📄 Cross-examination of Dennis Fung (part 6) — Friday, April 14, 1995
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\APR\14\CROSS-EXAMINATION-OF-DENNIS-FU.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 57 of 167

Cross-examination of Dennis Fung (part 6)

Witness: Dennis Fung
Examiner: Hank Goldberg
Called by: Defense • Date: Friday, April 14, 1995 • Utterances: 117
Goldberg conducts redirect examination of criminalist Dennis Fung, attempting to rehabilitate him after Scheck's cross-examination. Goldberg focuses on two main areas: establishing that Fung had no intent to mislead when he annotated crime scene checklists with Mazzola, and reframing the 'who collected what' dispute by drawing a distinction between the mental (decision-making) and physical (swabbing/picking up) components of evidence collection — arguing Fung was responsible for both scenes even if Mazzola did much of the physical work.
1 MR. GOLDBERG:

--evil intent, do you think it would be a good idea to date--

2 THE COURT:

That is.

3 MR. GOLDBERG:

--and put your initials on it?

4 THE COURT:

Sustained. Leading.

5 MR. GOLDBERG:

Well, let me ask you this, Mr. Fung. If you wanted to alter a document with some sort of intent to mislead, would you leave your initials and the date on it?

6 MR. SCHECK:

Objection, your Honor. Is this a hypothetical question--

7 THE COURT:

Sustained. I've sustained the objection.

8 MR. GOLDBERG:

When you did this, did you have any intent to mislead anyone?

9 MR. FUNG:

No.

10 MR. GOLDBERG:

Or hide anything from anyone?

11 MR. FUNG:

No.

12 MR. GOLDBERG:

All right. Now, did you know Detective Lange or Detective Vannatter prior to this--prior to the events on the 13th?

13 MR. FUNG:

I had spoken to them on the phone, taken requests from them over the years and I had worked personally with them on two to three other cases.

14 MR. GOLDBERG:

Were you social friends at all?

15 MR. FUNG:

No.

16 MR. GOLDBERG:

And what about Detective Fuhrman? Did you know him at all?

17 MR. FUNG:

I have never met Detective Fuhrman before June 13th.

KEY QUOTE
18 MR. GOLDBERG:

What about Detective Phillips? Did you know him?

19 MR. FUNG:

No.

20 MR. GOLDBERG:

Your Honor, at this time, I was going to move to another topic. I don't know whether the Court wanted to proceed. I see that we do have some time.

21 MR. GOLDBERG:

Okay. Mr. Fung, I wanted to ask you some questions about your grand jury testimony. But before doing that, I want to ask you first as a forensic scientist, as a Criminalist, when someone asks you the question, did you collect a particular item of evidence, what does that term entail, "Collect"?

22 MR. FUNG:

To me, "Collect" entails the searching for the item, the identification of an item as evidence, the documentation of that evidence through notes, measuring it and photo documentation and describing what the item is. That's all done before the actual collection or picking up of the evidence.

23 MR. GOLDBERG:

Now, of those various steps that go before the actual physical picking up, of numbering and photo documenting and so on, which of those steps is most important?

24 MR. FUNG:

They're all equally important.

25 MR. GOLDBERG:

Are they equally important to the step of actually physically picking up?

26 MR. FUNG:

They're important in the--to maintain the integrity of the evidence.

27 MR. GOLDBERG:

Now, sir, when you were at the Rockingham location in the morning of the 13th, using the term "Collect" in the way that you just did, were you involved in the collection process of all of the evidence that morning?

28 MR. FUNG:

Yes.

29 MR. GOLDBERG:

And how so?

30 MR. FUNG:

I identified the items that we were going to collect that day or that morning. I directed the photographer as to which photographs to shoot. I assisted in helping to measure each and every one of those stains, and for some of the items, I actually did some of the swatching.

31 MR. GOLDBERG:

What about with respect to the items at Bundy that were collected on the 13th? Did you participate in the collection process as you just described it on all of those items?

32 MR. FUNG:

Yes.

33 MR. GOLDBERG:

And how was that?

34 MR. FUNG:

I identified which items we were going to collect. I helped with the measurement of the items that we were going to collect and I actually did some of the swatching and collected some of the stains myself.

35 MR. GOLDBERG:

All right. So had you filled out the crime scene checklist portion that lists the people who act--who do the collection where it says "By" in the crime scene checklist? Do you know what I'm referring to?

36 MR. FUNG:

In what time frame?

37 MR. GOLDBERG:

Well, if you had filled it out on the 13th.

