📄 Cross-examination of Dennis Fung (part 2) — Tuesday, April 11, 1995
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\APR\11\CROSS-EXAMINATION-OF-DENNIS-FU.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 54 of 167

Cross-examination of Dennis Fung (part 2)

Witness: Dennis Fung
Examiner: Barry Scheck
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Tuesday, April 11, 1995 • Utterances: 763
Barry Scheck continues his methodical cross-examination of LAPD criminalist Dennis Fung, opening by using newly played videotape (Defendant's 1083) to catch Fung in a direct contradiction — Fung had claimed evidence collection didn't begin until the coroner's staff left, but the video clearly shows Mr. Jacobo of the coroner's office still on scene while Mazzola is already collecting the glove. The bulk of the examination then focuses on exposing Fung's near-total ignorance of proper DNA evidence collection protocols: lack of training, no knowledge of contamination risks from invisible blood particles, no awareness that LAPD's practice of using plastic bags for wet bloodstains contradicted standard forensic textbooks (Saferstein, De Forest/Gaensslen/Lee), and no record-keeping of swatch counts through the entire chain of custody.
1 (A VIDEOTAPE WAS PLAYED FOR THE COURT AND COUNSEL.)
2 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, COULD WE BE HEARD AGAIN ON THIS?

3 THE COURT:

NO. MR. HARRIS, BE CAREFUL HERE.

4 MR. HARRIS:

YES, YOUR HONOR.

5 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: NOW, A FEW MOMENTS AGO, MR. FUNG, WHEN YOU SAW THE VIDEO OF THE ENVELOPE, YOU SAID THAT IT HAD REFRESHED YOUR RECOLLECTION WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE FRAME BECAUSE YOU KNEW THAT COULDN'T BE THE ENVELOPE SINCE THE EVIDENCE COLLECTION DID NOT BEGIN UNTIL THE PEOPLE FROM THE CORONER'S OFFICE LEFT?

6 A:

THAT'S WHAT I INDICATED, YES.

7 Q:

ALL RIGHT. I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU THIS PIECE OF VIDEOTAPE, MR. FUNG.

8 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MARK THIS AS 1083.

9 (DEFT'S 1083 FOR ID = VIDEOTAPE)
10 (AT 10:45 A.M., DEFENDANT'S EXHIBIT 1083, A VIDEOTAPE, WAS PLAYED.)
11 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: AND YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS AT THE BREAK, HAVEN'T YOU?

12 A:

YES, I HAVE.

13 Q:

NOW, THIS IS MISS MAZZOLA PUTTING THE HAT IN THE BAG, CORRECT?

14 A:

YES.

15 Q:

AND IF YOU LOOK IN THE BACK OF THE STEPS, THOSE ARE THE PRINT PEOPLE WALKING BACK AND FORTH, THE ONES IN THE WHITE COATS?

16 A:

YES.

17 Q:

AND YOU SEE IN BACK OF HER WHAT LOOKS LIKE THE TAPE MEASURE?

18 A:

I COULDN'T MAKE IT OUT.

19 Q:

SEE IT NOW?

20 A:

YES. COULD BE, YES.

21 Q:

NOW SHE'S PICKING UP THE GLOVE? NOW, YOU REMEMBER THAT MR. JACOBO FROM THE CORONER'S OFFICE, HE WAS THE GENTLEMAN IN THE BLUE SUIT, THE BLUE JUMPSUIT?

22 A:

YES.

23 Q:

I WOULD LIKE YOU TO WATCH VERY CAREFULLY THE FRAME, THESE SHOES. SEE THOSE SHOES, SEE THOSE BLUE PANTS?

24 A:

YES.

25 Q:

THAT'S MR. JACOBO, ISN'T IT?

26 A:

APPEARS TO BE, YES.

27 Q:

SO YOU DID BEGIN EVIDENCE COLLECTION BEFORE THE CORONERS LEFT?

28 A:

YES.

29 Q:

SO WHAT YOU SAID BEFORE WASN'T TRUE?

KEY QUOTE
30 A:

IT WAS TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION AT THE TIME.

KEY QUOTE
31 Q:

WELL, WHEN YOU FILLED OUT YOUR EVIDENCE COLLECTION REPORT, MR. FUNG, FOR THE BUNDY SCENE -- I THINK WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE -- THERE'S A BOX THAT HAS TIMES ON IT, RIGHT?

32 A:

YES.

33 Q:

AND YOU DIDN'T FILL OUT ANY TIMES FOR THE COLLECTION OF THESE -- OF THESE PIECES OF EVIDENCE, DID YOU?

34 A:

THEY WERE NOT FILLED IN.

35 (AT 10:46 A.M., THE PLAYING OF DEFENDANT'S EXHIBIT 1083, THE VIDEOTAPE, CONCLUDED.)
36 MR. SCHECK:

COULD WE JUST PRINT -- WE'LL JUST PRINT OUT THE LAST STILL OF THE SHOES.

37 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. 1083-A.

38 MR. SCHECK:

THANK YOU.

39 (DEFT'S 1083-A FOR ID = STILL PRINTOUT/SHOES)
40 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: MR. FUNG, WHY DON'T WE MOVE ON TO THE ISSUE OF DNA AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF IT. I BELIEVE YOU SAID DURING CROSS-EXAMINATION THAT YOU WERE NOT A DNA PERSON?

41 A:

SOMETHING RELATIVE TO THAT, YES.

42 Q:

AND THAT BY THAT, YOU MEAN THAT YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THROUGH SEROLOGY AT SID?

43 A:

I'VE NEVER BEEN ASSIGNED THERE.

44 Q:

ALL RIGHT. AND JUST SO YOU CAN MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE JURY, SID, THERE ARE VARIOUS DIFFERENT PLACES YOU CAN ROTATE THROUGH?

45 A:

YES.

46 Q:

AND YOUR ROTATION DID NOT INCLUDE SEROLOGY?

47 A:

YES.

48 Q:

AND WHAT IS SEROLOGY?

49 A:

SEROLOGY -- IN THE SEROLOGY UNIT, THEY WILL ANALYZE BIOLOGICAL FLUIDS AND SOMETIMES TISSUE FOR GENETIC MARKERS.

50 Q:

AND SOMETIMES THAT'S CALLED CONVENTIONAL GENETIC MARKER TESTING?

51 A:

YES.

52 Q:

THAT'S BLOOD TYPE A, B, O, THINGS OF THAT NATURE?

53 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, THIS IS IRRELEVANT WITH THIS WITNESS.

54 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

55 DENNIS FUNG:

THAT IS ONE OF THE TESTS THEY DO.

56 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: YES. THE TEST EAP, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT ONE AT ALL?

57 A:

I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT, NO.

58 Q:

AND THEN STARTING IN JANUARY OF 1995, SID BEGAN DOING DNA TESTING?

59 A:

I'M NOT SURE WHEN THEY STARTED.

60 Q:

WELL, ARE YOU AWARE AT THAT POINT IN TIME, SID BEGAN DOING A FORM OF DNA TESTING IN 1994?

61 A:

I AM NOT AWARE OF WHEN OUR DNA PROGRAM STARTED.

62 Q:

WHEN I SAY THAT "YOUR LAB" DOING IT, I MEANT THAT IT'S ACTUALLY DONE IN-HOUSE BY ANALYSTS FROM THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT LABORATORY. WE'RE CLEAR ON THAT?

63 A:

YES.

64 Q:

AS OPPOSED TO COLLECTING SAMPLES THAT WOULD THEN BE SENT OUT TO OTHER LABORATORIES FOR DNA TESTING.

65 A:

YES.

66 Q:

AND TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, HAD -- PRIOR TO 1994, HAD THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT COLLECTED SAMPLES AND SENT THEM OUT TO OTHER LABORATORIES FOR DNA TESTING?

67 MR. GOLDBERG:

IRRELEVANT, YOUR HONOR.

68 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

69 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: NOW, AT ANY TIME IN 1994, HAD PEOPLE FROM THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT CRIME LAB GIVEN A LECTURE TO YOU ON PROCEDURES FOR COLLECTING EVIDENCE THAT WOULD SUBSEQUENTLY BE SUBJECTED TO DNA TESTING?

70 A:

PRIOR TO 1994?

71 Q:

WELL, DURING 1994.

72 A:

I NEVER RECEIVED THAT TRAINING, NO.

73 Q:

PRIOR TO 1994, DID YOU RECEIVE ANY TRAINING ON HOW TO COLLECT SAMPLES THAT WOULD SUBSEQUENTLY BE SUBJECTED TO DNA TESTING?

74 A:

BRIEF TRAINING, YES.

75 Q:

AND WHO GAVE YOU THIS BRIEF TRAINING?

76 A:

I DON'T RECALL.

77 Q:

WAS IT -- DO YOU KNOW WHO ERIN RILEY IS?

78 A:

YES, I DO.

79 Q:

AND IS SHE THE MOST EXPERIENCED DNA ANALYST AT THE LAPD CRIME LAB?

80 A:

I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT OR WHO THE MOST EXPERIENCED PERSON IS.

81 Q:

WELL, SHE WOULD BE THE MOST EXPERIENCED IN -- DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE PCR OR POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION METHOD IS?

82 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, IT'S IRRELEVANT, BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS WITNESS' EXPERTISE.

83 THE COURT:

OVERRULED. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS?

84 DENNIS FUNG:

I CAN'T GO INTO ANY DETAIL ON ITS -- I KNOW IT'S ONE OF THE PROCEDURES -- THERE'S TWO PROCEDURES, AND THAT'S ONE OF THEM.

85 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: ONE OF THEM PCR, WHAT'S KNOWN AS PCR?

86 A:

YES.

87 Q:

AND TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, IS THAT THE ONE THAT THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT CRIME LAB BEGAN SOMETIME IN 1994 TO DO IN-HOUSE?

88 A:

AGAIN, I'M -- I'M NOT -- I DON'T KEEP UP, ABREAST WITH THE DNA PROGRAM.

89 Q:

AND THE OTHER METHOD IS SOMETIMES KNOWN AS RFLP? HAVE YOU HEARD THAT TERM?

90 A:

I'VE HEARD THE TERM.

91 Q:

FOR RESTRICTION FRAGMENT LENGTH POLYMORPHISM? HAVE YOU HEARD THAT TERM?

92 A:

I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT TERM, NO.

93 Q:

IN TERMS OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PCR TESTING AND THE RFLP TESTING, DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THOSE METHODS?

94 A:

JUST VERY LIMITED KNOWLEDGE.

95 Q:

WELL, YOU SAY YOU DON'T RECALL YOUR BRIEF LECTURE ON HOW TO COLLECT SAMPLES FOR PURPOSES OF FUTURE DNA TESTING?

96 MR. GOLDBERG:

MISSTATES THE TESTIMONY.

97 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

98 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: YOU DON'T KNOW WHO GAVE YOU THAT LECTURE?

99 A:

I DON'T RECALL WHO GAVE IT, NO.

100 Q:

WAS IT -- WOULD IT REFRESH YOUR RECOLLECTION, IS IT GREG MATHESON?

101 A:

IT MAY HAVE BEEN.

102 Q:

HE'S THE HEAD OF SEROLOGY?

103 A:

YES. HE IS THE HEAD OR HE WAS HEAD OF SEROLOGY.

104 Q:

MICHELLE KESTLER?

105 A:

I'M PRETTY SURE IT WAS NOT MICHELLE KESTLER.

106 Q:

SHE'S THE HEAD OF THE LABORATORY?

107 A:

YES, SHE IS.

108 Q:

COULD IT HAVE BEEN A GENTLEMAN NAMED HARRY KLAN?

109 A:

NO, IT WAS NOT HARRY.

110 Q:

YOU KNOW WHO HE IS?

111 A:

YES. I KNOW CRIMINALIST KLAN.

