Redirect examination of Gretchen Stockdale

📄 Redirect examination of Gretchen Stockdale — Tuesday, August 8, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\AUG\8\REDIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-GRETCH.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 131 of 167

◀ Cross-examination of Gretchen Stockdale Court examination of Gretchen Stockdale ▶

Witness: Gretchen Stockdale
Examiner: Marcia Clark
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Tuesday, August 8, 1995 • Utterances: 21

Marcia Clark conducted a brief redirect examination of Gretchen Stockdale focused on her September meeting with defense investigator John Pavelic, when she handed over a tape recording. Clark established that Pavelic confirmed there was more than one copy of the tape but gave Stockdale no instructions about preserving, withholding, or maintaining the other copy. Stockdale clarified she erased the second copy in March or April 1995 simply because she needed a blank tape — not because of anything Pavelic said.

# 1 THE COURT:

Miss Clark.

# 2 MS. CLARK:

One question.

REDIRECT EXAMINATION BY MS. CLARK

# 3 MS. CLARK:

In September, when you first met with Mr. Pavelic and gave him this tape, did you discuss the subject of how many copies there were with him?

# 4 MS. STOCKDALE:

I can't recall.

# 5 MS. CLARK:

Do you recall him asking you if that was the only copy?

# 6 MS. STOCKDALE:

Yes, he did.

# 7 MS. CLARK:

And do you recall what you told him?

# 8 MS. STOCKDALE:

I told him that no, it wasn't the only copy.

KEY QUOTE

# 9 MS. CLARK:

And did he ask you what you had done with the other copy?

# 10 MS. STOCKDALE:

No.

# 11 MS. CLARK:

Did he ask you not to give it to anyone?

# 12 MS. STOCKDALE:

No.

# 13 MS. CLARK:

Did he ask you to maintain it or keep it preserved in some fashion?

# 14 MS. STOCKDALE:

No.

# 15 MS. CLARK:

Did he tell you what he intended to do with his?

# 16 MS. STOCKDALE:

No, he didn't other than take it that day and pass it along.

# 17 MS. CLARK:

And is it your testimony that you erased it in March or April because he told you you were not going to be called as a witness?

# 18 MS. STOCKDALE:

No. Because he had told me long time before that. I just--I taped over it because I needed a tape.

KEY QUOTE

# 19 MS. CLARK:

So it just happened that it was in March or April of `95?

# 20 MS. STOCKDALE:

Right.

# 21 MS. CLARK:

Okay. Nothing further.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (2)

Gretchen Stockdale

I told him that no, it wasn't the only copy.

Establishes that Pavelic knew another copy existed, undermining any defense argument that the tape evidence was fully controlled or that its destruction was innocent.

Gretchen Stockdale

No. Because he had told me long time before that. I just--I taped over it because I needed a tape.

Stockdale clarifies the tape erasure was mundane — she needed a blank tape — not connected to Pavelic's communications about her not being called as a witness.

Evidence (1)

Informal

An audio or video tape Stockdale gave to defense investigator John Pavelic in September, of which at least two copies existed; the second was taped over by Stockdale in March or April 1995.

discussed

Notable Exchanges (1)

Marcia Clark•Gretchen Stockdale

Clark methodically confirmed that Pavelic gave Stockdale zero instructions about the second copy of the tape — he didn't ask what she'd done with it, didn't tell her to preserve it, didn't tell her what he planned to do with his copy. The series of 'no' answers builds a picture that the defense investigator was incurious or indifferent about the duplicate.

strategic

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ John Pavelic

omission / failure to act

Clark's questioning implicitly challenges Pavelic's thoroughness as a defense investigator — he knew a second copy existed but took no steps to secure, examine, or preserve it.

Objections

None recorded

Proceeding 7233 • 21 utterances • Prosecution witness

Criminal Trial

Department 103