Judge Refuses To Bar Intern From Courtroom
SANTA MONICA, Nov. 5 (Noon) --In a trial starved for scandal, the Amber McGrath story has sent the press corps at the O.J. Simpson civil proceedings into a frenzy. Even the court was affected: Testimony was derailed for 90 minutes Tuesday morning as attorney Robert Baker attempted to have the 18-year-old intern barred from the courtroom. When Judge Hiroshi Fujisaki denied the defense request, Baker turned to the Santa Monica Superior Court supervising judge -- also to no avail.
The 18-year-old court intern told USA Today that Simpson flirted with her in the hallway outside the courtroom, making inappropriate gestures and remarks. He allegedly inviting her to a Halloween party at his home. Arriving at court this morning, Simpson vehemently denied the charges, calling her a "liar." Simpson further claimed that the USA Today reporter Jonathan Lovitt, one of the two reporters who wrote the story, made an inappropriate comment about Amber to him. Lovitt declined comment on Simpson's charges at a lunchtime press conference. He said USA Today will have a follow-up story on Wednesday.
In testimony, criminalist Dennis Fung on redirect examination told the jury that he conducted a presumptive test for blood in Simpson's sink and shower. Both those tests, Fung said, were positive. However, Simpson's defense attorney Robert Blaiser pointed out in his cross-examination that there were only isolated blood drops in Simpson's house. There was no trail of blood, no large stains.
Fung was also hit hard by defense attorney Robert Blaiser for using shoddy procedures for collecting evidence and record keeping. Fung admitted that there were erasure marks on his field notes, several measurements were transposed when they were transferred from Fung's notes into a final report, and evidence at the Bundy crime scene were moved before they were collected. Blaiser especially tried to drive home the mistakes in record keeping.
"Mr. Fung, is the level of care used preparing these documents, the same level of care used collecting evidence in this case," Blaiser asked. His question, however, was successfully objected to by the plaintiffs.
Mark Krueger, an amateur photographer who snapped pictures of Simpson at a football game wearing dark gloves similar to those found at the crime scenes, is expected to take the stand this afternoon.
-Robert SchmidtFind out about Court TV's coverage of the civil trial, and take a look at the witness lists provided by both sides.
Rob Schmidt's Reporter's Notebook
Court TV Reports and Trial Coverage
Documents and Depositions from the Pre-Trial Civil Proceedings
A Look Back at the Criminal Case
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