112 Q:

HE'S ANOTHER ANALYST, DNA ANALYST IN SEROLOGY?

113 A:

HE WAS.

114 Q:

HE'S NOT THERE NOW?

115 A:

I THINK HE'S ASSIGNED TO A DIFFERENT --

116 Q:

NOW, IN YOUR BRIEF LECTURE ABOUT COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE FOR PURPOSES OF DNA TESTING, DID ANYBODY EVER TELL YOU THAT THE ABILITY TO PERFORM SUCCESSFUL DNA ANALYSIS ON BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE RECOVERED FROM A CRIME SCENE DEPENDS VERY MUCH ON THE KINDS OF SPECIMENS COLLECTED AND HOW THEY WERE PRESERVED?

117 MR. GOLDBERG:

ASSUMES FACTS NOT IN EVIDENCE, YOUR HONOR.

118 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

119 DENNIS FUNG:

THERE -- I'VE HEARD SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT, YES.

120 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: WERE YOU TOLD THAT THE TECHNIQUE USED TO COLLECT AND DOCUMENT SUCH EVIDENCE, THE QUANTITY AND TYPE OF EVIDENCE THAT SHOULD BE PACKAGED AND HOW THE EVIDENCE SHOULD BE PRESERVED ARE SOME OF THE CRITICAL POINTS FOR A -- FOR DNA PROGRAM? WERE YOU TOLD ANYTHING TO THAT EFFECT?

121 MS. CLARK:

EXCUSE ME, YOUR HONOR. COULD WE SEE WHAT COUNSEL IS READING FROM?

122 THE COURT:

OVERRULED. WERE YOU TOLD SOMETHING LIKE THAT, MR. FUNG?

123 DENNIS FUNG:

TO THE LAST PART OF HIS QUESTION? I DON'T RECALL BEING TOLD SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

124 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: WERE YOU TOLD ANYTHING TO THE EFFECT THAT IF EVIDENCE IS IMPROPERLY PACKAGED, CROSS-CONTAMINATION CAN OCCUR?

125 A:

NOT AT THAT -- NOT AT THAT TRAINING, NO.

126 Q:

NO SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THAT IN YOUR BRIEF DNA LECTURE?

127 A:

NOT THAT I CAN RECALL.

128 Q:

WERE YOU TOLD THAT IF DNA EVIDENCE IS NOT PROPERLY PRESERVED, THAT DECOMPOSITION AND DETERIORATION MAY WELL OCCUR?

129 A:

NOT AT THAT LECTURE, NO.

130 Q:

AND WERE YOU TOLD THAT THE DECOMPOSITION OR DEGRADATION OF DNA EVIDENCE CAN SERIOUSLY AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF DNA TYPING?

131 A:

I DON'T RECALL THAT BEING DISCUSSED.

132 Q:

WERE YOU EVER SHOWN A SET OF GUIDELINES FOR THE COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF DNA EVIDENCE THAT WAS PRODUCED BY THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION?

133 A:

YES, I'VE BEEN SHOWN THAT.

134 Q:

ALL RIGHT. I ASK --

135 MR. SCHECK:

MAY I APPROACH THE WITNESS?

136 THE COURT:

YOU MAY.

137 MR. GOLDBERG:

MAY I HAVE ONE MOMENT, YOUR HONOR?

138 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: IS THIS THE DOCUMENT THAT --

139 THE COURT:

HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON.

140 MR. GOLDBERG:

I THINK I KNOW -- CAN I JUST TAKE A BRIEF LOOK AT IT?

141 THE COURT:

SURE.

142 (BRIEF PAUSE.)
143 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: NOW, YOU SAY YOU'VE BEEN SHOWN A BOOK ENTITLED GUIDELINES FOR THE COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF DNA EVIDENCE?

144 A:

I BELIEVE IT'S A LEAFLET, BUT YES.

145 Q:

LEAFLET? AND WHEN WERE YOU SHOWN THAT?

146 A:

THAT WAS SHOWN TO ME MAYBE COUPLE WEEKS AGO BY -- OH, ABOUT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

147 Q:

WHO SHOWED IT TO YOU?

148 A:

MR. GOLDBERG.

149 Q:

SO IN OTHER WORDS, MR. GOLDBERG SHOWED YOU THE GUIDELINES FOR THE COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF DNA EVIDENCE LONG AFTER YOU COLLECTED THE EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE?

KEY QUOTE
150 MR. GOLDBERG:

WAIT A MINUTE. ASSUMES FACTS NOT IN EVIDENCE. ASSUMING ONE SET OF DOCUMENTS.

151 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED. REPHRASE THE QUESTION.

152 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: MR. GOLDBERG SHOWED YOU THE GUIDELINES FOR COLLECTION AND PRESENTATION OF DNA EVIDENCE PRODUCED BY THE FBI LONG AFTER YOU DID THE COLLECTION IN THIS CASE?

KEY QUOTE
153 A:

YES.

154 Q:

AND ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF THIS IS DR. HENRY LEE, CORRECT?

155 A:

I BELIEVE SO, YES.

156 Q:

NOW, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH DNA WOULD BE CONTAINED IN ONE MICROLITER OF BLOOD?

157 A:

NO.

158 Q:

DO YOU KNOW WHAT A MICROLITER IS?

159 A:

I BELIEVE IT'S ONE TO THE NEGATIVE SIX LITERS.

160 Q:

AND IN TERMS OF WHAT A MICROLITER OF BLOOD WOULD LOOK LIKE, WOULD YOU NOT AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PINHEAD?

161 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, THIS IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS WITNESS' EXPERTISE.

162 THE COURT:

OVERRULED ON THAT GROUND.

163 MR. GOLDBERG:

ALSO BEYOND THE SCOPE OF DIRECT AND IRRELEVANT.

164 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

165 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: WELL, DO YOU KNOW WHETHER ONE MICROLITER OF BLOOD WOULD BE ENOUGH TO DO A DNA TEST USING THE RFLP METHOD?

166 MR. GOLDBERG:

SAME OBJECTIONS.

167 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

168 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: WERE YOU GIVEN ANY INSTRUCTION WITH RESPECT TO HOW MUCH BLOOD COULD BE USED IN A SUCCESSFUL DNA TEST?

169 MR. GOLDBERG:

SAME OBJECTIONS, YOUR HONOR.

170 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

171 DENNIS FUNG:

YES.

172 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: AND --

173 A:

BRIEFLY.

174 Q:

WERE YOU TOLD THAT AS LITTLE AS ONE MICROLITER OR A PINHEAD OF BLOOD COULD PRODUCE A RESULT WITH AN RFLP TEST?

175 A:

I WASN'T TOLD THAT.

176 Q:

WERE YOU TOLD IT COULD PRODUCE A RESULT WITH A PCR TEST?

177 A:

THE TRAINING I RECALL WAS -- DID NOT DISCUSS PCR OR RFLP.

178 Q:

WERE YOU TOLD THAT MINUTE PARTICLES OF BLOOD THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE WITH THE NAKED EYE COULD BE RECOVERED FROM ITEMS OF EVIDENCE AND THEN USED IN A DNA TEST, BE IT PCR OR RFLP?

179 A:

I WASN'T TOLD THAT, NO.

180 Q:

WERE YOU WARNED THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MINUTE PARTICLES OF BLOOD ARE NOT SPREAD FROM ONE ITEM OF EVIDENCE TO THE OTHER ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO DO SUBSEQUENT DNA TESTING?

181 A:

NO.

182 Q:

WERE YOU INSTRUCTED THAT IF ONE JUST WET A FINGER, RUBBED IT ON A PODIUM SUCH AS THIS, THEN WIPED IT WITH A CLOTH, THAT AN EXTRACTION FROM THAT CLOTH COULD SUCCESSFULLY BE AMPLIFIED AND USED IN A DNA TEST?

183 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, THIS ASSUMES FACTS NOT IN EVIDENCE.

184 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED. SUSTAINED. THE JURY IS TO DISREGARD THE QUESTION.

185 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: DO YOU KNOW WHETHER CELLS FROM A SMALL CUT FROM YOUR FINGER TRANSFERRED ONTO A PIECE OF EVIDENCE COULD BE A SOURCE IN A SUBSEQUENT DNA TEST FROM THE EVIDENCE YOU TOUCHED?

186 MR. GOLDBERG:

CALLS FOR SPECULATION, YOUR HONOR, IMPROPER --

187 THE COURT:

DO YOU HAVE ANY TRAINING REGARDING THIS, MR. FUNG?

188 DENNIS FUNG:

NO.

189 THE COURT:

DO YOU HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THAT, THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE?

190 DENNIS FUNG:

NOT EXPERT KNOWLEDGE, NO.

191 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. PROCEED.

192 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: YOU'RE GOING OUT AND COLLECTING THE EVIDENCE HERE; ARE YOU NOT?

193 A:

YES.

194 Q:

ALL RIGHT. NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE WITH YOU THE LITTLE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE.

195 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, OBJECT TO THAT COMMENT, MAKE A MOTION TO STRIKE.

196 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

197 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE IT? I AM SORRY. YOU SAY LIMITED?

198 A:

YES.

199 Q:

I AM SORRY. THE LIMITED KNOWLEDGE. WERE YOU TAUGHT ANYTHING ABOUT THE DANGERS OF CONTAMINATION, CROSS-CONTAMINATING SAMPLES WHEN COLLECTING IT FOR PURPOSES OF DNA TESTING?

200 A:

NOT FOR DNA TESTING, NO.

201 Q:

NOW, YOU TOLD US ON DIRECT EXAMINATION THAT YOU WEAR GLOVES AT LEAST FOR ONE PURPOSE -- WITHDRAWN. YOU TOLD US ON DIRECT EXAMINATION THAT ONE PURPOSE OF WEARING GLOVES DURING THE COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE IS FOR YOUR OWN PROTECTION?

202 A:

YES.

203 Q:

DO YOU NOT REGARD IT ALSO AS IMPORTANT TO WEAR GLOVES AS A MEASURE TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION OF THE SAMPLES THAT YOU'RE COLLECTING?

204 A:

YES.

205 Q:

THAT'S ANOTHER PURPOSE?

206 A:

YES.

207 Q:

AN IMPORTANT PURPOSE?

208 A:

IT IS A PURPOSE.

209 Q:

NOW, YOU WERE ASKED ON DIRECT EXAMINATION HOW YOU DECIDE WHEN TO CHANGE GLOVES. DO YOU RECALL THAT?

210 A:

YES.

211 Q:

AND YOU RECALL THAT YOU ANSWERED THAT, "WHEN THE GLOVES GET DIRTY OR I HAVE TO USE SOME OF MY INSTRUMENTS OR PERSONAL ITEMS, I WILL REMOVE THE GLOVE SO AS NOT TO CONTAMINATE MYSELF OR OTHER ITEMS OF EVIDENCE"?

212 A:

YES.

213 Q:

NOW, WHEN YOU SAY THAT THE GLOVES GET DIRTY AND THEN YOU REMOVE THEM, THAT MEANS THAT YOU CAN SEE SOMETHING ON THE GLOVES?

214 A:

YES.

215 Q:

AND YOU'VE RECEIVED NO INSTRUCTION THAT SAMPLES CAN BE CONTAMINATED FOR PURPOSES OF DNA TESTING THROUGH MINUTE PARTICLES OF BLOOD THAT ONE CANNOT SEE?

216 MR. GOLDBERG:

ASSUMES FACTS NOT IN EVIDENCE.

217 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

218 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: HAS ANYBODY TOLD YOU THAT SAMPLES THAT ARE BEING COLLECTED FOR PURPOSES OF DNA TESTING CAN BE CROSS-CONTAMINATED BY MINUTE PARTICLES OF BLOOD THAT CANNOT BE SEEN?

219 A:

NO.

