📄 Direct examination of Neill Freeman (part 2) — Thursday, February 6, 1997
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C:\DEPT103\CIVIL\1997\FEB\6\DIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-NEILL-FR.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 55 of 57

Direct examination of Neill Freeman (part 2)

Witness: Neill Freeman
Examiner: Peter Gelblum
Called by: Plaintiff • Date: Thursday, February 6, 1997 • Utterances: 53
Financial expert Neill Freeman presented Plaintiffs' Exhibit 2414, a summary of profits Simpson gained from murder-related commercial activities — a book, a video, Star tabloid photos, interviews, and autograph/memorabilia sales — totaling $2,818,136. All figures were drawn directly from financial records and check copies provided by the defense. Freeman acknowledged he had no way to verify whether the information was complete.
1 (Jurors resume their respective seats.)
2 THE COURT:

Okay. You may resume.

3 MR. GELBLUM:

Thank you, Your Honor.

DIRECT EXAMINATION (continued) BY MR. GELBLUM:

4 Q:

Mr. Freeman, did you also prepare from the documents that were provided by the defense a summary of the profits that Mr. Simpson gained from the murders in this case?

5 A:

Yes, sir, I did.

6 MR. GELBLUM:

Could you put that summary up on the Elmo, Steve. (Document displayed on Elmo.)

7 MR. GELBLUM:

That will be next in order. 2414?

8 THE CLERK:

Correct.

9 (The instrument herein described as a summary of profit gained by Mr. Simpson marked for identification as Plaintiffs' Exhibit No. 2414.)
10 Q:

(BY MR. GELBLUM) Can you explain this exhibit to the jury, please, Mr. Freeman?

11 A:

Yes, sir. I was provided -- should I approach the screen?

12 Q:

Sure.

13 A:

Defendant provided us with copies of checks for monies received, or copies of ledger pages which recorded monies received, and they were basically in five different categories; the book receipts for "I Want to Tell You" --

14 Q:

That's the name of the book by Mr. Simpson?

15 A:

Yes, sir. Video income.

16 Q:

Was that the video Mr. Simpson distributed regarding his version of the events of the murders?

KEY QUOTE
17 A:

Yes, sir. The Star photos.

18 Q:

The photographs that Mr. Simpson contracted -- had published in Star tabloid upon his release from jail?

19 A:

That's my understanding, yes, sir. Proceeds --

20 Q:

Okay.

21 A:

Proceeds from interviews.

22 Q:

Those are all interviews since his release from jail?

23 A:

Yes, sir. And autographs, memorabilia, and all other categories.

24 Q:

The autographs and memorabilia are all things that were done after Mr. Simpson was arrested for these murders?

25 A:

That's my understanding, yes, sir.

26 Q:

Okay. The dollar amounts listed are taken from where?

27 A:

It's taken from the financial records provided by defendant or from copies of checks.

28 MR. GELBLUM:

Steve, can you put up briefly the other two pages, just so the jury -- they'll get this in the jury room.

29 Q:

(BY MR. GELBLUM) Tell the jury what's on the Elmo now.

30 MR. GELBLUM:

That will be part of 2414.

31 (The instrument herein referred to as Summary of Defendant profit gained (murders) was marked for identification as Plaintiffs' Exhibit No. 2414.)
32 A:

Whatever's done, the page's attached to Exhibit 2414 which listed the date that appeared on the check, or the date of the entry on the ledger, and the dollar amount that corresponds to that. And then for each category I've totalled that amount. So, for example, for the book, the total is $991,743. That's the amount that appears on the first page of Exhibit 2414. The total for the video as of January 16, 1996, and December 11, 1996, is $303,500. The total for the photographs between October 4, 1995, and December 1995, is $433,693.

33 Q:

Those are dates of receipt of payment by Mr. Simpson?

34 A:

That's correct.

35 Q:

All right. And interviews?

36 A:

The interviews between May 23, 1996, and September 12, 1996, a total amount $75,300.

37 MR. GELBLUM:

The next page, Steve, please. (Document displayed on Elmo.)

38 MR. GELBLUM:

You can just run it up slowly, Steve.

39 Q:

(BY MR. GELBLUM) Again, these are the dates shown and the amount shown; these are all taken directly from information provided by Mr. Simpson?

40 A:

Yes, sir, that's correct.

41 Q:

Do you have any way of verifying whether this information is complete?

42 A:

No, I do not.

43 Q:

All right. Then your grand total is what?

44 A:

The total for autographs, memorabilia, and other items, is $1,013,900. And the total for all categories is $2,818,136.

45 MR. GELBLUM:

Steve, quickly go back to the top of this page. (Elmo adjusted.)

46 Q:

(BY MR. GELBLUM) You said earlier all of these are -- the autographs and memorabilia are all for -- the autographs and memorabilia are all for activities Mr. Simpson engaged in after he was arrested for the murders; is that right?

47 A:

Yes, sir.

48 Q:

The dates reflect that?

49 A:

Yes, sir.

50 Q:

Go ahead down, Steve. July 8, '94 is the first one. And I believe Mr. Simpson was acquitted and released on October 3, 1995; is that your understanding?

51 A:

Yes, sir.

52 Q:

So there's a few after that date. Okay. Thank you very much.

53 MR. GELBLUM:

I have no further questions, Your Honor.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (3)

Witness
The total for all categories is $2,818,136.
The headline damages figure plaintiffs sought to establish — that Simpson financially capitalized on the murders to the tune of nearly $2.8 million.
Witness
No, I do not.
Freeman's admission that he could not verify the completeness of the financial records, a vulnerability left for cross-examination — the actual profits could be higher.
Peter Gelblum
Was that the video Mr. Simpson distributed regarding his version of the events of the murders?
Gelblum characterizes each income source explicitly for the jury, tying each revenue stream directly back to the killings.

Evidence (1)

Plaintiffs' Exhibit No. 2414
Multi-page summary of profits gained by Simpson from murder-related activities: book 'I Want to Tell You' ($991,743), video ($303,500), Star tabloid photos ($433,693), interviews ($75,300), autographs/memorabilia/other ($1,013,900). Grand total: $2,818,136. Sourced from defense-provided financial records and check copies.
introduced and explained to jury via Elmo display

Notable Exchanges (1)

Peter GelblumWitness
Gelblum walked Freeman through each income category, explicitly labeling each one for the jury — the book 'regarding his version of the events of the murders,' the Star photos 'upon his release from jail,' autographs 'after Mr. Simpson was arrested for these murders.' Systematic rhetorical framing of profit as tied to the killings.
strategic

Objections

None recorded
Proceeding 8894 • 53 utterances • Plaintiff witness
Civil Trial
Department 103
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📂 FEB 6, 1997 📄 Direct examination of Neill Fr
FEB 6, 1997 KRT DvH TD