Cross-examination of Stewart Tanner (1 of 2)

📄 Cross-examination of Stewart Tanner (1 of 2) — Friday, October 25, 1996

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CIVIL\1996\OCT\25\CROSS-EXAMINATION-OF-STEWART-T.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 3 of 57

◀ Direct examination of Stewart Tanner Cross-examination of Stewart Tanner ▶

Witness: Stuart Tanner
Examiner: Dan Leonard
Called by: Plaintiff • Date: Friday, October 25, 1996 • Utterances: 38

Brief cross-examination of Stewart Tanner, a friend or associate of Ron Goldman who had plans to meet Goldman and another person at a restaurant in Marina Del Rey on the night of the murders. Defense attorney Dan Leonard established that Tanner was interviewed by police only once, for about 15-20 minutes, and that the interview focused solely on Goldman's activities and whereabouts on the night of June 12th.

# 1 Q:

Morning, Mr. Tanner. My name is Dan Leonard. I represent O.J. Simpson.

# 2 A:

Morning.

# 3 Q:

Did you have a beeper?

# 4 A:

Do I have one?

# 5 Q:

Did you have one then?

# 6 A:

Not at that time, no.

# 7 Q:

You were planning to meet with Mr. Goldman and another gentleman at the restaurant over in --

# 8 A:

Marina Del Rey.

# 9 Q:

Okay. And what time were you planning to meet?

# 10 A:

There was no specific time.

KEY QUOTE

# 11 Q:

Mr. Goldman didn't have an automobile; is that right?

# 12 A:

I'm sorry?

# 13 Q:

He didn't own a car?

# 14 A:

No, sir.

# 15 Q:

Okay. You were interviewed by the police on a single occasion; is that right?

# 16 A:

I was interviewed, well, Monday, the 13th.

# 17 Q:

Um-hum.

# 18 A:

That would be correct. And in the early evening, one time only, yes.

# 19 Q:

And how long did that interview last?

# 20 A:

Possibly in the neighborhood of 15, 20 minutes.

# 21 Q:

Do you remember now, as you sit here today, everything that the police asked you in that interview?

# 22 A:

No, I couldn't say that. I mean, it was three years ago.

KEY QUOTE

# 23 MR. LEONARD:

If I may approach, Your Honor.

# 24 THE COURT:

Go ahead.

# 25 MR. LEONARD:

This is on page 368.

# 26 MR. PETROCELLI:

Yeah.

# 27 Q:

(BY MR. LEONARD) Let me show you a document and ask you if -- I'd like you to read the document -- ask you if that refreshes your recollection as to what you were asked by the police.

# 28 (Witness reviews document.)

# 29 A:

Okay.

# 30 Q:

Does that refresh your memory, sir?

# 31 A:

Yes, sir.

# 32 Q:

Is it fair to say that the police asked you about Ron Goldman's activities and whereabouts on the night of the 12th?

# 33 A:

Correct.

# 34 Q:

And that's all they asked you about, correct?

# 35 A:

Yeah. I mean, they could have asked me more. I don't know if there's more to this report or not.

KEY QUOTE

# 36 Q:

That's all you remember, right?

# 37 A:

Right.

# 38 MR. LEONARD:

Thank you.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (3)

Stewart Tanner

There was no specific time.

Establishes that Goldman's plans that evening were loose — no fixed meeting time, potentially relevant to timeline arguments.

Stewart Tanner

No, I couldn't say that. I mean, it was three years ago.

Witness concedes memory limitations about his police interview, opening the door for impeachment via the written report.

Stewart Tanner

Yeah. I mean, they could have asked me more. I don't know if there's more to this report or not.

Hedged answer suggesting the police report shown to him may be incomplete — witness unwilling to fully concede the scope of the interview.

Evidence (1)

Informal

Police interview report, page 368, documenting Tanner's interview on June 13th

Used to refresh witness recollection about contents of his police interview

Notable Exchanges (1)

Dan Leonard•Stewart Tanner

Leonard uses the police report to pin down that Tanner was only asked about Goldman's activities and whereabouts — establishing the narrow scope of the early police investigation into Goldman's movements.

strategic

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ Stewart Tanner

prior inconsistent statement / memory limitation

Leonard used the written police report to narrow Tanner's recollection of what police asked him, suggesting his memory of the interview was incomplete after three years.

Witness Demeanor

(Witness reviews document.)

Objections

None recorded

Proceeding 8021 • 38 utterances • Plaintiff witness

Civil Trial

Department 103