Recross-examination of Leroy Taft

📄 Recross-examination of Leroy Taft — Friday, December 6, 1996

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CIVIL\1996\DEC\6\RECROSS-EXAMINATION-OF-LEROY-T.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 27 of 57

◀ Redirect examination of Leroy Taft Witness testimony closed ▶

Witness: Leroy Taft
Examiner: Robert Baker
Called by: Plaintiff • Date: Friday, December 6, 1996 • Utterances: 18

Baker briefly recrosses Leroy Taft on the specifics of OJ Simpson's hand injuries observed at Parker Center on June 13, 1994. Taft confirms Simpson had a band-aid on his middle finger/knuckle but not on his fourth (ring) finger, and that Taft was not attempting to document or investigate Simpson's cuts. A brief procedural skirmish erupts over whether Baker is opening a previously forbidden line of inquiry.

# 1 Q:

Now, that 549 was taken on the 15th.

Do you know if it was taken on June 15?

# 2 A:

I don't know.

# 3 Q:

Do you know when the photos were taken that you subsequently reviewed in meetings with attorneys relative to the defense of Mr. Simpson in the criminal case?

# 4 A:

I believe it was the week of the 13th through the 17th.

# 5 Q:

And by the way, when you were there on the 13th with Mr. Simpson, and you and Howard Weitzman had gone down --

# 6 MR. PETROCELLI:

He's opening the door that was forbidden into inquiring, Your Honor, last two questions.

# 7 THE COURT:

Well --

# 8 MR. BAKER:

I'm not asking --

# 9 THE COURT:

I'll just caution counsel --

# 10 MR. BAKER:

That's nonsense.

# 11 THE COURT:

-- that nobody has been turned -- it hasn't been opened. If it opens, it opens.

# 12 Q:

(BY MR. BAKER) Did Mr. Simpson have a band-aid on the fourth finger of his left hand when you were in Parker Center on June 13, 1994 Mr. Taft?

# 13 A:

No.

# 14 Q:

And he had a band-aid on the middle finger of his left hand or over the knuckle; is that correct?

# 15 A:

That's my best recollection.

KEY QUOTE

# 16 Q:

And your recollection relative to the cuts that he had that day -- strike that.

Were you attempting to find out what cuts he had on his hands?

# 17 A:

Absolutely not.

# 18 Q:

Nothing further.

Temperature

tense

Key Quotes (4)

Leroy Taft

No.

Taft denies Simpson had a band-aid on his fourth (ring) finger on June 13 — directly relevant to which finger was cut and when, a key blood evidence question.

Leroy Taft

That's my best recollection.

Taft hedges on the middle finger band-aid, softening what otherwise would be firm testimony.

Leroy Taft

Absolutely not.

Taft denies any intent to document Simpson's cuts, which could undercut the defense's use of him as a witness to Simpson's injury state.

Robert Baker

That's nonsense.

Baker's blunt pushback against Petrocelli's 'opening the door' objection, showing the friction between counsel.

Evidence (1)

549

A photo or document taken on June 15, referenced in context of photos reviewed at attorney meetings for Simpson's criminal defense

discussed

Notable Exchanges (2)

Daniel Petrocelli•Robert Baker•Hiroshi Fujisaki

Petrocelli objects that Baker is opening a forbidden door by asking about the June 13 Parker Center visit with Howard Weitzman. Fujisaki declines to rule definitively, warning counsel the door hasn't been opened yet but will be watched. Baker dismisses the objection as 'nonsense.'

heated

Robert Baker•Leroy Taft

Baker pins down which finger had the band-aid — middle finger, not ring finger — and establishes Taft was not trying to assess Simpson's cuts.

strategic

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ Leroy Taft

prior inconsistent statement / precision challenge

Baker probes the specific finger location of the band-aid, likely to contrast with other testimony or evidence about which of Simpson's fingers was cut.

Objections

1 objections (0 sustained, 0 overruled)

Proceeding 8515 • 18 utterances • Plaintiff witness

Civil Trial

Department 103