38 MR. FUNG:

Yes.

39 MR. GOLDBERG:

As to let's say stain no. 6 just to pick one, what would you have filled it out as?

KEY QUOTE
40 MR. SCHECK:

Objection to any hypothetical. Maybe--I think that calls for speculation and it's vague. He should testify to what he did or he didn't do.

41 THE COURT:

Overruled.

42 MR. FUNG:

We were working as a team that day, and if I was to fill it out, I would have filled out that we--we, being--meaning Miss Mazzola and myself, both did it.

43 MR. GOLDBERG:

Okay.

44 MR. SCHECK:

Motion to strike as nonresponsive.

45 THE COURT:

Overruled.

46 MR. GOLDBERG:

But later on, didn't you go through a copy of those checklists with Miss Mazzola and kind of check off either both or Andrea Mazzola or yourself next to various items?

47 MR. FUNG:

Yes.

48 MR. GOLDBERG:

All right. And when you were doing that, what was your intent in doing that?

49 MR. FUNG:

It had been an issue in the--I believe it was the Griffen hearing. It was brought up by the Defense--

50 MR. SCHECK:

Your Honor?

51 THE COURT:

All right. Ask another question.

52 MR. GOLDBERG:

So it was after this hearing that we referred to as the Griffen hearing that you did this, when you were having a conversation with Miss Mazzola trying to figure out who did what?

53 MR. FUNG:

Yes.

54 MR. GOLDBERG:

And what were you trying to figure out specifically in terms of collection during those conversations?

55 MR. FUNG:

Specifically we were trying to remember who did the actual recovery phase or picking up of the evidence.

56 MR. GOLDBERG:

You mean the physical phase of actually physically picking up the evidence?

57 MR. FUNG:

Yes.

58 MR. GOLDBERG:

And that's what you were trying to do?

59 MR. FUNG:

Yes.

60 MR. GOLDBERG:

Did that become an issue in your view at this hearing that you testified to that we referred to as the Griffen hearing?

61 MR. SCHECK:

Objection, your Honor. I move to strike and I ask for a curative instruction.

62 THE COURT:

Overruled. But it is--as to that request. Sustained as to the nature of the question.

63 MR. GOLDBERG:

As to what?

64 THE COURT:

The nature of the question. Rephrase the question.

65 MR. GOLDBERG:

There was this hearing that you testified at prior to doing this process with Miss Mazzola; is that correct?

66 MR. FUNG:

Yes.

67 MR. GOLDBERG:

All right. And at that hearing, in your view, did the issue of who physically did what come up?

68 MR. FUNG:

Yes.

69 MR. GOLDBERG:

And was that the first time in your view that anyone spent a lot of time trying to figure out who physically did what at the crime scene?

70 MR. SCHECK:

Objection.

71 THE COURT:

It's vague. Sustained.

72 MR. GOLDBERG:

Prior to that, had any member of the Prosecution interviewed you--interview you with respect to who physically did what at the crime scene?

73 MR. FUNG:

No.

74 MR. GOLDBERG:

Had any member of the Defense asked you any questions extensively about who did what at the crime scene?

75 MR. SCHECK:

That I will object to, your Honor, and--

76 THE COURT:

Sustained. It's vague.

77 MR. SCHECK:

Your Honor, and it's misleading.

78 THE COURT:

It's vague. I've sustained the objection. I'm asking him to rephrase it.

79 MR. SCHECK:

Well, I have a legal objection at some point. Why don't we just let him finish.

80 THE COURT:

Rephrase the question.

81 MR. GOLDBERG:

Well, prior to that time, sir, had you testified in a number of--in a preliminary--excuse me--in a grand jury hearing?

82 MR. FUNG:

Yes.

83 MR. GOLDBERG:

Okay. Well, we'll get to that later. And then had you also testified in a preliminary hearing?

84 MR. FUNG:

I don't recall the exact order.

85 MR. GOLDBERG:

Okay. Now, who was in charge of the crime scene in terms of the work the Criminalists were performing between you and Miss Mazzola at the Rockingham location in the morning?

86 MR. FUNG:

I was.

87 MR. GOLDBERG:

And who was making the decisions there in terms of the discretionary type decisions that are made by Criminalists?

88 MR. FUNG:

I made the decisions.

89 MR. GOLDBERG:

Did you feel that you were responsible for all of the decisions that were made as to the collection process at that scene?

90 MR. FUNG:

Yes.

91 MR. GOLDBERG:

And with respect to the Bundy scene, who was in charge of that scene?