220 Q:

HAVE YOU BEEN TOLD THAT EVIDENCE THAT IS BEING COLLECTED FOR PURPOSES OF DNA TESTING CAN BE CONTAMINATED BY OTHER CELLULAR MATERIAL THAT IS SO MINUTE, ONE CANNOT SEE OTHER THAN BLOOD?

221 MR. GOLDBERG:

STILL ASSUMES FACTS NOT IN EVIDENCE.

222 Q:

SUSTAINED.

223 MR. SCHECK:

I'M ASKING IF ANYBODY EVER TOLD HIM THAT.

224 THE COURT:

WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THE EXTENT OF HIS TRAINING. MR. SCHECK.

225 MR. SCHECK:

OKAY.

226 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: NOW, THERE IS NO RULE IN THE COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE FOR PURPOSES OF DNA TESTING AT LAPD THAT GLOVES SHOULD BE CHANGED BETWEEN EACH SAMPLE?

227 A:

THERE IS NO RULE TO THAT, NO.

228 Q:

AND YOU DID NOT CHANGE GLOVES BETWEEN THE COLLECTION OF EACH SAMPLE, DID YOU?

229 A:

NOT THAT I CAN RECALL, NO.

230 Q:

AND YOU DID NOT INSTRUCT MISS MAZZOLA TO CHANGE HER GLOVES BETWEEN THE COLLECTION OF EACH SAMPLE?

231 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

232 Q:

AND YOU KNOW THAT SHE DID NOT CHANGE HER GLOVES BETWEEN THE COLLECTION OF EACH SAMPLE?

233 A:

FROM REVIEWING THE VIDEOTAPES, YES.

234 Q:

NOW, YOU DID RECEIVE A HANDOUT ON THE -- HOW TO COLLECT EVIDENCE, WHICH INCLUDED REFERENCES TO DNA TESTING; DID YOU NOT?

235 A:

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.

236 Q:

DO YOU RECALL RECEIVING A HANDOUT THAT WAS GIVEN TO CRIMINALISTS WITH RESPECT TO THE COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF BODY FLUIDS?

237 A:

I DON'T RECALL HAVING RECEIVED SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

238 Q:

WELL, LET ME SHOW YOU A DOCUMENT OF THREE PAGES.

239 MR. SCHECK:

AND I ASK IT BE MARKED COLLECTIVELY AS DEFENDANT'S NEXT IN ORDER.

240 THE COURT:

1084.

241 (DEFT'S 1084 FOR ID = 3-PAGE DOC.)
242 MR. GOLDBERG:

DID YOU SAY 1084, YOUR HONOR?

243 THE COURT:

YES. 1084.

244 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: HAVE YOU SEEN THOSE DOCUMENTS BEFORE, SIR?

245 A:

NO.

246 Q:

YOU WERE NEVER HANDED OUT THESE THREE PAGES WITH RESPECT TO PROCEDURES FOR THE COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF BODY FLUIDS?

247 A:

I DON'T RECALL HAVING BEEN GIVEN THAT, NO.

248 Q:

ALL RIGHT. DO YOU RECALL RECEIVING ANY LECTURES AT ANY TIME ON HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE BODY FLUIDS FROM ANYONE AT THE LAPD CRIME LAB?

249 A:

I HAD ON-THE-JOB TRAINING.

250 Q:

ALL RIGHT. AND IN THAT ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, WERE YOU GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO USE CLOTH SWATCHES FOR THE COLLECTION OF BLOODSTAINS AT A CRIME SCENE?

251 A:

YES.

252 Q:

I MEAN, YOU DID -- YOU PARTICIPATED IN THE CREATION OF ALL THOSE BOARDS, DID YOU NOT, THAT LAID OUT THE PROCEDURE?

253 A:

YES.

254 Q:

AND WHEN YOU WENT THROUGH THOSE BOARDS, DID YOU GO OVER THOSE PROCEDURES CAREFULLY WITH PEOPLE FROM THE CRIME LAB?

255 A:

NOT FROM THE CRIME LAB, NO.

256 Q:

WELL, WHO DID YOU GO OVER IT WITH?

257 A:

MYSELF, CRIMINALIST MAZZOLA AND MR. GOLDBERG.

258 Q:

DID YOU EVER GO THROUGH ANY OF THESE PROCEDURES WITH MR. YAMAUCHI?

259 A:

I DID NOT, NO.

260 Q:

MR. YAMAUCHI IS AN ANALYST THAT WORKS AT THE LAPD CRIME LAB?

261 A:

YES, HE IS.

262 Q:

AND YOU KNOW HIM AS BEING THE ANALYST THAT DID SOME OF THE DNA TESTING IN THIS CASE?

263 A:

YES.

264 Q:

AND YOU'VE DISCUSSED WITH HIM YOUR TESTIMONY IN THIS CASE?

265 A:

YES.

266 Q:

AND YOU'VE GONE OVER SOME OF THE DETAILS WITH HIM?

267 A:

LIMITED.

268 Q:

NOW, IN TERMS OF -- WERE YOU EVER TOLD WITH RESPECT TO PROCEDURES --

269 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, MAY WE APPROACH FOR ONE MOMENT?

270 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. WITH THE REPORTER, PLEASE.

271 (THE FOLLOWING PROCEEDINGS WERE HELD AT THE BENCH:)
272 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE OVER AT SIDEBAR.

273 MR. GOLDBERG:

IF HE HASN'T SEEN THIS BEFORE, COUNSEL CANNOT CROSS-EXAMINE UNDER EVIDENCE CODE SECTION I THINK IT'S 721.

274 MR. SCHECK:

YOUR HONOR, WHAT I'M ATTEMPTING TO DO IS THAT -- THE WITNESS HAS INDICATED THAT HE LEARNED ORALLY, WAS INSTRUCTED ORALLY AT SOME POINT ABOUT PROCEDURES AND HE LEARNED ON THE JOB. SO ALL I'M ASKING HIM ABOUT IS WHETHER CERTAIN PROCEDURES HE WAS TOLD ABOUT ORALLY. IF HE WANTS TO REFRESH HIS RECOLLECTION BY LOOKING AT THE DOCUMENT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, THAT'S FINE. ALSO, I'M A BIT PUZZLED BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT BECAUSE I WANT TO MOVE ON, BUT IT'S MY DISTINCT RECOLLECTION WE WERE HANDED AND THE COURT WAS HANDED THIS PARTICULAR DOCUMENT DURING THE SPLIT HEARING.

275 THE COURT:

YEAH. I HAVE TO CONFESS IT DOES NOT LOOK FAMILIAR TO ME. BUT SINCE I'VE SEEN 20,000 PAGES WORTH OF STUFF IN THIS CASE --

276 MR. SCHECK:

I PROPOSE SIMPLY TO ASK HIM ABOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE AND THE WAY THAT HE CLAIMS THAT HE GOT IT.

277 THE COURT:

I HAVEN'T HEARD A QUESTION THAT'S DIRECT CROSS-EXAMINATION AS TO THAT ITEM YET. MR. GOLDBERG.

278 MR. GOLDBERG:

BUT THE PROCEDURE OF COUNSEL STANDING UP THERE RIGHT NEXT TO THE WITNESS GOING THROUGH THE DOCUMENT IS NOT PROPER.

279 MR. SCHECK:

I HAVEN'T READ IT YET.

280 MR. GOLDBERG:

BUT THAT IS WHAT HE WAS ABOUT TO DO. THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO APPROACH NOW.

281 THE COURT:

NOTING THE OBJECTION. IT'S PREMATURE AT THIS TIME.

282 (THE FOLLOWING PROCEEDINGS WERE HELD IN OPEN COURT:)
283 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. MR. SCHECK, DO YOU NEED TO BE THERE FOR SOME PARTICULAR REASON? ARE YOU GOING TO SHOW HIM ANY --

284 MR. SCHECK:

I MAY SHOW HIM SOMETHING TO REFRESH HIS RECOLLECTION.

285 THE COURT:

WHY DON'T YOU USE THE PODIUM UNTIL YOU NEED TO.

286 MR. SCHECK:

ALL RIGHT.

287 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: NOW, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, SIR, YOU SAY YOU NEVER RECEIVED A WRITTEN HANDOUT ON HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE BODY FLUIDS WHICH WOULD INCLUDE BLOOD, RIGHT?

288 A:

I NEVER RECEIVED THAT HANDOUT, NO.

289 Q:

OKAY. BUT YOU DID RECEIVE INSTRUCTION ORALLY?

290 A:

YES.

291 Q:

THAT'S SORT OF THE ORAL TRADITION IN THE LABORATORY IN TERMS OF TRAINING PEOPLE?

292 A:

YES.

293 Q:

AND IN TERMS OF YOUR TRAINING ON HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE A BLOODSTAIN, PART OF IT WAS TO -- YOU WERE TOLD ORALLY BY SOMEONE TO USE A CLOTH SWATCH OR A CLOTH STRIP OR THREADS, REMOVE FROM THE SWATCH?

294 A:

YES.

295 Q:

AND YOU WERE TOLD THAT THE CHOICE OF THE SIZE OF THE SWATCH DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE STAIN THAT'S TO BE COLLECTED?

296 A:

YES.

297 Q:

AND YOU WERE TOLD THAT ONE SHOULD DAMPEN THE SWATCH WITH DISTILLED WATER AND REMOVE THE EXCESS WATER BY SHAKING IT OFF?

298 A:

I DON'T RECALL THAT BEING SPECIFICALLY --

299 Q:

YOU WERE TOLD TO APPLY THE DAMPENED SWATCH TO THE DRY STAIN?

300 A:

YES.

301 Q:

TO PRESS IT INTO THE STAIN USING TWEEZERS?

302 A:

YES.

303 Q:

WERE YOU INSTRUCTED ORALLY NOT TO RUB THE STAIN WITH THE SWATCH?

304 A:

NO.

305 Q:

LET ME SHOW YOU THIS DOCUMENT, SEE IF IT REFRESHES YOUR RECOLLECTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU WERE EVER TOLD THAT ONE SHOULD NOT RUB THE STAIN WITH THE SWATCH.

306 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, THERE'S NO SHOWING THAT THIS WITNESS NEEDS HIS RECOLLECTION REFRESHED.

307 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

308 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: ALL RIGHT. DO YOU THINK SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE TOLD YOU THAT ONE SHOULD NOT RUB THE STAIN WITH THE SWATCH?

309 A:

I -- I DON'T RECALL ANYBODY TELLING ME NOT TO RUB.

310 Q:

IS IT THAT YOU DON'T -- IS IT THAT YOU HAVE NO SPECIFIC MEMORY OF EXACTLY THE INSTRUCTIONS YOU WERE GIVEN ON HOW TO PICK UP THE STAIN?

311 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

312 Q:

ALL RIGHT. LET ME NOW SHOW YOU THE DOCUMENT, SEE IF IT REFRESHES YOUR RECOLLECTION.

313 THE COURT:

NO. YOU NEED TO ASK A FOUNDATIONAL QUESTION BEFORE YOU DO THAT.

314 MR. SCHECK:

ONE MORE?

315 THE COURT:

YES.

316 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: DO YOU REMEMBER ONE WAY OR THE OTHER WHETHER ANYBODY EVER TOLD YOU NOT TO RUB THE STAIN WITH THE SWATCH?

317 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, THIS IS ASKED AND ANSWERED.

318 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED. WOULD IT REFRESH YOUR RECOLLECTION, MR. FUNG, TO LOOK AT THIS DOCUMENT THAT'S BEEN SHOWN TO YOU WHETHER OR NOT YOU RECEIVED ANY INSTRUCTION REGARDING RUBBING OF A BLOOD SAMPLE IN ITS COLLECTION?

319 DENNIS FUNG:

NO.

320 THE COURT:

PROCEED.

321 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: THANK YOU. WERE YOU TOLD TO PLACE THE SWATCH ONCE THE STAIN HAD BEEN REMOVED, THAT TRANSFERRED STAIN INTO A PLASTIC BAG FOR TRANSPORTATION?

