Redirect examination of David Rossi (part 3)

📄 Redirect examination of David Rossi (part 3) — Monday, October 28, 1996

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CIVIL\1996\OCT\28\REDIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-DAVID-.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 4 of 57

◀ Sidebar: scope of cross-examination Cross-examination of David Rossi ▶

Witness: Sgt. David Rossi
Examiner: Robert Baker
Called by: Defense • Date: Monday, October 28, 1996 • Utterances: 54

Baker closes his cross-examination of Officer Rossi with brief questioning about Fuhrman's clothing at the Bundy scene and the command hierarchy of detectives present that night. Rossi is consistent but vague on details, and Baker ends without further questions after establishing the chain of seniority: Lange, Vannatter, then Fuhrman and Phillips.

# 1 (The following proceedings were held in open court, in the presence of the jury.)

# 2 Q:

(BY MR. BAKER) Now, when you saw Detective Fuhrman, when you met him at the corner of Dorothy and Bundy, did he have a coat on?

# 3 A:

I don't believe he did, sir.

# 4 Q:

When you were in the back, is it your testimony that the whole time you were with Detective Fuhrman, he did not have a coat on at all?

# 5 A:

I don't remember if he put one on.

KEY QUOTE

# 6 Q:

Do you have any recollection of him going to get a duty coat and put one on?

# 7 A:

No, sir, I don't.

# 8 Q:

And your recollection is, when he got out of the car, he didn't have a coat on, right?

# 9 A:

As far as I remember, yes.

# 10 Q:

Now, did you see Detective Roberts at any time when you were at the back of the house?

# 11 A:

No, sir.

# 12 Q:

Did you see Detective Roberts at any time at the crime scene?

# 13 A:

Front of the house, yes, sir.

# 14 Q:

When did you first see Detective Roberts?

# 15 MR. MEDVENE:

Objection. Beyond the scope of direct, Your Honor.

# 16 THE COURT:

You may answer. Go ahead.

# 17 A:

I saw Detective Roberts after I had come -- or returned to the front of the house.

# 18 Q:

(BY MR. BAKER) From your initial trip?

# 19 A:

No, sir, from the the second trip, the trip with the two detectives.

# 20 Q:

About 2:30, 2:40?

# 21 A:

That would possibly be very close.

# 22 Q:

You ever see them again?

# 23 A:

Well, he was there.

# 24 Q:

Did you ever see him at the scene again? Was he there the whole time, till you left at 4:15?

# 25 A:

Yes, he was.

# 26 Q:

And you saw him just before you left the scene at 4:15, correct? That is, Detective Roberts?

# 27 A:

I don't remember if I saw him then, sir.

# 28 Q:

You have a recollection of the last time you saw him?

# 29 A:

No, I don't.

# 30 Q:

How many officers were at the scene when you left between 4:10 and 4:15, approximately?

# 31 A:

Several. I don't remember how many, sir.

# 32 Q:

In excess of 20?

# 33 A:

Not that many.

# 34 Q:

Fifteen, twenty?

# 35 A:

Excuse me. You mean uniformed officers?

# 36 Q:

No.

# 37 A:

Anybody?

# 38 Q:

Anybody employed by LAPD.

# 39 A:

I would say less than 20.

# 40 Q:

And were the two most senior people at the time you left, Vanatter and Lange?

# 41 A:

I did not see Vannatter, but Lange was there.

# 42 Q:

So Lange got there before Vannatter?

# 43 A:

Yes, sir.

# 44 Q:

And you have known Lange from before?

# 45 A:

No, sir.

# 46 Q:

You met him that night?

# 47 A:

Didn't meet him, saw him.

KEY QUOTE

# 48 Q:

And somebody told you that was Lange?

# 49 A:

I knew it was.

# 50 Q:

All right. And then the next, before RHD became involved in the crime, that would be senior and in charge of the crime scene, would have been Fuhrman and Phillips, right?

# 51 A:

Detective Spangler. Actually, he's a lieutenant.

# 52 Q:

In charge of the actual detective work at the crime scene, you'd have Vannatter, Lange, and then Fuhrman and Phillips?

# 53 A:

Yes.

# 54 MR. BAKER:

I don't have anything further at this time.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (2)

David Rossi

Didn't meet him, saw him.

Rossi draws a precise distinction when Baker asks if he 'knew' Lange — revealing careful, guarded testimony style.

David Rossi

I don't remember if he put one on.

Rossi hedges on whether Fuhrman wore a coat, leaving open the question of what Fuhrman may have had on his person.

Notable Exchanges (2)

Robert Baker•David Rossi

Baker probes whether Fuhrman wore a coat at the scene; Rossi gives uncertain answers — he doesn't believe Fuhrman had one, doesn't remember if he put one on later.

strategic

Robert Baker•David Rossi

Baker establishes the detective command hierarchy at Bundy: Lange and Vannatter at the top, then Fuhrman and Phillips — with Lieutenant Spangler also noted by Rossi.

methodical

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ David Rossi

memory testing

Baker repeatedly pressed Rossi on specific details — Fuhrman's coat, Roberts' last sighting, officer count — exposing vague recollection throughout.

Objections

1 objections (0 sustained, 1 overruled)

Proceeding 8045 • 54 utterances • Defense witness

Civil Trial

Department 103