The civil trial opened with competing narratives: plaintiff's counsel John Kelly depicted OJ Simpson as an obsessively controlling abuser whose domestic violence escalated to murder, while defense counsel Robert Baker painted him as a devoted father and self-made hero whose alibi witnesses and alternative suspects were ignored by tunnel-visioned LAPD detectives. Baker systematically attacked the integrity of the physical evidence—gloves, blood swabs, socks, shoes—and the investigative procedures that produced them, while the judge repeatedly interceded to prevent arguments about evidence planting. The day exposed fundamental conflicts over what story the evidence actually tells.

• John Kelly delivered opening statement framing murders as inevitable end of years-long domestic violence and psychological control
• Robert Baker opened for defense, minimizing 1989 domestic violence incident and attacking Mark Fuhrman's credibility on 1985 allegations
• Judge Fujisaki ruled Baker could present LAPD tunnel vision on Simpson but not full alternative killer conspiracy theories
• Baker introduced alternative suspect narrative: rollerbladers and witnesses allegedly seeing crouching figures near Bundy around 9 PM
• Defense systematically attacked evidence integrity—Rockingham glove potentially planted, blood swatches swapped, socks mysteriously appearing, blood vial mishandled
• Multiple sidebars erupted over scope of evidence testimony, particularly whether Baker could argue evidence planting versus police procedure failures
• Baker presented granular June 12 timeline detailing Simpson's movements (recital, McDonald's, golf) to fill alleged alibi gaps