322 A:

YES.

323 Q:

AND TO PUT THE PLASTIC BAG IN A COIN ENVELOPE WITH APPROPRIATE INFORMATION ON IT?

324 A:

YES.

325 Q:

NOW, HAVE YOU READ ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT MANUAL THAT ONE SHOULD NOT USE A PLASTIC BAG FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF WET BLOODSTAINS OR WET ITEMS?

326 A:

I DON'T RECALL THAT BEING IN THE MANUAL.

327 Q:

I'M TALKING ABOUT NOW THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT MANUAL.

328 A:

THE MANUAL, LAPD MANUAL. I DON'T RECALL THAT.

329 (BRIEF PAUSE.)
330 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: HAVE YOU EVER -- DO YOU RECALL 6525.2 ON PRESERVING WET STAINS?

331 A:

NO.

332 Q:

ALL RIGHT. DO YOU RECALL ANY SECTION OF THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT MANUAL THAT SAYS:

"ITEMS CONTAINING WET BLOOD, SEMEN OR CHEMICAL STAINS SHALL BE PERMITTED TO DRY AT ROOM TEMPERATURE BEFORE PACKAGING, PLASTIC CONTAINERS OR PLASTIC WRAP SHALL NOT," IN ITALICS, "BE USED AS PACKAGING MATERIAL"?

333 A:

RECALL SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT, YES.

334 Q:

SHOW YOU THIS DOCUMENT, SEE IF IT REFRESHES YOUR RECOLLECTION.

335 A:

WHERE? HERE? HERE.

336 (BRIEF PAUSE.)
337 DENNIS FUNG:

YES.

338 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: NOW, I THINK YOU INDICATED THAT --

339 MR. GOLDBERG:

MAY I JUST HAVE A MOMENT, COUNSEL, TO MAKE SURE THAT --

340 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: I THINK YOU INDICATED THAT YOU WERE FAMILIAR --

341 MR. GOLDBERG:

CAN WE HAVE ONE MOMENT, YOUR HONOR?

342 THE COURT:

YES.

343 (BRIEF PAUSE.)
344 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH A GENTLEMAN NAMED BARRY FISHER?

345 A:

YES.

346 Q:

AND WHO IS HE?

347 A:

BARRY FISHER IS THE -- I THINK HE'S THE DIRECTOR OF THE L.A. SHERIFF'S OFFICE CRIME LAB.

348 Q:

ALL RIGHT. AND YOU INDICATED THAT YOU WERE FAMILIAR WITH AT LEAST ONE OF THE EDITIONS OF HIS WORK TECHNIQUES OF CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION?

349 A:

I HAVE LOOKED AT CERTAIN SECTIONS OF ONE OF THE EDITIONS, YES.

350 Q:

WHICH SECTIONS?

351 A:

I DON'T RECALL ALL THE SECTIONS I'VE LOOKED AT.

352 Q:

WELL, DO YOU RECALL LOOKING AT ANY SECTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF EVIDENCE?

353 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, IT'S VAGUE AS TO WHICH EDITION OF THE BOOK HE'S TALKING ABOUT.

354 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

355 MR. GOLDBERG:

WHAT?

356 THE COURT:

I SAID OVERRULED. BUT AT THIS POINT, IT IS. HE HASN'T ASKED A QUESTION REGARDING THE BOOK YET. PREMATURE. PROCEED.

357 DENNIS FUNG:

COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION?

358 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: YES. YOU SAID YOU WERE FAMILIAR WITH SOME SECTIONS OF THIS BOOK, TECHNIQUES OF CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, SOME EDITION, CORRECT?

359 A:

YES.

360 Q:

WHICH SECTIONS ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH?

361 A:

AGAIN, I'M NOT -- I DON'T RECALL EVERY SECTION THAT I'VE READ OUT OF THAT BOOK.

362 Q:

DO YOU RECALL IF YOU READ ANY SECTIONS DEALING WITH THE COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE?

363 MR. GOLDBERG:

IT'S STILL VAGUE AT THAT POINT AS TO WHAT EDITION OF THE BOOK HE'S TALKING ABOUT, YOUR HONOR.

364 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

365 DENNIS FUNG:

THE WHOLE BOOK DEALS WITH COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE.

366 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: DO YOU REMEMBER READING ANY SECTION OF THE BOOK THAT CONCERNED COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE WITH WET STAINS AND PUTTING THEM IN PLASTIC BAGS?

367 A:

I DON'T RECALL READING SOMETHING LIKE THAT, NO.

368 Q:

THAT WASN'T IN YOUR EDITION?

369 A:

I DON'T RECALL IF IT WAS OR NOT.

370 MR. SCHECK:

MAY I HAVE A MOMENT, YOUR HONOR?

371 (BRIEF PAUSE.)
372 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: DO YOU RECALL -- ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH A BOOK CALLED CRIMINALISTICS-AN INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC SCIENCE BY RICHARD SAFERSTEIN?

373 A:

I AM FAMILIAR WITH ONE OF THE EDITIONS, YES.

374 Q:

THIS IS A BOOK I TAKE IT YOU STUDIED IN YOUR TRAINING, CRIMINALISTICS?

375 A:

YES.

376 Q:

IT'S FUNDAMENTAL TEXT IN THE FIELD?

377 A:

ONE OF THEM.

378 Q:

ALL RIGHT. NOW, DO YOU RECALL IN THIS BOOK ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT PACKAGING BLOODSTAIN EVIDENCE IN PLASTIC OR AIRTIGHT CONTAINERS?

379 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, ASSUMES THAT THIS WITNESS HAS READ THIS PARTICULAR VERSION OF THIS BOOK.

380 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

381 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: IN ANY OF THE EDITIONS YOU READ?

382 A:

IT MAY HAVE BEEN, BUT I DON'T RECALL.

383 MR. SCHECK:

MAY I APPROACH, YOUR HONOR?

384 THE COURT:

YOU MAY.

385 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS PAGE OF WHAT IS THE 4TH EDITION OF CRIMINALISTICS-AN INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC SCIENCE BY RICHARD SAFERSTEIN AND ASK YOU TO READ THAT PARAGRAPH AND SEE IF IT REFRESHES YOUR RECOLLECTION.

386 MR. GOLDBERG:

MAY I APPROACH, YOUR HONOR?

387 THE COURT:

YOU MAY.

388 (BRIEF PAUSE.)
389 DENNIS FUNG:

YES.

390 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: NOW, THIS BOOK CRIMINALISTICS-AN INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC SCIENCE, WHATEVER EDITION YOU READ, IS THIS A TEXT THAT YOU CONSIDERED IN FORMING YOUR OPINIONS AS A CRIMINALIST IN YOUR TESTIMONY IN THIS CASE?

391 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, OVERLY BROAD, VAGUE.

392 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

393 DENNIS FUNG:

COULD YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN?

394 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: SURE. IS THIS BOOK PART OF THE TRAINING THAT YOU UNDERWENT WHICH CAME TO BE A PART OF THE BASIS FOR WHICH -- WHICH YOU USED IN OFFERING YOUR OPINIONS AS A CRIMINALIST IN THIS CASE?

395 A:

CERTAINLY PORTIONS OF IT.

396 MR. GOLDBERG:

VAGUE AS TO WHICH PORTIONS.

397 MR. SCHECK:

I THINK THE ANSWER WAS CERTAIN PORTIONS.

398 THE COURT:

I ASSUME WE ARE GOING TO WORK DOWN TO WHAT IT IS.

399 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: ALL RIGHT. NOW, WHICH PORTIONS DID YOU RELY UPON OR DID YOU CONSIDER IN FORMING YOUR OPINIONS AS A CRIMINALIST IN YOUR TESTIMONY IN THIS CASE?

400 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, ASSUMES A FACT NOT IN EVIDENCE, THAT HE'S OFFERED WHAT WE TYPICALLY CONSIDER AN EXPERT OPINION IN THIS CASE.

401 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

402 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: WHICH PORTIONS?

403 A:

I DON'T RECALL WHAT SPECIFIC PORTIONS.

404 Q:

WELL, WOULD IT INCLUDE DISCUSSION OF COLLECTION OF BLOODSTAINS? WOULDN'T THE THINGS THAT SAFERSTEIN SAID IN HIS BOOK WITH RESPECT TO THE COLLECTION OF BLOODSTAINS BE DATA THAT YOU CONSIDERED IN FORMING YOUR JUDGMENTS IN THIS CASE ABOUT HOW TO COLLECT BLOODSTAINS?

405 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, THAT ASSUMES A FACT NOT IN EVIDENCE, THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE COLLECTION OF BLOODSTAINS AS OPPOSED TO FINAL PACKAGING.

406 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

407 DENNIS FUNG:

THIS IS SOMETHING I DID CONSIDER, YES.

408 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: ALL RIGHT. AND DOESN'T SAFERSTEIN SAY THAT THE PACKAGING OF BLOOD EVIDENCE IN A PLASTIC OR AIRTIGHT CONTAINERS MUST BE AVOIDED BECAUSE THE ACCUMULATION OF RESIDUAL MOISTURE COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE GROWTH OF BLOOD DESTROYING BACTERIA AND FUNGI?

409 MR. GOLDBERG:

HEARSAY UNDER 721. ALSO AMBIGUOUS AS TO WHETHER HE'S TALKING ABOUT FINAL PACKAGING OR --

410 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

411 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: PREFERABLY, EACH STAINED ARTICLE SHOULD BE PACKAGED INDIVIDUALLY IN A PAPER BAG OR WELL-VENTILATED BOX?

412 A:

THAT'S WHAT THE BOOKS SAYS.

413 Q:

ALL RIGHT. NOW, DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT, SIR?

414 A:

I AGREE WITH THAT IN THE REGARD IF FOR FINAL PACKAGING. IN THE INTERMEDIATE STAGE, I DO NOT AGREE WITH THAT.

415 Q:

SO IN OTHER WORDS, FOR TEMPORARY PACKAGING, IT'S OKAY TO PUT A WET BLOODSTAIN IN PLASTIC?

416 MR. GOLDBERG:

WELL, IT'S VAGUE AS TO THE WORD "PACKAGING."

417 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

418 DENNIS FUNG:

PLEASE REPEAT IT.

419 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: SURE. SO IS IT YOUR POSITION THAT IT'S SOUND PRACTICE TO PUT A WET BLOODSTAIN IN A PLASTIC BAG TEMPORARILY?

420 A:

THAT'S THE WAY I WAS TAUGHT AND TRAINED TO DO IT IN THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT, YES.

KEY QUOTE
421 Q:

ALL RIGHT. SO IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT YOU WERE TAUGHT IN THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PUT WET BLOODSTAINS IN PLASTIC BAGS IN PACKAGING THEM?

422 MR. GOLDBERG:

WAIT A MINUTE. THAT MISSTATES THE TESTIMONY. THERE'S COLLECTION AND PACKAGING.

423 THE COURT:

OVERRULED. OVERRULED. COUNSEL, REMEMBER THE DIRECTION ON HOW OBJECTIONS ARE TO BE MADE. PROCEED.

424 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE TAUGHT?

425 A:

NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS TAUGHT.

426 Q:

WEREN'T YOU TAUGHT TO, WHEN COLLECTING THESE SWATCHES, ALL RIGHT, CONTAINING BLOOD THAT ARE WET, TO PUT THEM IN PLASTIC BAGS?

427 A:

YES.

428 Q:

ALL RIGHT. AND ISN'T THAT CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM SAFERSTEIN AND OTHERS AS TO SOUND PRACTICES WITH RESPECT TO PACKAGING WET STAINS?

