📄 Direct examination of Kenneth Berris (part 1) — Thursday, November 7, 1996
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CIVIL\1996\NOV\7\DIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-KENNETH-.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 11 of 57

Direct examination of Kenneth Berris (part 1)

Witness: Kenneth Berris
Examiner: Daniel Petrocelli
Called by: Plaintiff • Date: Thursday, November 7, 1996 • Utterances: 11
Petrocelli reads in deposition testimony of Detective Kenneth Berris, a 27-year Chicago PD veteran who investigated hundreds of homicides. The brief reading establishes Berris's credentials and his role meeting OJ Simpson in Chicago on the morning of June 13, 1994, after a request from LAPD for assistance in their double homicide investigation. The proceeding ends abruptly mid-reading with a minor procedural skirmish over stipulated objections.
1 MR. PETROCELLI:

We're going to read in some deposition testimony of Detective Kenneth Berris of the Chicago police department, Your Honor. Mr. Callan will play the role of Detective Berris.

2 (Mr. Petrocelli is reading the questions, and Mr. Callan is reading the answers of the witness, Detective Berris.)
3 MR. PETROCELLI:

Page 5, line 9.

"... (sic) Please state your name.

"A. Kenneth Berris. My last name is spelled B-E-R-R-I-S.

"Q. What is your occupation?

"A. I'm a Detective employed by the Chicago police department in Chicago, Illinois.

"Q. Detective Berris, how long have you been a police officer?

"A. I've been a police officer for over 27 years and a detective for over 18 years.

"Q. In the course of your employment as a police officer and as a detective, have you investigated homicides?

"A. Yes, I have.

"Q. Approximately how many?

"A. Quite a few.

"Q. Hundreds?

"A. Hundreds. I would say yes.

"Q. And were you at some point in time assigned to participate in the investigation of a double homicide involving Nicole Brown Simpson, the ex-wife of O.J. Simpson?

"A. Yes.

"Q. And when did that occur?

"A. It occurred on the morning of Monday, June 13, 1994.

"Q. And beginning on June 13, 1994, you participated in that investigation here in Chicago?

"A. Yes, sir."

4 MR. PETROCELLI:

Okay. Next is page 12, line .

5 MR. LEONARD:

Your Honor, I'd ask to approach.

6 MR. PETROCELLI:

Excuse me. That was a mistake on my part. Page 19, line 1.

We'll start at line 4. (Reading:)

"... (sic) Detective Bongiorno and you went to the O'Hare Plaza at around noon?

"A. Yes.

"Q. And that was in response to a call from the LAPD?

"A. Yes. It was a response to a request for assistance in their double homicide investigation."

7 MR. PETROCELLI:

Page 21. Line 6. And we'll skip the objections, Your Honor, as to form. We've agreed they're deemed overruled okay as to form only.

And when --

8 MR. LEONARD:

Your Honor, may I approach on this?

9 THE COURT:

I guess not.

10 MR. PETROCELLI:

We'll just ask the --

11 THE COURT:

No. You can approach, but I guess they weren't deemed . . . whatever.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (3)

Kenneth Berris
I've been a police officer for over 27 years and a detective for over 18 years.
Establishes Berris as a highly experienced investigator, lending weight to his observations of Simpson in Chicago.
Kenneth Berris
It was a response to a request for assistance in their double homicide investigation.
Confirms the Chicago investigation was formally coordinated with LAPD, not independent or spontaneous.
Hiroshi Fujisaki
I guess not. You can approach, but I guess they weren't deemed . . . whatever.
Judge's exasperated non-ruling on whether form objections had been stipulated as overruled.

Notable Exchanges (1)

Daniel PetrocelliDan LeonardHiroshi Fujisaki
Leonard twice asked to approach as Petrocelli moved through pages; Fujisaki's ruling on the stipulated form objections was inconclusive — 'whatever.'
mildly chaotic, procedural

Light Moments (1)

Hiroshi Fujisaki
Fujisaki trails off with '... whatever' when unable to resolve whether form objections had been deemed overruled by stipulation.

Objections

1 objections (0 sustained, 0 overruled)
Proceeding 8189 • 11 utterances • Plaintiff witness
Civil Trial
Department 103
⚖️ Start
📂 NOV 7, 1996 📄 Direct examination of Kenneth
NOV 7, 1996 KRT DvH TD