📄 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

Recross-examination of Leroy Taft

Witness: Leroy Taft
Examiner: Robert Baker
Called by: Plaintiff • Date: Friday, December 6, 1996 • Lines: 18
Baker briefly recrosses Leroy Taft on the specifics of OJ Simpson's hand injuries observed at Parker Center on June 13, 1994. Taft says his best recollection is that Simpson had a band-aid on his middle finger or over the knuckle, denies one was on his fourth finger, and says he was not attempting to find out what cuts Simpson had on his hands. 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 that Simpson had a band-aid on his fourth finger, bearing on the disputed finger or band-aid location.
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 attempting to find out what cuts Simpson had on his hands.
Robert Baker
That's nonsense.
Baker's blunt pushback against Petrocelli's 'opening the door' objection, showing the friction between counsel.

Evidence (1)

549
Exhibit 549, which Baker said was taken on June 15; Taft said he did not know whether it was taken then
discussed

Notable Exchanges (2)

Daniel PetrocelliRobert BakerHiroshi 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 BakerLeroy Taft
Baker contrasts Taft's denial that the band-aid was on Simpson's fourth finger with Taft's best recollection that it was on the middle finger or over the knuckle, and establishes that Taft was not trying to assess Simpson's cuts.
strategic

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ Leroy Taft
precision challenge
Baker probes whether the band-aid was on Simpson's fourth finger or middle finger/knuckle.

Objections

None recorded
Proceeding 8515 • 18 lines • Plaintiff witness
Civil Trial
Department 103
📂 DEC 6, 1996 📄 Recross-examination of Leroy T
DEC 6, 1996