429 A:

MY INTERPRETATION OF WHAT MR. SAFERSTEIN WROTE IS THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE BOOKED IN OR THEY SHOULD BE -- THEY SHOULD NOT BE PACKAGED IN PLASTIC FOR FINAL -- IN A FINAL STATE.

430 Q:

WELL, IS THERE ANYTHING TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE IN THIS BOOK THAT INDICATES THAT IT'S OKAY TO -- FOR YOU TO WRAP -- PACKAGE A WET BLOODSTAIN IN PLASTIC EVEN TEMPORARILY?

431 MR. GOLDBERG:

IT'S OVERLY BROAD, YOUR HONOR, THE ENTIRE BOOK.

432 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

433 DENNIS FUNG:

I DON'T THINK THE BOOK ADDRESSES IT.

434 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: WELL, TO THE EXTENT THE BOOK ADDRESSES IT, IT SAYS DON'T PUT WET BLOODSTAINS IN PLASTIC?

435 MR. GOLDBERG:

MISSTATES THE EVIDENCE.

436 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

437 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: SAFERSTEIN SAYS, "THE PACKAGING OF BLOODSTAIN EVIDENCE IN PLASTIC OR AIRTIGHT CONTAINERS MUST BE AVOIDED," TRUE?

438 A:

YES.

439 Q:

AND IT DOESN'T SAY, "MUST BE AVOIDED IN THE LONG TERM." IT SAYS, "MUST BE AVOIDED," PERIOD, RIGHT?

440 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, IT'S ARGUMENTATIVE.

441 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

442 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: NOW, A PLASTIC BAG IS A PACKAGE, ISN'T IT, SIR?

443 MR. GOLDBERG:

ARGUMENTATIVE.

444 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

445 DENNIS FUNG:

IT CAN BE CONSIDERED PACKAGING, YES.

446 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: AND SAFERSTEIN SAYS DON'T PUT WET BLOODSTAINS IN PLASTIC PACKAGING, RIGHT?

447 MR. GOLDBERG:

MISSTATES THE EVIDENCE.

448 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

449 DENNIS FUNG:

OH, EXCUSE ME. GO AHEAD. COULD YOU REPEAT IT?

450 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: SAFERSTEIN SAYS DON'T PUT WET BLOODSTAINS IN PLASTIC PACKAGES, RIGHT?

451 MR. GOLDBERG:

MISSTATES THE EVIDENCE.

452 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

453 DENNIS FUNG:

THE -- MY INTERPRETATION OF WHAT HE SAYS IN THAT REGARD IS TOWARDS FINAL PACKAGING.

454 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: ALL RIGHT. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH FORENSIC SCIENCE-AN INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINALISTICS BY DE FOREST, GAENSSLEN AND DR. HENRY LEE?

455 A:

I HAVE LOOKED AT PORTIONS OF THAT BOOK, YES.

456 Q:

ALL RIGHT. AND DO YOU RECALL WHAT THESE GENTLEMEN SAY ABOUT PACKAGING WET BLOODSTAINS IN PLASTIC?

457 A:

NOT SPECIFICALLY, NO.

458 Q:

ALL RIGHT. YOU'VE READ SOME EDITION OF THIS BOOK?

459 A:

IF THE COVER HASN'T CHANGED, IT'S PROBABLY THAT EDITION.

460 Q:

PROBABLY THIS EDITION. AND YOU'VE CONSIDERED THIS BOOK IN FORMING YOUR OPINIONS AS A CRIMINALIST WITH RESPECT TO TESTIMONY THAT YOU'VE GIVEN IN THIS CASE?

461 A:

YES.

462 Q:

ALL RIGHT. I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU NOW --

463 MR. GOLDBERG:

CAN I HAVE ONE MOMENT, YOUR HONOR?

464 THE COURT:

CERTAINLY.

465 (BRIEF PAUSE.)
466 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO PAGE 245 TO THIS PARAGRAPH.

467 A:

THIS ENTIRE PARAGRAPH?

468 Q:

THAT WHOLE PARAGRAPH, THAT SENTENCE.

469 (BRIEF PAUSE.)
470 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: NOW, THE SECTION YOU'VE JUST READ IS A SECTION ENTITLED "COLLECTION, PRESERVATION AND PACKAGING OF BLOOD EVIDENCE"?

471 A:

YES.

472 Q:

AND DO NOT THESE AUTHORS SAY THAT: "GARMENTS BEARING WET OR MOIST BLOODSTAINS SHOULD NEVER," AND THE NEVER IS IN BOLD, "BE SEALED IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINERS SUCH AS PLASTIC BAGS. UNDER SUCH CONDITIONS, THE SPECIMENS RETAIN THEIR MOISTURE ENCOURAGING BACTERIAL GROWTH?"

473 A:

THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS.

474 Q:

NOW, MR. FUNG, THE DANGER, WOULD YOU NOT AGREE, OF PACKAGING A WET BLOODSTAIN IN A PLASTIC BAG IS THIS PROBLEM OF BACTERIAL GROWTH?

475 A:

IT PROMOTES BACTERIAL GROWTH, YES.

476 Q:

AND WHAT BACTERIA DOES WHEN IT BEGINS TO FORM IN LET'S SAY A WET STAIN IN A PLASTIC BAG IS, IT WILL BEGIN -- THE BACTERIA WILL BEGIN TO EAT AWAY AT THE DNA?

477 A:

IT WILL BEGIN TO DEGRADE IT.

478 Q:

YES. THE TERM "DEGRADE." COULD YOU TELL THE JURY WHAT THE TERM "DEGRADE" MEANS?

479 A:

"DEGRADE" IN THAT SENSE MEANS THAT THE GENETIC PROTEIN OR DNA IS BROKEN DOWN BY THE -- BY THE BACTERIA.

480 Q:

IS IT SORT OF A SITUATION LIKE IF YOU PUT -- LIKE MILK BEING SPOILED, WHEN IT'S LEFT OUT FOR A LONG TIME, THE BACTERIA BEGINS TO FORM WITHIN IT? WOULD THAT BE AN ANALOGY THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, SOURING MILK?

481 A:

I -- IT'S A ROUGH ANALOGY.

482 Q:

OKAY. AND WOULD YOU NOT AGREE, SIR, THAT WHEN BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL SUCH AS WET BLOODSTAINS BEGIN TO DEGRADE THROUGH BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION, THAT THERE IS GREATER DANGER OF CROSS-CONTAMINATING THOSE DEGRADED SAMPLES THAN IF THE SAMPLES HAD NOT BEEN DEGRADED?

483 MR. GOLDBERG:

UNINTELLIGIBLE, YOUR HONOR.

484 MR. SCHECK:

LET ME REPHRASE THAT BECAUSE IT IS UNINTELLIGIBLE.

485 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

486 MR. SCHECK:

SUSTAINED AND SELF-CENSURED.

487 THE COURT:

YES. SUSTAINED. I WAS JUST READING IT MYSELF HERE.

488 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: LET ME START IT THIS WAY. LET US ASSUME THAT WE STARTED WITH A -- ONE OF THESE RED SWATCHES SUCH AS YOU TOOK FROM THE BUNDY CRIME SCENE AND THE SAMPLE WAS NOT DEGRADED. YOU WITH ME?

489 A:

GOT YOU.

490 Q:

AND THEN THROUGH THE PROCESS OF COLLECTION AND HANDLING, ONE GOT LET'S SAY BLOOD FROM ANOTHER SAMPLE AND ACCIDENTALLY TOUCHED OR CROSS-CONTAMINATED THE SAMPLE YOU PICKED UP. ARE YOU WITH ME?

491 A:

SO I HAVE A SAMPLE COLLECTED AND ANOTHER SAMPLE TOUCHED THE FIRST SAMPLE?

492 Q:

RIGHT.

493 A:

GOT YOU.

494 Q:

THAT CONCEPT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE OF THE SECONDARY TRANSFER OR CROSS-CONTAMINATION.

495 A:

OKAY.

496 Q:

NOW, IF THE SAMPLE THAT YOU HAD COLLECTED WAS NOT -- WAS DEGRADED, ALL RIGHT --

497 A:

WHICH SAMPLE WAS THAT.

498 Q:

THE SAMPLE YOU ORIGINALLY COLLECTED, LET US -- ASSUMING IT IS PUT IN A PLASTIC BAG, IT IS LEFT FOR SEVEN OR EIGHT HOURS, THEN IT IS LEFT IN A HEATED CONDITION AND THAT THAT SAMPLE IS SUBJECTED TO BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION. YOU WITH ME?

499 A:

YES.

500 Q:

AND THAT BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION WOULD BEGIN TO EAT AWAY AT THE ORIGINAL DNA IN THAT SAMPLE?

501 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, THIS IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF DIRECT, HIS EXPERTISE AT THIS POINT. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO FOLLOW THE HYPOTHETICAL.

502 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

503 DENNIS FUNG:

I DON'T KNOW AT WHAT POINT THE BACTERIA WILL START TO EAT AWAY.

504 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: WELL, AT SOME POINT, YOU AGREE BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION WILL DEGRADE SAMPLES?

505 A:

AT SOME POINT.

506 Q:

ALL RIGHT. AND LET US ASSUME FOR PURPOSES OF THIS HYPOTHETICAL THAT IF YOU LEFT A WET BLOODSTAIN IN A PLASTIC BAG FOR SEVEN HOURS, THAT THERE WOULD BE SUBSTANTIAL DEGRADATION OF THE ORIGINAL DNA IN THAT STAIN. ARE YOU WITH ME ON THIS?

507 A:

THIS IS HYPOTHETICAL?

508 Q:

YES.

509 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, OBJECTION. THIS IS AN IMPROPER HYPOTHETICAL.

510 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

511 MR. SCHECK:

YOUR HONOR, I'M JUST TRYING TO SET UP A STEP.

512 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: WOULD YOU AGREE, SIR, THAT A BLOODSTAIN WHICH HAS BEEN DEGRADED THROUGH BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION, SUCH THAT SOME OR -- MOST OR ALL OF THE ORIGINAL DNA HAS BEEN DESTROYED, IS A SAMPLE THAT CAN BE EASILY CROSS-CONTAMINATED WITH ANOTHER SAMPLE?

513 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, THIS IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF HIS EXPERTISE AND IT'S DISCUSSING TWO CONCEPTS. SO IT'S COMPOUND.

514 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED ON THE LATTER.

515 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: WOULD YOU AGREE, SIR, THAT THERE IS A GREATER DANGER OF CROSS-CONTAMINATING SAMPLES WHEN ONE OF THOSE SAMPLES HAS BEEN DEGRADED SUCH THAT IT HAS -- THE ORIGINAL DNA IN IT HAS BEEN DESTROYED?

516 A:

CROSS-CONTAMINATION AND DEGRADATION ARE TWO DIFFERENT CONCEPTS.

517 Q:

ALL RIGHT. SAMPLE A. ARE YOU WITH ME NOW?

518 A:

YES.

519 Q:

LET US ASSUME THAT SAMPLE A OR SWATCH A HAS BEEN DEGRADED AND THE ORIGINAL DNA HAS BEEN DESTROYED BY BACTERIA.

520 A:

YES.

521 Q:

NOW, YOU TAKE SAMPLE B AND YOU GET SOME BLOOD OR CELLULAR MATERIAL FROM SAMPLE B ONTO SAMPLE A. DO YOU FOLLOW THAT?

522 A:

YOU HAVE ONE DEGRADED SAMPLE AND ONE WITH AN UNDEGRADED SAMPLE?

523 Q:

THAT HAS UNDEGRADED DNA, YES.

524 A:

AND NOW WHAT?

525 Q:

AND YOU TOUCH THEM TO EACH OTHER.

526 A:

OKAY.

527 Q:

THAT WOULD BE A CROSS-CONTAMINATION?

528 A:

YES.

529 Q:

ALL RIGHT. SUCH A CROSS-CONTAMINATION WITH A DEGRADED SAMPLE PRESENTS SPECIAL DANGERS, DOESN'T IT?

