Officer Miguel Terrazas, who arrived at 875 South Bundy at 12:15 AM on June 13, 1994 with his partner Officer Riske, testified about what he observed at the crime scene. He described seeing the two victims, a single glove, a knit cap, and an envelope at the front, then was assigned to guard the rear of the property where he observed a drop of blood near a black Jeep Cherokee, additional blood spots on the rear gate, and a smudge of blood on the top bar of the gate — all described as bright red and moist. He confirmed he never saw a second glove.
# 1 (The instruments herein described were received in evidence as Plaintiffs' Exhibit Nos. 89, 75 and 76.) # 2 Q: What is your occupation, sir?
# 3 A: Currently working for Los Angeles police department, assigned to Valley Bureau Crash.
# 4 Q: What is Valley Bureau Crash?
# 5 A: I worked for valley bureau. I work any one of the valley divisions and crash stands is an acronym for communities resources and street against street hoodlums.
# 6 Q: How long have you been with the LAPD?
# 7 A: For approximately three and a half years.
# 8 Q: And what did you do prior to that?
# 9 A: I was in U.S. air force.
# 10 Q: To approximately how long?
# 11 A: Approximately five and a half years.
# 12 Q: What was your assignment with the Los Angeles police department June 12, June 13 of 1994?
# 13 A: I was assigned to the west L.A. Division uniform patrol.
# 15 A: I was to respond to any kind of radio calls and suppress any kind of criminal activity out there.
# 16 Q: Did you have occasion in the early morning hours of June 13 to go to 875 south Bundy?
# 18 Q: Alone or with someone?
# 20 Q: Who was your partner?
# 22 Q: Approximately what time did you arrive?
# 23 A: Approximately 0015 hours, should be about :15 in the morning.
# 24 Q: Can you put up No. 32, please?
(Steve complies).
Could you tell the ladies and gentlemen of the jury whether the photograph in what's been marked 32 accurately represent what you saw when you arrived?
# 26 Q: Would you place on the board, please, exhibit 38?
(Steve complies).
What is that, sir?
# 27 A: It's an envelope I saw.
# 28 Q: And what else did you see? You can stand up and look at the photo?
# 29 A: Adjacent to the envelope was the glove and the knit cap.
# 30 Q: In the photo also a body?
# 31 A: Yes, sir. There was a body of a white male early 20s to mid 20s.
# 32 Q: Could you put up on the board exhibit 89, please?
# 34 A: It's the glove and a knit cap.
# 35 Q: And when did you first see those?
# 36 A: I first saw them June 13, 1993 (sic) as I walked with my partner to the doorway, I saw them at approximately 12:20 in the morning.
# 37 Q: Is that an accurate reproduction of how they appeared when you first saw them?
# 39 Q: You mentioned seeing the female victim, the male victim, a single glove and a hat and envelope. On how many occasions in those early morning hours did you see those various other people or items?
# 40 A: On two occasions.
# 41 Q: And could you describe what you used, if anything, as a source of light?
# 42 A: I used my flashlight which would be a streamline flashlight.
# 43 Q: Can you describe how bright the light is?
# 44 A: About room light maybe bright her.
# 45 Q: And at the time you saw the items and the victims, was there just one flashlight on them or two?
# 46 A: Be my flashlight and my partner's flashlight.
# 47 Q: Now, you said on two separate occasions you saw what you indicated. Where were you on each of these occasions?
# 48 A: I was at the -- I believe it was the base of the stairwell, sir, on both occasions.
# 50 A: I think the top of the stairwell.
# 51 Q: Did you see more than one glove?
# 52 A: No, I only saw one.
# 53 Q: Now, after viewing the evidence that you described, on the two occasions, where did you go?
# 54 A: I then walked out of the walkway onto the grassy area where I met with Sergeant Coon.
# 55 Q: And did you have a conversation with Sergeant Coon?
# 57 Q: And did he give you any direction?
# 58 A: Yes. He told me to walk to the rear of south Bundy and guard that area.
# 59 Q: And did you do that?
# 61 Q: And could you describe how you made your way from the front of 875 to the rear of 875?
# 62 A: I walked southbound Bundy to Dorothy, walked westbound on Dorothy to the alleyway and northbound on the alley onto the rear of 875 south Bundy.
