Now, just briefly I'd like to get some background on you. You grew up in the Los Angeles area?
I first attended University of Colorado at Boulder. Then I transferred to Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Now, during the period that you were at -- away at college, would you come back and visit from time to time?
Okay. And during the period that you were away at college, your father was living at Rockingham?
Okay. Now, I want to direct your attention to the morning of June 13, 1994. First of all, where had you been the night before, that was the night of June 12?
If I can -- with the assistance of Mr. Baker, I just need a diagram at this point. If I can approach.
I'm going to try to position it so you can see it and the jury can see it. Everyone see it in the jury? (The jury panel nods affirmatively.)
Okay. Now, I think there's a pointer -- I see there's a retractable pointer there. If you would just step down for a minute, please, Ms. Simpson. Just take a look at that diagram. Do you recognize that diagram as -- as a schematic or diagram of the residence at Rockingham?
Okay. By the way, before we get to this, I think I skipped something. When you returned to Los Angeles from college in '92, did you live at Rockingham too, start to live there?
Okay. Now, just -- I want you to show the jury, when you pulled into Rockingham after returning from the movies on the -- in the early morning of June 13, show us where you parked your Saab?
And you never moved that -- your vehicle until sometime the next -- late the next morning or next afternoon, is that correct, on the 13th?
Okay. Now, at some point early in the morning on the 13th, was there a knock at your door --
-- where you were staying? Show the jury where your room was, where you were staying that night?
Two men knocked on my door. I opened the door. They asked me who I was. I told them who I was. They asked me where my father was and I told them that I didn't know where he was but I knew somebody that could get in touch with him. At that point, I put my clothes on to go into the house.
At that point, did the police -- do you recall which -- we've had several police detectives testify here. Do you recall which ones, right now, came to your door and spoke to you?
Okay. Now, they came to your door, they knocked on your door, they asked you where your father was, right?
At that point, did they ask you any other questions, such as did you hear any strange noises, did you see anything unusual or are there any people that are injured on the property, anything like that?
Now, you put your clothes on, and the officers accompanied you back into the house; is that right?
Your Honor, I'm going to object at this point to leading. We're past foundation.
Okay. Now, you've -- what you've described is going around the north side of the house, correct?
Okay. Now, three detectives have testified before this jury that you went right in -- there's a back door right here?
They testified that you had your keys out and you had to open up a lock with the keys and you went in that way. Did you do that night?
For the record, these are exhibits and photos I've not seen before, not on the joint trial statement, but I have no objection.
Half of your exhibits are not on the joint trial statement (indicating to photographs shown to him by Mr. Leonard).
2318. (The instrument herein described as a photo was marked for identification as Defendants' Exhibit No. 2318.)
And 2319. (The instrument herein described as a photo was marked for identification as Defendants' Exhibit No. 2319.)
(BY MR. LEONARD) I ask you to take a look at those two photographs, Ms. Simpson. I'm going to ask you if they accurately depict the back door that we've just been talking about as it existed on June 12 -- excuse me -- the morning of June 13, 1994?
Now, when you -- after you walked all the way around with the detectives, did you enter the house?
Why don't you zoom in on the door handle. (Elmo is adjusted to zoom in on door handle.)
(BY MR. LEONARD) Again, that was the handle that was on that door on the morning of June 13, 1994?
I just want to show -- no, that's fine, we'll get it back (indicating to exhibit in the witness' possession). Now, what was the purpose of going into the house?
I was going into the house to go to get in touch with somebody that could find out where my dad was.
At that point, can you tell the jury whether or not you knew that your father was out of town?
I went into the kitchen and went to call her, realizing that I didn't have her home phone number, so I had to -- to go to my car to get my phone book.
All right. And how did you do that, how -- describe where you went to get the phone book and how you got there?
I used the phone which is like somewhere in this area, and I walked out the kitchen door to walk this way to my car, and I went into the trunk of my car to get my phone book out.
Now, at the point you got the phone book out, can you tell us whether or not you had a discussion with the police officers that were with you, the detectives?
I was going out to the car, I had asked, I believe Lange, I said you have to tell me what's going on, I'm not understanding, you're scaring me, can you please tell me what has happened. And at that point he told me that Nicole -- he asked me if I knew Nicole Brown Simpson, and I said yes. And he said that she had been killed and that -- at her house and that there was somebody else with her.
Now, I want to -- I'm going to come back to this -- this point. I want to ask you some other questions first. Would you -- could you tell the jury whether or not from the period, let's say, January 1, 1994, until Nicole's death, that you would have occasion to go over and visit with Nicole on Bundy?
Let's talk about the dogs for a minute. We've seen a photograph of a dog laying in the driveway named Chachi. Would you describe Chachi as a swift, greyhound-type dog?
Okay. But let me ask you this: Do you recall occasions when you were living at Rockingham when Chachi would get out of the gate nonetheless?
Okay. Was -- was the issue -- and let me ask you this: There were other dogs that would be at Rockingham from time to time, correct?
And would Kato -- Kato would be going back and forth from Bundy to Rockingham, sometimes he'd be at Bundy, sometimes at Rockingham?
