Shoe photos close testimony in Simpson case
Jonathan T. Lovitt
01/17/1997
USA Today
FINAL
Page 03A
(Copyright 1997)
SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Both sides in the wrongful-death trial against O.J.
Simpson rested Thursday after plaintiffs' experts testified that photographs of
Simpson wearing the same rare shoes as the killer were authentic.
The defense contended the 31 pictures were frauds.
``Having come this far, I request of you and order you to continue your
diligence,'' Judge Hiroshi Fujisaki told jurors. Fujisaki admonished them not to
discuss the case or view any media sources, including Internet Web sites.
After taking Monday off for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, the trial will
resume Tuesday for closing arguments. Jury deliberations could come as soon as
Thursday.
The jurors smiled as they filed out of the courtroom, having listened to 41 days
of testimony from 101 witnesses, highlighted by Simpson's two appearances on
the stand.
Simpson is being sued by the families of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and
her friend Ronald Goldman. The two were stabbed to death in front of her
Brentwood condominium June 12, 1994. Simpson was acquitted on double
murder charges in 1995 in the case after a 53-week trial.
Thursday's session ended after lawyers for the families wrapped up their rebuttal
with expert testimony from scientists and police:
FBI shoe print expert William Bodziak said the shoes Simpson was seen wearing
in 30 photographs taken at a September 1993 Buffalo Bills football game were
the same type of distinctive Bruno Magli Lorenzo shoes that left bloody prints at
the crime scene.
About 140 pairs of the rare size 12 shoes were sold in the USA and Puerto Rico
from 1991-1993. Simpson testified he never owned such shoes.
Former FBI photo expert Gerald Richards testified that he could find no evidence
the photographs had been altered.
He previously testified that a single photograph of Simpson, taken at the same
game by a different photographer, was also genuine.
Defense lawyer Dan Leonard pointed out that Richards admitted during a
deposition earlier this week that he was not ``100% certain'' the photographs
were not fakes.
``I would say, given enough time, equipment, money and talent, it would take a
concerted effort -- that could be done,'' Richards said.
Chemist Terry Lee testified that trace amounts of the preservative EDTA found
in samples taken from the bloody socks recovered in Simpson's bedroom, and
blood from the back gate of the crime scene could not have come from reference
samples. Both Simpson's and Nicole's blood samples were stored in such test
tubes. The defense claims small amounts of the substance bolster their contention
police conspired to frame Simpson.
Molecular geneticist Brad Popovich told jurors DNA evidence linking Simpson
to the murders show no evidence of contamination. Simpson's lawyers had told
jurors sloppy evidence-collection techniques rendered results unusable.
Simpson's defense chose not to present a rebuttal.
Today the lawyers and judge will go over last-minute details of Fujisaki's jury
instructions.