# 63 Q: And on the way, did you use any source of illumination?
# 64 A: Yes. As I reached the alleyway, I turned on my flashlight.
# 65 Q: And for how long did you have on your flashlight?
# 66 A: Maybe 20 minutes.
# 67 Q: And where did you shine your flashlight?
# 69 Q: And did you observe any second glove?
# 71 Q: Did you make your way to the rear of 875 south Bundy?
# 73 Q: When you arrived at the rear, did you make any observation?
# 75 Q: What did you see?
# 76 A: I saw a black Jeep Cherokee parked in the rear of 875 south Bundy. And adjacent to the black Jeep Cherokee towards the passenger side, I observed a drop of blood. I believe there was some change and a pendant.
# 77 Q: We're going to place on the board, Officer Terrazas, what's been marked 75 and ask if you've ever previously seen the scene that that photograph depicts?
# 78 (The instrument herein described was marked for identification as Plaintiffs' Exhibit No. 75.) # 80 Q: At the time you saw that scene, was the man in the picture?
# 82 Q: Were the two markers in the pictures?
# 84 Q: Could you tell us what, other than what the picture generally accurately represents, what you saw in the early morning hours of June 13?
# 85 A: It depicts it very well.
# 86 Q: If you could point to the marker that's presently in the middle, can you tell us what was by that marker? You've told us the marker wasn't there, but what was there on June 13?
# 87 A: In that general area was where I saw the change and the pendant.
# 88 Q: And how about to the right of that, looking at it straight ahead?
# 89 A: In that area was where I saw a drop of blood.
# 90 Q: Can you put on the board exhibit 76, please?
# 92 A: No, the marker was not there.
# 93 Q: And what is the object next to it?
# 94 A: It appears to be of blood.
# 95 Q: And could you describe whether or not that was a drop of blood that you saw in the early morning hours of June 13?
# 96 A: It appears to be the same drop of bloody observed on that night.
# 97 Q: Now, the drop of blood, as you observed it that night, can you describe it?
# 98 A: Bright red in color, looked moist.
KEY QUOTE # 99 Q: How long were you in the rear of 875 south Bundy?
# 100 A: I'd say from approximately 12:25 to about :30 in the morning.
# 101 Q: And your assignment or job back there during that period of time was what?
# 102 A: I was assigned by Sergeant Coon to guard that area, make sure that no Civilian personnel no unauthorized personnel were able to get in. Only Detectives or persons from S.I.D.
# 103 Q: Did any unauthorized personnel get in?
# 105 Q: Now, while you were back in that area, did you have occasion to look around and shine your flashlight around?
# 107 Q: And in what area?
# 108 A: I put my flashlight on the ground and as I walked towards the rear gate, I observed another drop of blood on the rear gate?
# 109 Q: Would you put on the board, exhibit 85, please?
# 111 (The instrument herein described was marked for identification as Plaintiffs' Exhibit No. 85.) # 112 A: It appears to be the rear gate that would be leading to the rear of the residence towards the alleyway.
# 113 Q: In other words, that would be a photo of the rear gate standing within the residence or outside the residence looking towards the residence?
# 114 A: It would be standing from the alleyway looking towards the residence so you'd be looking east.
# 115 Q: Now, was that marker that appears on the gate there at the time you saw the gate on June 13?
# 116 A: No, sir, it was not.
# 117 Q: Other than that, could you tell us whether or not what's been marked 85 is an accurate reproduction of the gate as you remember it that day?
# 118 A: It appears to be accurate to the best of my knowledge.
# 119 MR. MEDVENE: Would you put on the board exhibit 86?
# 121 (The instrument herein described was marked for identification as Plaintiffs' Exhibit No. 86.) # 122 Q: (BY MR. MEDVENE) You mentioned before seeing a blood spot on the rear gate. Can you tell us what exhibit 86 purports to be, if you know?
# 123 A: It appears to be the same blood spot I observed on June 13, 1994.
# 124 Q: At approximately what time?
# 125 A: Oh approximately 12:30, 12:35.
# 126 Q: At the time you saw the blood spot, strike that.
Can you tell us whether or not the blood spot appears to be in the position that you recall it that evening?
# 128 Q: With the exception of the ruler and the No. 117, tell us whether or not that picture is an accurate reproduction of what you saw, possibly putting aside the color of the blood spot?