530 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, THIS REALLY IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF DIRECT.

531 DENNIS FUNG:

I DON'T KNOW --

532 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

533 DENNIS FUNG:

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU REFER TO AS "SPECIAL DANGERS."

534 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: WELL, WOULDN'T IT BE TRUE THAT IF ONE SAMPLE IS DEGRADED, SAMPLE A, AND IT IS TOUCHED BY SAMPLE B, THAT THE ONLY DNA WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ON SAMPLE A IS THE DNA FROM SAMPLE B?

535 MR. GOLDBERG:

CALLS FOR SPECULATION, BEYOND THE SCOPE.

536 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

537 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: ALL RIGHT. SO AS FAR AS YOU'RE CONCERNED, THE DEGRADATION OF SAMPLES DOES NOT PRESENT SPECIAL RISK OF CROSS-CONTAMINATION?

538 A:

MY UNDERSTANDING OF DEGRADATION AND -- IS THAT THE SAMPLE OR THE GENETIC MATERIAL WITHIN A BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE WILL BREAK DOWN. CONTAMINATION HAS TO DO OR CROSS-CONTAMINATION HAS TO DO WITH PUTTING IN CONTACT ONE SAMPLE WITH ANOTHER.

539 Q:

ALL RIGHT. AND --

540 A:

AND THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT CONCEPTS.

541 Q:

WELL, LET'S TRY TO MERGE THEM. IF ONE SAMPLE IS DEGRADED AND THE OTHER -- AND THAT SAMPLE IS THEN CROSS-CONTAMINATED, WOULDN'T YOU AGREE THERE'S A SPECIAL DANGER THERE BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE A MORE COMPLETE CONTAMINATION?

542 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED. THAT'S VAGUE, "SPECIAL DANGER."

COUNSEL, HE'S TESTIFIED HE HASN'T BEEN IN THE SEROLOGY SECTION, HE'S NOT FAMILIAR WITH DNA.

543 MR. SCHECK:

I WILL LEAVE IT.

544 THE COURT:

LET'S MOVE ON.

545 MR. GOLDBERG:

MOTION TO STRIKE COUNSEL'S COMMENTS.

546 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

547 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: WERE YOU TOLD IN YOUR PROCESS OF -- IN YOUR LECTURES ON HOW TO COLLECT BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE TO CLEAN TWEEZERS FOLLOWING EACH USE TO AVOID CROSS-CONTAMINATION?

548 A:

YES.

549 Q:

AND THE WAY THAT YOU WERE TAUGHT TO CLEAN THE TWEEZERS WAS JUST TO TAKE DISTILLED WATER AND RUB IT ACROSS THE TWEEZERS?

550 A:

NO.

551 Q:

TAKE DISTILLED WATER, PUT IT -- HOW DO YOU CLEAN IT?

552 A:

TAKE A CHEM-WIPE OR COTTON APPLICATOR, WET WITH DISTILLED WATER, AND THE TWEEZERS ARE WIPED WITH EITHER THE CHEM-WIPE OR COTTON APPLICATOR UNTIL THEY ARE CLEAN. YOU SAY UNTIL THEY LOOK CLEAN?

553 A:

UNTIL THEY ARE CLEAN, YES.

554 Q:

WELL, UNTIL THEY JUST, FROM VISUAL INSPECTION, APPEAR TO BE CLEAN?

555 A:

VISUAL INSPECTION AND UNTIL NOTHING IS COMING OFF OF THE TWEEZERS.

556 Q:

WELL, YOU HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED THEN THAT BY SIMPLY WIPING THE TWEEZERS WITH A CHEM-WIPE AND DISTILLED -- DAMPENED WITH DISTILLED WATER, THAT THAT WOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO REMOVE DNA FROM THOSE TWEEZERS? THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE BEEN TOLD?

557 A:

YES.

558 Q:

NOW, IF YOU WERE WITH SOMEBODY THAT HAD A DEADLY VIRUS, A SERIOUS VIRUS, AND THEY JUST ATE SOMETHING WITH A SPOON AND THEN YOU JUST WIPE THAT SPOON WITH A CHEM-WIPE OF DISTILLED WATER, WOULD YOU BE RELUCTANT THEN TO USE THAT SPOON TO EAT?

559 MR. GOLDBERG:

IRRELEVANT.

560 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

561 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: DO YOU KNOW A -- DO YOU KNOW WHAT A VIRUS IS?

562 MR. GOLDBERG:

IRRELEVANT.

563 THE COURT:

OVERRULED. SIZE WISE IS RELEVANT.

564 DENNIS FUNG:

DO I KNOW WHAT A VIRUS IS? YES.

565 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: IS A VIRUS IN SOME WAYS JUST REALLY A SEQUENCE OF DNA?

566 A:

I -- I DON'T KNOW.

567 Q:

ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE METHODS THAT ARE USED AT DNA LABORATORIES TO CLEAN TWEEZERS OR TO CLEANSE TWEEZERS BETWEEN TOUCHING SAMPLES?

568 A:

NO.

569 Q:

DO YOU KNOW WHETHER THEY TAKE THOSE TWEEZERS AND THEY LITERALLY PUT THEM IN A BUNSEN BURNER OR AUTOCLAVE THEM?

570 MR. GOLDBERG:

ASSUMES FACTS NOT IN EVIDENCE.

571 THE COURT:

OVERRULED. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE TECHNIQUES?

572 DENNIS FUNG:

NO.

573 THE COURT:

PROCEED.

574 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: HAS ANYBODY AT THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT CRIME LAB SUGGESTED THAT INSTEAD OF JUST CLEANING THE TWEEZERS WITH DISTILLED WATER AND CHEM-WIPES, THAT IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO USE DISPOSABLE TWEEZERS?

575 A:

NO ONE'S MADE THAT SUGGESTION TO ME.

576 Q:

NOW, HAS ANYBODY TOLD YOU -- WELL, WITHDRAWN. AS PART OF THIS INSTRUCTION THAT YOU GOT WITH RESPECT TO COLLECTING SAMPLES FOR PURPOSES OF DNA TESTING, WERE YOU NOT INSTRUCTED TO COLLECT AS MUCH OF THE STAIN AS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY IF RFLP DNA ANALYSIS MAY BE NECESSARY AS A FUTURE ANALYSIS?

577 A:

COLLECT AS MUCH OF THE STAIN AS POSSIBLE, YES.

578 Q:

ESPECIALLY IF RFLP DNA ANALYSIS BE NECESSARY AS A FUTURE ANALYSIS?

579 A:

LAST PART OF THAT, I DON'T RECALL. BUT FOR DNA PURPOSES, I WAS TAUGHT TO COLLECT AS MUCH OF IT AS POSSIBLE.

580 Q:

SO WHETHER IT BE RFLP OR PCR, AS FAR AS YOU WERE CONCERNED, YOUR INSTRUCTIONS WERE COLLECT AS MUCH OF THAT BLOODSTAIN AS POSSIBLE FOR PURPOSES OF FUTURE DNA TESTING?

581 A:

YES.

582 Q:

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DID IN THIS CASE?

583 A:

THAT'S WHAT I ATTEMPTED TO DO, YES.

584 Q:

THAT'S WHAT YOU ATTEMPTED TO DO?

585 A:

YES.

586 Q:

NOW, WHEN YOU COLLECTED THE BLOODSTAINS IN THIS CASE -- WITHDRAWN. YOU WERE PRESENT YOU SAY ON MANY OCCASIONS WHEN MISS MAZZOLA WAS SWATCHING THE BLOODSTAINS IN THIS CASE?

587 A:

YES.

588 Q:

AND YOU PUT THEM INTO PLASTIC BAGS?

589 A:

YES.

590 Q:

THE SWATCHES?

591 A:

YES.

592 Q:

AND THEN THE PLASTIC BAGS WERE PUT INSIDE COIN ENVELOPES?

593 A:

YES.

594 Q:

AND WOULD YOU AGREE, SIR, THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP GOOD DOCUMENTATION OF EXACTLY HOW MUCH EVIDENCE YOU WERE COLLECTING WHEN YOU'RE COLLECTING IT? LET ME TRY IT ANOTHER WAY. WOULD YOU NOT AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO COUNT THE NUMBER OF SWATCHES THAT YOU OR MISS MAZZOLA TOOK FOR EACH BLOODSTAIN THAT YOU COLLECTED?

595 A:

NO.

596 Q:

NO?

597 A:

NO.

598 Q:

WELL, YOU DID NOT COUNT THE NUMBER OF SWATCHES YOU COLLECTED FOR EACH BLOODSTAIN, DID YOU?

599 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

600 Q:

AND EACH BLOODSTAIN DID NOT REQUIRE EXACTLY THE SAME NUMBER OF SWATCHES?

601 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

602 Q:

THEY VARIED?

603 A:

YES.

604 Q:

SOME HAD MORE, SOME HAD LESS?

605 A:

SWATCHES?

606 Q:

YES.

607 A:

YES.

608 Q:

AND YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO RECORDS OF HOW MANY SWATCHES YOU PUT INTO THE PLASTIC BAG FOR ANY BLOODSTAIN COLLECTED IN THIS CASE?

609 A:

THE STAIN IS THE EVIDENCE, NOT THE SWATCH. SO I DIDN'T RECORD THE NUMBER OF SWATCHES.

610 Q:

WELL, THE STAIN IS THE EVIDENCE WHEN YOU FIRST SEE IT, CORRECT?

611 A:

YES.

612 Q:

BUT THE STAIN IS TRANSFERRED TO A SWATCH?

613 A:

OR SWATCHES.

614 Q:

OR SWATCHES. CORRECT?

615 A:

YES.

616 Q:

AND AT THAT POINT, THE SWATCHES BECOME THE EVIDENCE THAT IS ANALYZED?

617 A:

NO. THE STAIN IS THE IMPORTANT.

618 Q:

AREN'T THE SWATCHES THAT CONTAIN THE BLOOD THE PHYSICAL ITEM THAT IS EVENTUALLY TAKEN TO THE LABORATORY AND ANALYZED FOR PURPOSES OF DNA TESTING?

619 A:

THE SWATCHES ARE A MEDIUM TO CARRY THE STAINS.

620 Q:

WELL, DON'T YOU REGARD THE SWATCH AS EVIDENCE?

621 A:

I CONSIDER THE STAIN TO BE THE EVIDENCE AND THE SWATCH IS MERELY A VEHICLE TO TRANSPORT THE STAINS.

622 Q:

IT'S ANOTHER FORM OF EVIDENCE?

623 A:

THE SWATCH IS ANOTHER FORM OF EVIDENCE.

624 Q:

YEAH. IT'S A FORM OF EVIDENCE?

625 A:

THE STAIN IS THE EVIDENCE.

626 Q:

WELL --

627 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON.

628 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: YOU DID NOT -- AFTER YOU GOT -- AFTER YOU PUT -- THE ONLY NUMBER -- THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN TRACK THE NUMBER OF SWATCHES WAS BY THE PHOTO IDENTIFICATION NUMBER; ISN'T THAT TRUE?

629 A:

THE ONLY WAY I CAN TRACK?

630 Q:

YEAH. WHEN YOU COLLECT -- WHEN YOU OR MISS MAZZOLA -- WHEN MISS MAZZOLA SWATCHED A BLOODSTAIN, SHE PUT A SERIES OF SWATCHES INTO A PLASTIC BAG?

631 A:

YES.

632 Q:

AND THE IDENTIFYING NUMBER THAT WAS PLACED ON THE PLASTIC BAG OR THE COIN ENVELOPE WAS THE PHOTO IDENTIFICATION NUMBER?

633 A:

YES.

634 Q:

THAT'S BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T HAVE ITEM NUMBERS WHEN YOU WERE COLLECTING THE SAMPLES ON JUNE 13TH?

635 MR. GOLDBERG:

OVERBROAD AS TO WHICH SCENES.

636 THE COURT:

REPHRASE THE QUESTION.

637 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: AS FAR AS BUNDY WAS CONCERNED, FOR EACH BLOOD DROP AT BUNDY, ALL YOU HAD WAS A PHOTO IDENTIFICATION NUMBER; IS THAT RIGHT?

638 A:

FOR THE EVIDENCE, YES.

639 Q:

YES. SO THAT'S HOW YOU KEPT TRACK OF IT. IT WAS A BAG, IT HAD A 117 ON IT AND A CERTAIN NUMBER OF SWATCHES WERE PUT INTO IT?

640 A:

WE ALSO MEASURED AND HAD IT PHOTOGRAPHED.

641 Q:

ALL RIGHT. BUT IN TERMS, WHEN YOU WALKED AWAY FROM THE SCENE, ALL YOU HAD WAS A PLASTIC BAG AND A COIN ENVELOPE WITH A PHOTO ID NUMBER ON IT?

642 A:

YES.

643 Q:

AND YOU DID NOT WRITE DOWN ON THE PLASTIC BAG THE NUMBER OF SWATCHES THAT WERE PUT INTO IT?

644 A:

NO.

645 Q:

AND YOU DID NOT WRITE DOWN ON THE COIN ENVELOPE THE NUMBER OF SWATCHES THAT WERE PUT INTO IT?

646 A:

NO.

647 Q:

AND WHEN YOU GOT BACK TO THE LABORATORY, YOU TOLD US ABOUT A PROCEDURE WHEREBY YOU REMOVED SWATCHES FROM PLASTIC BAGS?

648 A:

YES.

649 Q:

AND WHEN YOU REMOVED THE SWATCHES FROM THE PLASTIC BAG, YOU MADE NO NOTATION ABOUT HOW MANY SWATCHES YOU WERE REMOVING FROM ONE OF THOSE PLASTIC BAGS AND COIN ENVELOPES?

650 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

651 Q:

AND WHEN YOU PUT THE SWATCHES INTO A TEST TUBE, YOU MADE NO NOTES AS TO HOW MANY SWATCHES YOU WERE PUTTING INTO ONE OF THOSE TEST TUBES?

652 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

653 Q:

AND WHEN YOU TOOK THE SWATCHES OUT OF THE TEST TUBE AND YOU PUT -- AND THEY WERE PUT INTO BINDLES, YOU MADE NO NOTATION OF HOW MANY SWATCHES YOU WERE PUTTING INTO THE BINDLES?

654 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, AT THIS POINT, ARGUMENTATIVE. HE SAID HE MADE NO NOTATION.

655 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

656 DENNIS FUNG:

THAT'S CORRECT.

657 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: SO YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO RECORDS FROM THE TIME THAT THE SWATCHES WERE COLLECTED AT BUNDY TO THE TIME THAT THEY WERE PUT INTO THOSE BINDLES AS TO HOW MANY SWATCHES THERE WERE FOR EACH BLOOD DROP?

658 A:

THAT'S CORRECT, BECAUSE THE STAIN IS THE EVIDENCE, NOT THE SWATCHES.

KEY QUOTE
659 Q:

AND YOU HAD KNOW COUNT ON THOSE SWATCHES?

660 A:

THAT'S RIGHT.

661 Q:

AND ISN'T IT PART OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IN COLLECTING EVIDENCE TO MAINTAIN A CHAIN OF CUSTODY?

662 A:

YES.

663 Q:

AND WOULDN'T YOU AGREE AS PART OF THAT CHAIN OF CUSTODY, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOW MANY SWATCHES YOU HAD WHEN YOU FIRST COLLECTED THE STAIN AND HOW MANY SWATCHES YOU HAD WHEN YOU GOT TO THE LAB?

664 MR. GOLDBERG:

VAGUE AS TO THE TERM "CHAIN OF CUSTODY."

665 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

666 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: "CHAIN OF CUSTODY" IS WHAT, SIR, IN YOUR OPINION?

667 A:

THE CHAIN OF CUSTODY IS RECORDING WHEN YOU TAKE CUSTODY OF AN ITEM OF EVIDENCE AND WHEN YOU RELEASE THE ITEM OF EVIDENCE AND TO WHOM AND AT WHAT TIME.

668 Q:

AND INCLUDED WITHIN CHAIN OF CUSTODY IS TRYING TO MAKE A RECORD SO YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT YOU HAVE AT A LATER POINT IN TIME EXACTLY THE SAME ITEMS THAT YOU FIRST COLLECTED?

669 A:

NO. THAT'S NOT EXACTLY RIGHT.

670 Q:

IT'S NOT PART OF THE CHAIN OF CUSTODY CONCEPT, TO KEEP TRACK OF THE NUMBER OF SWATCHES IN CASE SOME OF THEM MIGHT GET LOST?

671 A:

COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION?

672 Q:

WOULDN'T YOU CONSIDER IT IMPORTANT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF CHAIN OF CUSTODY TO KEEP TRACK OF THE NUMBER OF SWATCHES THAT YOU FIRST COLLECTED AND THE NUMBER OF SWATCHES THAT YOU DELIVERED TO THE CRIMINALIST BECAUSE SOME SWATCHES COULD GET LOST?

673 MR. GOLDBERG:

COMPOUND.

674 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

675 DENNIS FUNG:

AS LONG AS I TOOK CARE TO HANDLE THE EVIDENCE PROPERLY, I WOULDN'T -- I COULDN'T COUNT THE SWATCHES.

676 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: WELL, IF YOU COLLECTED OR MISS MAZZOLA COLLECTED SIX SWATCHES FOR ITEM 49 AND FOUR SWATCHES WERE DELIVERED TO THE CRIMINALIST, YOU WOULD HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHETHER TWO OF THEM WERE MISSING, WOULD YOU, BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO COUNT?

677 MR. GOLDBERG:

IT'S IRRELEVANT, YOUR HONOR.

678 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

679 DENNIS FUNG:

THAT'S CORRECT.

680 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: AND YOU WOULD HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING, BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO COUNT, WHETHER SOMEBODY SWITCHED SWATCHES BEFORE THEY WENT TO THE ANALYST?

681 A:

THE ITEMS OF EVIDENCE WERE IN OUR CUSTODY THERE AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SWITCH.

682 Q:

IN TERMS OF COUNT, YOU WOULD HAVE NO IDEA?

683 A:

IN TERMS OF COUNT ALONE?

684 Q:

YEAH. IN TERMS OF COUNT.

685 A:

IN TERMS OF COUNT.

686 Q:

AND ISN'T IT TRUE THAT EACH OF THESE LITTLE RED SWATCHES LOOK JUST LIKE THE OTHER ONE?

687 MR. GOLDBERG:

VAGUE AS TO THE TERM "JUST LIKE."

688 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

689 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: DO THESE SWATCHES LOOK LIKE EACH OTHER, LITTLE RED PIECES OF CLOTH?

690 MR. GOLDBERG:

STILL VAGUE.

691 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

692 DENNIS FUNG:

THEY'RE NOT EXACTLY ALIKE.

693 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: WELL, COULD YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THESE SWATCHES THAT YOU COLLECTED ON -- IN THE MORNING AT BUNDY AND LOOK AT THEM LATER AND TELL JUST BY LOOKING AT THEM THAT THESE WERE THE SAME SWATCHES THAT YOU ORIGINALLY COLLECTED?

694 A:

NO.

695 Q:

NO WAY OF DOING THAT, RIGHT?

696 A:

NO.

697 Q:

AND HAVE YOU HEARD THE TERM "FUNGIBLE EVIDENCE"?

698 A:

NO.

699 Q:

THE NOTION THAT THERE IS, SIR, ITEMS OF EVIDENCE THAT BECAUSE EACH OF THE PIECES LOOK LIKE EACH OTHER, YOU CAN'T TELL THEM APART?

700 A:

I HAVE NEVER HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE.

701 Q:

NEVER HEARD THAT TERM.

702 MR. SCHECK:

ONE MINUTE.

703 (BRIEF PAUSE.)
704 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: BE FAIR TO SAY, MR. FUNG, THAT JUST BY LOOKING AT THEM, YOU COULDN'T TELL THE ROCKINGHAM SWATCHES FROM THE BUNDY SWATCHES?

705 A:

BY LOOKING AT JUST SWATCHES ALONE?

706 Q:

JUST LOOKING AT SWATCHES ALONE.

707 A:

IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT. I DON'T THINK I COULD DO IT.

708 Q:

NO ONE COULD DO IT?

709 A:

MAYBE SOMEBODY COULD DO IT, BUT NOT ME.

710 MR. SCHECK:

YOUR HONOR, I'M ABOUT TO MOVE INTO A NEW LINE. WANT ME TO START THAT OR --

711 THE COURT:

I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO CONCLUDE THIS MORNING. PROCEED.

712 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: NOW, MR. FUNG, YOU INDICATED THAT YOU PERFORMED A PHENOL TEST, A PHENOLPHTHALEIN TEST, PRESUMPTIVE TEST ON THE ROCKINGHAM GLOVE?

713 A:

YES.

714 Q:

AND IN YOUR OPINION, WAS IT ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO DO A PHENOLPHTHALEIN TEST ON THE ROCKINGHAM GLOVE ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 13TH?

715 A:

IT WAS IMPORTANT TO THE INVESTIGATOR. SO --

716 Q:

I AM SORRY?

717 A:

I DID PERFORM IT.

718 Q:

WELL, WHEN YOU SAY, "IT WAS IMPORTANT TO THE INVESTIGATOR," YOU MEAN DETECTIVE VANNATTER TOLD YOU THAT YOU SHOULD DO IT?

719 A:

YES.

720 Q:

ALL RIGHT. AND DID YOU SAY TO HIM IT'S BETTER NOT TO MANIPULATE EVIDENCE AT THE SCENE, IT'S BEST TO LEAVE IT AS MUCH AS ONE CAN IN AN UNDISTURBED CONDITION SO THAT IT CAN BE LATER ANALYZED IN A PROPER SETTING BACK AT THE LABORATORY?

721 A:

I DIDN'T STATE THAT TO HIM, NO.

722 Q:

WELL, YOU BELIEVE THAT, DON'T YOU?

723 A:

YES.

724 Q:

AND HE ASKED YOU TO DO A PHENOL TEST ON THAT ROCKINGHAM GLOVE, AND YOU DIDN'T SAY TO HIM -- YOU DIDN'T QUESTION HIS JUDGMENT ABOUT WHETHER THAT SHOULD BE DONE?

725 A:

IT WAS A REASONABLE REQUEST.

726 Q:

WHEN YOU SAY A REASONABLE REQUEST, YOU DID NOT PERFORM A PRESUMPTIVE TEST ON THE CAP AT BUNDY, DID YOU?

727 A:

NO, I DID NOT.

728 Q:

AND WHEN YOU WERE ASKED AT THE PRELIMINARY HEARING WHY YOU DIDN'T PERFORM THE TEST, PRESUMPTIVE TEST ON THE HAT AT BUNDY, YOU SAID IT'S BECAUSE IT'S BEST NOT TO MANIPULATE THE EVIDENCE AND LEAVE IT IN AS MUCH OF AN UNDISTURBED CONDITION AS POSSIBLE SO IT CAN LATER BE ANALYZED IN A PROPER SETTING BACK AT THE LABORATORY?

729 A:

YES, I SAID THAT.

730 Q:

AND YOU BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU MANIPULATE EVIDENCE AT THE SCENE, VALUABLE TRACE EVIDENCE CAN BE LOST?

731 A:

YES.

732 Q:

AND SO WHAT YOU TRY TO DO GENERALLY IS LEAVE IT AS UNDISTURBED AS POSSIBLE BY PACKAGING AND BRINGING IT BACK TO THE LAB?