Off and on. It was -- you'd just see him, depending, you know -- he would be there off and on. No particular, you know, Monday through Wednesday. He would just come and go.
There was a problem with all the dogs running out of the gate. We had two other dogs -- well, one other dog also that would occasionally go out the gate, and it would be a problem because of the neighbors. And our dogs are very lazy so they would sit in the middle of the street and not move when the cars came around.
And the -- let's -- first of all, I want to direct your attention to January 1, '94 through June 12, '94. At that time, is it fair to say the only dogs around would be Chachi and Kato?
Now, did this -- did the dogs getting out and laying in the street, did that generate complaints from neighbors?
Now, as a result of that, did you have a -- were you conscious of the dogs running out, did you have any particular habit with regard to being vigilant when you drove your car out of the gate?
Your Honor, I'm going to object. The only issue as to dogs is the dog Chachi on June 12, the only dog --
Excuse me. He's arguing in front of the jury. If he wants to approach the side bar --
(BY MR. LEONARD) Can you tell us whether or not you were aware of your father being concerned about dogs leaving the property?
(BY MR. LEONARD) And did you -- tell us whether or not you know if your father had a particular habit with regard to when he left the property with his car in relation to that property?
To, you know, pulling into Ashford gate, we have a clicker, so as soon as we get in we usually close the gate. But going out of the Rockingham gate, it's on a timer, so normally we would pull out, kind of wait there until the -- till the gate closed and then pull out, to make sure the dogs wouldn't get out.
Okay. I want to go back to the morning of June 13 now. After the phone call with Kathy Randa, did you at any point talk to your father?
(BY MR. LEONARD) Tell us, first of all, when the first conversation you had with your father occurred?
I believe that my father called after Kathy and I know that they had a conversation with my father; I can't remember if he called or if they called them.
And at that point, I had to -- I had a discussion with Lange about the kids and getting the kids and picking them up. I told them that I just couldn't do it by myself, I would have to call somebody,
A.C., to help me. So as I was walking to my room to change, 'cause I was in my pajamas, the phone rang again, and I picked up the phone, it was my father, and I had a discussion with him then.
This is in direct rebuttal or it's meeting directly the argument this guy's going to make for sure (indicating to Mr. Petrocelli). Based on the testimony from the passenger Partridge on the plane ride back that Simpson knew some of the details, they already started off -- details of the murders, they already started out by putting Phillips on the stand to suggest that he never said -- gave any details and that O.J. didn't even ask what happened, if you recall, that Phillips says he didn't say, "How did it happen." And they then put Partridge on to say O.J. -- this is -- there were two people, and so this is -- this is absolutely relevant and absolutely a fair response to that.
There's no impeachment exception to the hearsay rule. If it's hearsay, it's hearsay, regardless of the purpose. He can't offer admission statements of his own client. They're self-serving. He can't put witnesses on the stand to -- I can offer in statements of O.J. Simpson. You can't get on the stand and put in statements of O.J. Simpson by your witnesses. These are clearly hearsay. They're not covered by an exception to the hearsay rule.
It goes to Simpson's state of mind. They're trying to suggest consciousness of guilt, that he's talking to Partridge and he knows some details and --
Your Honor, we have a right to elicit this. They have -- we've had a lot of state of mind exceptions to the hearsay rule floating around here.
Simpson's state of mind. It's going to the state of mind. The full conversation will be that when he said, what happened, what happened, now, obviously, that shows a consciousness of innocence; he doesn't know what happened, number one. And number two, she tells him what she knows, which explains how Partridge -- how he could know that to tell Partridge, okay. And that's in direct rebuttal to hearsay of Simpson. And number three -- I can't remember right now, but I know -- I know it was a good point. Oh, yeah. I can elicit -- I'm sure you're going to allow me to elicit his demeanor during the call and his reaction.
That isn't hearsay. That's definitely offered, his reaction to it is not (sic) offered.
Her statements -- her statements are not her statements. He can elicit what she said, not what he said.
That's been the rule of the law for a long time. That's what we've been observing in this courtroom; otherwise, you could put in --
THE COURT: It's self-serving hearsay. It's also evidence of cooperation. Overruled. (The following proceedings were held in open court, in the presence of the jury.)
(BY MR. LEONARD) You were -- we were discussing your conversation with your father that morning when he called in to the house. Tell us what you recall of that discussion, please.
He had called and he had said, "Arnelle, what's going on?" I had said, "Dad, I don't know. It's crazy. I'm scared. They tell me I have to go pick up the kids." He had said, "What's going on? What's going on?" And I said, "I don't know. They just keep saying that Nicole is dead and that there was somebody else with her."
Now, can you tell us what your father's reaction was when you told him that -- when you gave him that information, his demeanor, at least, you could tell from his voice, from what he said.
Now, moving to one final area. In the month preceding Nicole's death, did you ever hear your father complain that Nicole was keeping the children from him?
No. It's impossible.
He had said, 'What's going on? What's going on?' And I said, 'I don't know. They just keep saying that Nicole is dead and that there was somebody else with her.'
Shocked, very upset, sad. Confused.
It was the same day that my dad received the Heisman Trophy.