# 129 A: Yes, it is. It's accurate.
# 130 Q: Do you have any memory of the coloring of the blood spot that you saw that evening?
# 131 A: Bright red in color.
# 132 Q: Did there come a time, some minutes after your observation, that you walked inside the gate?
# 134 Q: Can you put on the board, please, exhibit .
# 136 (The instrument herein described was marked for identification as Plaintiffs' Exhibit No. 81.) # 137 Q: (BY MR. MEDVENE) Can you describe, what is exhibits 81?
# 138 A: It's the rearview of the residence leading to the alleyway. And as you're looking at it, you would be standing inside the residence walkway looking west.
# 139 Q: So it would be the opposite direction of the rear gate photo we say a few minutes ago?
# 141 Q: Now, can you tell us whether or not that photo accurately depicts what you saw the early morning hours of June 13 with the exception of the markers at the bottom of the gate?
# 143 Q: Were those marks there when you saw the gate?
# 145 Q: Were they, to the best of your knowledge, at some later date, put on when this actual picture was taken?
# 147 Q: You were not there when a picture was taken?
# 149 Q: Would you put 82 on the board, please?
# 152 Q: We've placed before you what's been marked 82. And could you tell us whether or not, with the exception of the markers, that photograph accurately depicts a gate as you recall it in the morning hours of June 13, 1994?
# 153 A: Yes, sir it does.
# 154 Q: Where did you remember -- what are -- what do you remember seeing on the bottom of the gate?
# 155 A: Towards the bottom of the gate I remember seeing some blood. On the mesh portion right along inside here and along the bottom bar, the gate up in this area.
# 156 Q: Now, when you say along the bottom bar of the gate, that 115 marker, was that there that evening?
# 158 Q: Could you point just to the left as you look at the photo of the 115 marker and tell us whether or not what's depicted there is what you recall on June 13?
# 159 MR. BAKER: Objection. Leading, Your Honor.
# 160 THE COURT: Overruled.
# 161 OFFICER MIGUEL TERRAZAS: A drop of blood I observed.
# 162 Q: (BY MR. MEDVENE) You were making -- I'm sorry to interrupt, you were making a circle. I just want, for the record, where were you making a circle?
# 164 Q: And you were circling, can you explain what you were circling?
# 165 A: It's a -- well, it's a drop of blood with another drop of blood. Adjacent to it, several spots of blood along that bar right in here. But the one I really remember well was the big drop of blood right in here.
# 166 Q: And do you recall seeing any other blood on the lower running of the back gate that's depicted in that photo?
# 167 A: Yes, I remember seeing the blood right along in here.
# 168 Q: When you say right along in here; is there a marker there now?
# 170 Q: And you recall seeing that when?
# 172 Q: Now, will you put up on the board, please, 142.
# 174 (The instrument herein described was marked for identification as Plaintiffs' Exhibit No. 142) # 175 Q: (BY MR. MEDVENE) We have on the board what's been marked 142. Can you tell us whether or not you recognize what's depicted on that photo?
# 176 A: Yes, I recognize it. That's the smudged blood along the top bar of the gate.
# 177 Q: Was there ever a time when you saw that smudge that you just described?
# 178 A: Yes, I saw it on June 13, 1994, sir.
# 180 A: Approximately 12:35 in the morning.
# 181 Q: From your time with the LAPD, are you familiar with what blood looks like?
# 183 Q: How so, what, in your P.D. experiences made you familiar with the blood?
# 184 A: I've been to numerous calls with victims of crime where there have been bleeding and I have seen it along the ground or on different objects and recognize it to be blood, sir.
# 185 Q: Any question in your mind that what you described to the jury here this morning on the side of the gate, looking from east to west and then again on the side looking from west to east, all those spots were blood that you observed in the early morning hours of June 13?
# 186 A: It most definitely looked like blood to me, sir.
KEY QUOTE # 187 Q: And from your observation, how did they look, again, in terms of --
# 190 A: Bright red in color. Some appeared to be moist or wet looking.
# 191 Q: Did you prepare any notes in the early morning hours of June 13 just generally summarize your observations?
# 192 A: Yes, I did, sir.
# 193 Q: Make any notes of any blood you saw on the back gate?
# 195 Q: One last question, Officer Terrazas. In all your time there at Bundy, all your time in the rear and all the shining of your flashlight that you told us about, did you ever see a second glove?
# 197 Q: Thank you very much.
CROSS-EXAMINATION BY MR. BAKER: