Direct examination of Ron Shipp (morning, part 1)

📄 Direct examination of Ron Shipp (morning, part 1) — Wednesday, February 1, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\FEB\1\DIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-RON-SHIP.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 10 of 167

◀ Housekeeping Sidebar: battering profile evidence ▶

Witness: Ron Shipp
Examiner: Christopher Darden
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Wednesday, February 1, 1995 • Utterances: 157

Christopher Darden calls Ronald Shipp, a 26-year friend of OJ Simpson and former LAPD officer, to the stand. The examination is entirely foundational, establishing Shipp's deep familiarity with Simpson, his access to the Rockingham property, his friendship with Nicole Brown, and his ongoing affection for the defendant. The proceeding ends at a sidebar before any substantive testimony begins.

# 1 (THE FOLLOWING PROCEEDINGS WERE HELD IN OPEN COURT, IN THE PRESENCE OF THE JURY:)

# 2 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. BE SEATED. ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

# 3 THE JURY:

GOOD MORNING.

# 4 THE COURT:

MY APOLOGIES TO YOU FOR HAVING KEPT UP IN THE SMALL ROOM SO LONG THIS MORNING. I THOUGHT WE WOULD GET STARTED WITHIN TEN OR FIFTEEN MINUTES OF OUR NINE O'CLOCK START TIME, AND UNFORTUNATELY OTHER THINGS CAME UP THAT I HAD TO DEAL WITH. IN YOUR DEFENSE, DEPUTY MAGNERA URGED ME NOT TO BRING YOU DOWN UNTIL TEN O'CLOCK, BUT I THOUGHT WE WOULD GET IT DONE SOONER, BUT THESE THINGS HAPPEN. ALL RIGHT. ARE THE PEOPLE READY TO CALL THEIR NEXT WITNESS?

# 5 MR. DARDEN:

YES, YOUR HONOR. WE ARE. GOOD MORNING.

# 6 THE COURT:

MR. DARDEN.

# 7 MR. DARDEN:

GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

# 8 THE JURY:

GOOD MORNING.

# 9 MR. DARDEN:

THE PEOPLE CALL RON SHIPP TO THE STAND, YOUR HONOR.

# 10 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. MR. SHIPP.

RONALD SHIPP, CALLED AS A WITNESS BY THE PEOPLE, WAS SWORN AND TESTIFIED AS FOLLOWS:

# 11 THE CLERK:

PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT THE TESTIMONY YOU MAY GIVE IN THE CAUSE NOW PENDING BEFORE THIS COURT, SHALL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP YOU GOD.

# 12 RON SHIPP:

YES, I DO.

# 13 THE CLERK:

PLEASE BE SEATED AND STATE AND SPELL YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAMES FOR THE RECORD.

# 14 RON SHIPP:

RONALD SHIPP, R-O-N-A-L-D S-H-I-P-P.

# 15 THE CLERK:

THANK YOU.

# 16 THE COURT:

MR. DARDEN.

# 17

DIRECT EXAMINATION

# 18

BY MR. DARDEN:

# 19 Q:

GOOD MORNING, SIR.

# 20 A:

GOOD MORNING.

# 21 Q:

MR. SHIPP, ARE YOU ACQUAINTED WITH THE DEFENDANT IN THIS CASE?

# 22 A:

YES, I AM.

# 23 Q:

HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN HIM?

# 24 A:

APPROXIMATELY 26 YEARS.

# 25 Q:

AND DO YOU RECALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH YOU FIRST MET HIM?

# 26 A:

YES, I DO.

# 27 Q:

WHAT WERE THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES?

# 28 A:

UMM, WHEN I WAS ABOUT 16 YEARS OLD MY BROTHER, MIKE, PLAYED AGAINST O.J. IN HIGH SCHOOL UP IN SAN FRANCISCO, AND HE HAD COME DOWN TO LOS ANGELES RIGHT AFTER O.J. HAD WON THE HEISMAN TROPHY, AND MYSELF, MIKE AND MY BROTHER SKIP WENT OVER TO O.J.'S HOUSE AND CONGRATULATED HIM AND THIS IS WHEN I WAS 16 YEARS OLD.

# 29 Q:

AND DID YOU AND THE DEFENDANT DEVELOP A FRIENDSHIP AFTER THAT INITIAL MEETING?

# 30 A:

UMM, NOT -- WE WEREN'T VERY CLOSE AT THAT TIME. I HAD RUN INTO HIM FROM TIME TO TIME AND, UMM, EVERY TIME I WOULD SEE HIM HE WOULD ASK ME HOW WAS MIKE DOING, AND BUT WE WEREN'T REALLY THAT CLOSE AT THAT TIME.

# 31 Q:

OKAY. WELL, AS THE YEARS WENT ON, DID YOU DEVELOP A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP?

# 32 A:

I WOULD SAY APPROXIMATELY FROM ABOUT 1978 ON.

# 33 Q:

DID YOU VISIT THE DEFENDANT'S HOME?

# 34 A:

YES, I DID.

# 35 Q:

ON HOW MANY OCCASIONS?

# 36 A:

HOW MANY OCCASIONS?

# 37 Q:

YES.