733 A:

YES, WHEN POSSIBLE.

734 Q:

WELL, IN THIS CASE, WOULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE TO JUST PUT THAT ROCKINGHAM GLOVE INTO A PACKAGE AND TAKE IT BACK TO THE LAB?

735 A:

I FELT THAT BY APPLYING A WET COTTON SWAB TO A STAINED AREA OF THE GLOVE, THAT IT WOULD BE MINIMALLY INVASIVE TO THE EVIDENCE.

736 Q:

WELL, COULDN'T YOU MAKE THAT ARGUMENT FOR THE HAT TOO THEN?

737 MR. GOLDBERG:

YOUR HONOR, THAT'S ARGUMENTATIVE.

738 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

739 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: ISN'T THAT WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE DONE TO THE HAT, PUT THE SWAB ONTO THE HAT AND THEN TRY TO PERFORM A TEST ON IT?

740 A:

IF DETECTIVE LANGE HAD REQUESTED ME TO DO SO, I WOULD -- I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE OBJECTED.

741 Q:

SO IN OTHER WORDS, IN YOUR OPINION, IT'S BEST NOT TO MANIPULATE THE ITEMS AT THE SCENE BY DOING PRESUMPTIVE TESTS IN YOUR JUDGMENT AS A CRIMINALIST, BUT IF THE DETECTIVE ASKS YOU TO DO SO, YOU'RE JUST GOING TO DO IT?

742 MR. GOLDBERG:

IT'S OVERBROAD.

743 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

744 Q:

BY MR. SCHECK: WELL, IN OTHER WORDS, IF DETECTIVE LANGE WAS SAYING -- HAD ASKED YOU TO PERFORM A PRESUMPTIVE TEST ON THE HAT, YOU WOULD HAVE DONE IT NOTWITHSTANDING YOUR JUDGMENT THAT IT'S BEST NOT TO MANIPULATE EVIDENCE AT THE SCENE?

745 A:

THAT'S CORRECT, BECAUSE THAT -- BY DOING THAT, IT WOULD NOT COMPROMISE THE EVIDENCE.

746 Q:

THEN WHY DID YOU SAY IN THE GRAND JURY WHEN ASKED WHY YOU DID NOT PERFORM A PRESUMPTIVE TEST ON THE HAT, YOU WENT ON TO TALK ABOUT HOW YOU DIDN'T DO IT BECAUSE IT'S BEST NOT TO MANIPULATE THE EVIDENCE AT THE SCENE?

747 A:

IDEALLY, THAT IS THE CASE.

748 Q:

AND WHY DIDN'T -- BUT YOU DIDN'T TURN TO DETECTIVE LANGE AND SAY, "YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T BE ASKING --" WITHDRAWN. YOU DIDN'T TURN TO DETECTIVE VANNATTER AND SAY, "DETECTIVE VANNATTER, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF EVIDENCE, THIS ROCKINGHAM GLOVE. IT WOULD BE BEST TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE LAB AND ANALYZE IT CAREFULLY"?

749 A:

THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.

750 Q:

YOU DID NOT SAY THAT TO HIM?

751 A:

I DID NOT SAY THAT AND IT'S NOT TRUE.

752 Q:

IT'S NOT TRUE THAT IT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF EVIDENCE?

753 A:

IT'S NOT TRUE THAT BY PERFORMING A PHENOLPHTHALEIN TEST ON THE GLOVE, THAT ANY TRACE EVIDENCE OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF DAMAGE, RELEVANT DAMAGE TO BE DONE TO THE GLOVE.

754 Q:

WELL, IF THAT'S TRUE, WHY DON'T YOU PERFORM A PRESUMPTIVE TEST ON EVERY PIECE OF EVIDENCE?

755 A:

IT'S NOT NECESSARY TO DO SO.

756 Q:

BUT IT WAS NECESSARY HERE BECAUSE THE DETECTIVE ASKED YOU?

757 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

758 THE COURT:

HOW MUCH MORE DO YOU HAVE, MR. SCHECK?

759 MR. SCHECK:

OH, I HAVE ABOUT -- I HAVE THE AFTERNOON, YOUR HONOR.

760 THE COURT:

THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE, YOU SAID IT WAS THE MORNING.

761 MR. SCHECK:

NO, I DIDN'T. I SPECIFICALLY SAID IT WOULD BE THE DAY.

762 MR. COCHRAN:

MAY WE APPROACH, YOUR HONOR?

763 THE COURT:

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OUR RECESS FOR THE AFTERNOON AT THIS TIME. PLEASE REMEMBER MY ADMONITIONS TO YOU; DO NOT -- LET'S HAVE IT QUIET IN THE COURTROOM, PLEASE. PLEASE REMEMBER MY ADMONITIONS TO YOU; DO NOT DISCUSS THE CASE AMONGST YOURSELVES, YOU ARE NOT TO FORM ANY OPINIONS ABOUT THE CASE, YOU ARE NOT TO ALLOW ANYBODY TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU WITH REGARD TO THE CASE, DO NOT CONDUCT ANY DELIBERATIONS WITH REGARD TO THE CASE. I'M ADVISED BY THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES THAT OVER THE WEEKEND AT ONE OF THE OUTINGS, SOMEBODY FROM A BAND FROM ONE OF THE UNIVERSITIES HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ATTEMPTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU WITH REGARDS TO THIS CASE. YOU ARE TO DISREGARD THAT ATTEMPT TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU. IT WAS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I THINK YOU WILL TAKE FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH THE SOURCE OF THAT ATTEMPT AND TREAT IT ACCORDINGLY. DISREGARD IT. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL STAND IN RECESS, 1:30. MR. FUNG, 1:30.

Temperature

devastating

Key Quotes (5)

Barry Scheck
SO WHAT YOU SAID BEFORE WASN'T TRUE?
Direct confrontation after videotape proves Fung's earlier testimony about coroner departure timing was false
Dennis Fung
IT WAS TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION AT THE TIME.
Fung's defense of the contradiction — a phrase that became emblematic of his compromised credibility throughout the trial
Dennis Fung
THAT'S THE WAY I WAS TAUGHT AND TRAINED TO DO IT IN THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT, YES.
Fung defends putting wet bloodstains in plastic bags despite textbooks explicitly prohibiting it — shifting blame to LAPD training
Dennis Fung
THAT'S CORRECT, BECAUSE THE STAIN IS THE EVIDENCE, NOT THE SWATCHES.
Fung's rationalization for keeping no count of swatches through the chain of custody — a distinction Scheck methodically dismantles
Dennis Fung
MR. GOLDBERG SHOWED YOU THE GUIDELINES FOR COLLECTION AND PRESENTATION OF DNA EVIDENCE PRODUCED BY THE FBI LONG AFTER YOU DID THE COLLECTION IN THIS CASE?... YES.
Fung confirms he was shown FBI DNA collection guidelines only weeks before trial — by the prosecutor — not before collecting evidence

Evidence (7)

Defendant's 1083
Videotape showing Mazzola collecting the glove while coroner's representative Jacobo is visibly still on scene
Played to impeach Fung's earlier testimony about when evidence collection began
Defendant's 1083-A
Still printout from video showing Jacobo's shoes/blue pants
Marked as exhibit to preserve the contradicting frame
Defendant's 1084
Three-page LAPD document on procedures for collection and preservation of body fluids
Shown to Fung who denied ever having received it
Informal
FBI Guidelines for the Collection and Preservation of DNA Evidence (co-authored by Dr. Henry Lee)
Established Fung was shown these by Goldberg only weeks before trial, not before the collection
Informal
Saferstein, 'Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Science' (4th edition) — page shown to Fung
Used to confront Fung with the textbook prohibition on packaging bloodstains in plastic/airtight containers
Informal
De Forest, Gaensslen and Lee, 'Forensic Science: An Introduction to Criminalistics' — page 245
Used to show garments with wet bloodstains should 'NEVER' be sealed in plastic bags
+ 1 more

Notable Exchanges (5)

Barry ScheckDennis Fung
Scheck plays the videotape showing Jacobo still present during evidence collection, directly contradicting Fung's earlier testimony. Fung concedes: 'YES' he began collection before coroner left. Scheck asks 'SO WHAT YOU SAID BEFORE WASN'T TRUE?' Fung retreats to 'IT WAS TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION AT THE TIME.'
devastating
Barry ScheckDennis Fung
Scheck walks Fung through textbooks Fung himself studied (Saferstein; De Forest/Gaensslen/Lee) that explicitly prohibit plastic bags for wet bloodstains. Fung defends LAPD practice by claiming the prohibition only applies to 'final packaging,' not temporary — a distinction unsupported in either text.
revealing
Barry ScheckDennis Fung
Scheck establishes Fung kept zero records of swatch counts from crime scene collection through lab processing — no count on bags, coin envelopes, test tubes, or bindles. Fung insists 'THE STAIN IS THE EVIDENCE, NOT THE SWATCHES' as rationale for not tracking the physical items that were actually analyzed.
strategic
Barry ScheckDennis Fung
Scheck reveals that Fung discussed his trial testimony with DNA analyst Yamauchi (who tested the samples) and prepared the demonstrative boards with Goldberg and Mazzola — but never with crime lab DNA experts like Erin Riley.
revealing
Barry ScheckLance A. Ito
After Scheck asks whether a degraded sample presents 'special dangers' of cross-contamination, Ito cuts off the line of questioning himself: 'COUNSEL, HE'S TESTIFIED HE HASN'T BEEN IN THE SEROLOGY SECTION, HE'S NOT FAMILIAR WITH DNA.' Scheck drops it.
procedural

Light Moments (2)

Barry Scheck / Lance A. Ito
After a convoluted question about degraded samples and cross-contamination, Scheck himself admits the question was unintelligible before Ito can rule: 'SUSTAINED AND SELF-CENSURED.' Ito: 'YES. SUSTAINED. I WAS JUST READING IT MYSELF HERE.'
Lance A. Ito
Scheck asks if a virus is 'just really a sequence of DNA.' Ito overrules Goldberg's relevance objection with the justification: 'SIZE WISE IS RELEVANT.'

Credibility Attacks (4)

⚔ Dennis Fung
Prior inconsistent statement via videotape
Fung had testified collection began only after the coroner's staff left. Defendant's 1083 video shows Jacobo (coroner's rep) visibly present while Mazzola is already collecting the glove. Fung is forced to concede the contradiction.
⚔ Dennis Fung
Expert knowledge impeachment
Scheck systematically establishes Fung had no formal training in DNA evidence collection protocols, was never shown FBI guidelines until weeks before trial (by the prosecutor), did not know contamination risks from invisible blood particles, and was unaware that LAPD's plastic bag practice contradicted published forensic standards.
⚔ Dennis Fung
Learned treatise / textbook contradiction
Using Saferstein and De Forest/Gaensslen/Lee — texts Fung himself acknowledged as part of his training — Scheck establishes that both categorically prohibit packaging wet bloodstains in plastic. Fung's only defense is an unsupported distinction between 'temporary' and 'final' packaging.
⚔ Dennis Fung
Documentation failure / chain of custody gaps
Fung admits he made no record of swatch counts at any stage: collection, removal from plastic bags, test tube placement, or bindle packaging. This creates an untrackable chain from crime scene to lab.

Witness Demeanor

(BRIEF PAUSE) multiple times during questioning
Fung asks 'WHERE? HERE? HERE.' when shown LAPD manual — suggesting disorientation or unfamiliarity with the document
Fung responds 'AND NOW WHAT?' during Scheck's contamination hypothetical — flat, confused affect

Objections

38 objections (14 sustained, 20 overruled)
Proceeding 5638 • 763 utterances • Prosecution witness
Criminal Trial
Department 103
⚖️ Start
📂 APR 11, 1995 📄 Cross-examination of Dennis Fu
APR 11, 1995 KRT DvH TD