman telling the crowd at a family bat mitzvah month's before his death that "God knows where I'll be in a year."
Wednesday afternoon, defense attorney Robert Baker is scheduled to begin the defense closing arguments. Robert Blasier, the defense lawyer who focused on the scientific evidence, is also expected to argue. He is recovering from back surgery and will speak from a wheelchair.
Lead plaintiffs' lawyer Daniel Petrocelli ended his argument demanding that jurors find Simpson liable and "make him pay for what he did." Plaintiffs' attorneys John Kelly and Michael Brewer also addressed the jury.
Kelly recounted episodes of domestic violence during the Simpsons' relationship and played recordings from two 911 calls and a surreptitiously made tape from a 1993 incident. Kelly said that Simpson's history of domestic violence showed how easily the football here could fly into a rage. Even if the kids were in the house, Simpson's behavior did not change, Kelly contended, pointing to a 1993 fight.
"This is a woman who's known this man for 16 years," Kelly said. "The one thing she knows eight months before the murders, is that [with] children upstairs in the house, or no children upstairs in the house, nothing is going to deter him."
Petrocelli, who spoke for the bulk of the morning, addressed Simpson's behavior during the evening of June 12, 1994, in the hours leading up to the murders. Although Simpson testified that there was no animosity between him and Nicole that night at his daughter's dance recital, Petrocelli said, that was not the case. The former football star had come all the way from New York to attend the recital. But when he arrived he was shunned by his family, Petrocelli contended, in a series of rhetorical questions:
"Was he able to sit and enjoy his family? No."
"Was he invited to go to dinner? No."
"Was there any contact with Nicole? No."
"Was there obvious animosity and hostility? Yes."
Petrocelli conceded that a video shot at the end of the recital shows Simpson laughing and joking with Nicole's father, Lou Brown. Although the defense argues that the tape is evidence that Simpson was not in a dark mood that evening, Petrocelli said it only showed a 30 second snapshot of the night. Furthermore, Petrocelli noted, Simpson's career taught him how to hide his emotions.
"This is a guy who's the all-time pro at smiling in front of people," Petrocelli said. "He even puts a smile on a suicide note."
Petrocelli brought the jury back to the physical evidence in the case, which he spoke about in detail Tuesday.
"In the end it all comes down to this: There's blood, there's hair, there's fiber, there's cuts, there's sweatsuits, there's hats, there's no alibi, there's plenty of time, and there's motive. That's what's on our side of the story," Petrocelli said. "What's on his side? His word that he did not kill anybody."
Petrocelli continued to use Simpson's words against him, pointing to "lies" in the defendant's testimony, statement to police, and sessions with domestic violence counselor Lenore Walker. At one point the plaintiffs hung a large board in the courtroom that listed 58 names and documents -- which Petrocelli said contradicted Simpson.
"All those people, all these writings, all these photographs," Petrocelli said pointing to the board. "The bottom line: They all have to be wrong and only he is right."
Petrocelli's argument closed with an emotional discussion of Ronald Goldman, his client's son. Although Petrocelli is asking the jury to award damages to Mr. Goldman's for the loss of companionship of his son, the plaintiffs' lawyer did not ask for a specific amount of money. That, he said, would be up to the jury.
"I don't need to tell you that there is no amount of money that will ever compensate Fred Goldman for the loss of his son," Petrocelli said. When there is a loss of life there can never be true justice. True justice would be to see Ron Goldman walk through those doors right now and for Nicole Brown to play with her children."
To sum up Fred Goldman's feelings, Petrocelli read a quotation for a 16th century French poet.
"My lovely, living boy. My hope, my happiness, my love, my life, my joy," Petrocelli read. He continued: "Fred Goldman's lovely, living boy is no more."
The entire courtroom sat silent for a moment before people began to file out for a recess.
-Robert Schmidt
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