92 MR. FUNG:

In terms of the evidence collection, I was.

93 MR. GOLDBERG:

Did you feel that you were responsible for the collection process at that scene?

94 MR. FUNG:

Yes.

95 MR. GOLDBERG:

And what about the return trip to Rockingham on the 13th? Who was in charge of that?

96 MR. FUNG:

I was.

97 MR. GOLDBERG:

Did you feel responsible for the collection process there?

98 MR. FUNG:

Yes.

99 MR. GOLDBERG:

If you were to divide the work up of a Criminalist into the mental component of deciding what to collect, what not to collect in the discretionary type decisions and then a physical component of actually collecting, which component were you involved in do you believe primarily?

100 MR. SCHECK:

Objection.

101 THE COURT:

Overruled.

102 MR. FUNG:

Primarily I was involved with the mental aspect of the crime scene investigation.

KEY QUOTE
103 MR. GOLDBERG:

And what about Andrea Mazzola?

104 MR. FUNG:

She was the physical portion.

KEY QUOTE
105 MR. GOLDBERG:

Okay. And when you testified at the grand jury as to who was collecting what, was this your state of mind with respect to the division of authority there?

106 MR. SCHECK:

Objection. Leading.

107 THE COURT:

Sustained. Rephrase the question.

108 MR. GOLDBERG:

What was your frame of mind with respect to who was responsible for all the collection when you testified at the grand jury?

109 MR. FUNG:

At the grand jury hearing, I was in charge of the evidence collection and I did--and I was the supervisor and I made the decisions.

110 MR. GOLDBERG:

And under this state of mind when you testify at the grand jury, who collected the evidence in the sense that you have defined it here today?

111 MR. SCHECK:

Objection.

112 THE COURT:

Overruled.

113 MR. SCHECK:

Calling for--

114 THE COURT:

Overruled.

115 MR. FUNG:

It was me.

116 MR. GOLDBERG:

Your Honor, I would like to continue with these photographs later, but maybe this would be a good time to break.

117 THE COURT:

All right.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (4)

Dennis Fung
I have never met Detective Fuhrman before June 13th.
Directly rebuts any suggestion of a pre-existing relationship or conspiracy with Fuhrman, who planted evidence according to the defense theory.
Dennis Fung
Primarily I was involved with the mental aspect of the crime scene investigation.
Goldberg's reframing strategy: Fung claims ownership of all key decisions even if Mazzola did the physical swabbing, rehabilitating his grand jury testimony that 'he' collected the evidence.
Dennis Fung
She was the physical portion.
Concedes Mazzola did much of the hands-on collection, but within Goldberg's mental/physical framework — a significant admission dressed as an explanation.
Dennis Fung
No.
Flat denial of any intent to mislead when asked directly — the simplest and most direct rehabilitation moment of the examination.

Evidence (3)

Informal
Crime scene collection checklists with 'By' field indicating who collected each item
discussed — Fung explains the post-Griffen-hearing review with Mazzola to reconstruct who physically collected what
Informal
Crime scene photographs (Rockingham and Bundy)
referenced briefly at close — Goldberg indicates he will return to these after a break
Informal
Stain no. 6 (Bundy)
used as a hypothetical example to illustrate how the 'By' field would have been filled out

Notable Exchanges (2)

Hank GoldbergBarry ScheckLance A. Ito
Extended sparring over Goldberg's attempt to ask Fung about the Griffen hearing. Scheck objects and requests a curative instruction; Ito gives a split ruling — overruling the curative instruction request but sustaining on the form of the question — forcing Goldberg to rephrase multiple times.
tense
Hank GoldbergDennis Fung
Goldberg walks Fung through a mental/physical distinction in the Criminalist role, getting Fung to say he was in charge of the 'mental aspect' while Mazzola handled the 'physical portion' — reframing the cross-examination damage without fully reversing the admission that Mazzola did much of the actual swabbing.
strategic

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ Dennis Fung
prior inconsistent statement / conduct rehabilitation
The entire examination is Goldberg's response to Scheck's earlier cross attacking Fung for: (1) annotating checklists after the fact, and (2) grand jury testimony claiming he collected evidence that Mazzola actually physically recovered. Goldberg uses the mental/physical distinction and the Griffen hearing context to explain both.

Objections

9 objections (5 sustained, 4 overruled)
Proceeding 5712 • 117 utterances • Defense witness
Criminal Trial
Department 103
⚖️ Start
📂 APR 14, 1995 📄 Cross-examination of Dennis Fu
APR 14, 1995 KRT DvH TD