Day 55 — Wednesday, April 12, 1995

Scheck Presses Fung on LAPD Chain of Custody

Judge Lance A. Ito • Criminal Trial • 21 proceedings • 1915 lines

Appearing:

🛡️ Barry Scheck 🔬 Dennis Fung ⚖️ Lance A. Ito 🏛️ Hank Goldberg 🏛️ Marcia Clark 🛡️ Johnnie Cochran 🛡️ Robert Blasier

tense

Barry Scheck continued a methodical cross-examination of LAPD criminalist Dennis Fung, challenging the handling and documentation of blood evidence. He used a forensic textbook to question the storage of wet swatches in plastic bags in a warm truck for approximately seven hours and explored a broken refrigerator, a three-day gap before formal ECU booking, overnight storage in an unlocked cabinet, and Detective Vannatter's unusual delivery of Simpson's blood vial to Rockingham. Scheck also questioned Fung about his July 6 visit to the impounded Bronco and conflicting accounts of whether he tested the door sill. Separate disputes concerned the original Lab Report 16, a missing SID access-record page, a phenolphthalein-test reference, and videotape footage the prosecution was given overnight to review.

Scheck used a forensic textbook warning that wet blood swatches stored in plastic could become 'useless as evidence in a matter of days' to challenge Fung's storage of swatches in plastic bags in a warm truck for approximately seven hours
Scheck highlighted a broken refrigerator in the crime scene truck while challenging the preservation of the blood evidence
July 6th Bronco visit by Fung revealed with contradictory testimony about what testing occurred and why
Three-day gap between June 13 evidence collection and June 16 formal ECU booking documented
Detective Vannatter's direct delivery of Simpson's blood vial to Rockingham questioned; Fung admits never seeing this practice before
Scheck raised a missing page from SID records tracking evidence-room access, and Judge Ito focused on having the document faxed from Greg Matheson
Scheck used an undated, possibly reconstructed evidence-transfer document in challenging the chain of custody
Prosecution objects to phenolphthalein test reference during cross-exam; Judge takes matter under advisement
Judge Ito gave the prosecution overnight to review videotape footage of Fung and Mazzola at Rockingham; Clark later said the prosecution had withdrawn its objection to showing it

administrative Audience conduct and test procedures 🎞️ 8 lines
witness examination Cross-examination of Dennis Fung (morning, part 1) 🎞️ 239 lines
sidebar Sidebar: document admissibility 21 lines
witness examination Cross-examination of Dennis Fung (morning, part 2) 🎞️ 361 lines
administrative Back on record 🎞️ 6 lines
sidebar Sidebar: examination timing 🎞️ 9 lines
witness examination Cross-examination of Dennis Fung (morning, part 3) 🎞️ 593 lines
administrative Discovery discussion 🎞️ 46 lines
witness examination Cross-examination of Dennis Fung (morning, part 4) 🎞️ 241 lines
sidebar Sidebar: document examination 🎞️ 5 lines
administrative Afternoon session opening 🎞️ 4 lines
witness examination Cross-examination of Dennis Fung (afternoon, part 1) 🎞️ 55 lines
sidebar Sidebar: document authentication 🎞️ 2 lines
witness examination Cross-examination of Dennis Fung (afternoon, part 2) 🎞️ 105 lines
motion hearing Motion: videotape evidence admission 🎞️ 131 lines
administrative Jury admonition 🎞️ 4 lines
administrative Trial session opening 🎞️ 2 lines
sidebar Sidebar (unreported) 🎞️ 2 lines
administrative Jury returns 🎞️ 7 lines
motion hearing Motion: evidentiary issues 🎞️ 50 lines
administrative Jury procedures and adjournment 🎞️ 23 lines

Day 55 • 21 proceedings • 1915 lines

Criminal Trial

Department 103