# 38 A:

GEE, UMM -- LET'S SEE. IN '78 I WAS A POLICE OFFICER AT THE TIME AND I WAS ASSIGNED TO WEST LOS ANGELES DIVISION AND AT THAT TIME I WOULD GO UP THERE ON OCCASION, PROBABLY APPROXIMATELY MAYBE TWO TIMES A WEEK UP UNTIL 1982.

# 39 Q:

YOU WERE AN LAPD OFFICER?

# 40 A:

YES, I WAS.

# 41 Q:

WHEN DID YOU JOIN THE LAPD?

# 42 A:

1974.

# 43 Q:

AND YOU ARE NO LONGER AN LAPD OFFICER?

# 44 A:

NO, I'M NOT.

# 45 Q:

WHEN DID YOU LEAVE THE LAPD?

# 46 A:

I BELIEVE IT WAS OCTOBER OF 1989.

# 47 Q:

AND YOU SAY THAT DURING THE TIME THAT YOU WERE A POLICE OFFICER YOU WERE ASSIGNED TO WEST L.A. STATION?

# 48 A:

NO. I WAS ASSIGNED TO WEST L.A. FROM 1978 TO '82.

# 49 Q:

AND WEST L.A. STATION HAS JURISDICTION OVER BRENTWOOD; IS THAT RIGHT?

# 50 A:

YES, IT DOES.

# 51 Q:

OKAY. NOW, A MOMENT AGO YOU TESTIFIED THAT THERE WAS A TIME PERIOD IN WHICH YOU WOULD GO TO THE DEFENDANT'S HOUSE PERHAPS TWO TIMES A WEEK?

# 52 A:

APPROXIMATELY.

# 53 Q:

ON THOSE OCCASIONS WERE YOU ON DUTY?

# 54 A:

I WOULD SAY HALF. SOME OF THE TIMES I WOULD COME BY IN THE PATROL CAR AND OTHER TIMES I WOULD GO BY THERE AND PLAY SOME TENNIS.

# 55 Q:

YOU PLAYED TENNIS AT THE DEFENDANT'S HOME?

# 56 A:

YES, I DID.

# 57 Q:

ON HIS TENNIS COURT?

# 58 A:

YES, I DID.

# 59 Q:

ON THOSE OCCASIONS WHEN YOU PLAYED TENNIS AT THE DEFENDANT'S HOME, WAS HE -- WAS HE AT THE HOME?

# 60 A:

SOMETIME HE WOULD BE THERE AND SOMETIME HE WOULDN'T.

# 61 Q:

DID YOU HAVE TO GET PERMISSION TO PLAY TENNIS ON HIS TENNIS COURT?

# 62 A:

NO, I DID NOT.

# 63 Q:

YOU COULD JUST SHOW UP AND PLAY TENNIS?

# 64 A:

YEAH. O.J. TRUSTED ME, SO I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TO CALL.

KEY QUOTE

# 65 MR. DOUGLAS:

MOVE TO STRIKE THAT AS SPECULATION.

# 66 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

# 67 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GET PERMISSION TO PLAY TENNIS THERE?

# 68 A:

NO. ALL I HAD TO DO WAS CLEAR IT WITH -- I WOULD CALL THE MAID, WHOEVER WAS THERE, AND LET THEM KNOW I WAS COMING.

# 69 Q:

YOU SAID THAT O.J. OR THE DEFENDANT TRUSTED YOU?

# 70 A:

YES, HE DID. I FELT HE DID.

# 71 Q:

WHAT PERIOD OF TIME ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?

# 72 A:

PLAYING TENNIS?

# 73 Q:

YES.

# 74 A:

APPROXIMATELY FROM 1978 TO '82.

# 75 Q:

WAS THERE A SECURITY GATE AT THE HOUSE ON ROCKINGHAM AT THAT TIME?

# 76 A:

YES, THERE WAS.

# 77 Q:

DID IT REQUIRE A SECURITY CODE OR SOMETHING TO OPEN THE GATE?

# 78 A:

NO. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE WAS JUST A BUTTON THAT YOU WOULD PUSH.

# 79 Q:

HOW ABOUT AFTER 1982? DID YOU CONTINUE YOUR RELATIONSHIP OR YOUR FRIENDSHIP WITH THE DEFENDANT?

# 80 A:

YES, I DID. I DIDN'T GO BY THERE AS FREQUENT. ONCE I -- I TRANSFERRED DOWNTOWN AND MAYBE I WAS -- I WENT OVER THERE MAYBE ONCE EVERY MAYBE TWO, THREE WEEKS.

# 81 Q:

DID YOU CONTINUE TO PLAY TENNIS?

# 82 A:

YES, I DID.

# 83 Q:

ON THOSE OCCASIONS WHEN YOU WENT TO THE DEFENDANT'S HOME, WHILE YOU WERE ON DUTY, DID YOU EVER TAKE OTHER OFFICERS TO THE DEFENDANT'S HOME AS WELL?

# 84 A:

YES, I DID.

# 85 Q:

DID OTHER OFFICERS ALSO PLAY TENNIS?

# 86 A:

THERE WAS ONLY ONE -- THERE WAS ONLY OFFICER THAT I USED TO PLAY WITH. YEAH, THAT I RECALL, THERE WAS ONE OFFICER.

# 87 Q:

AND WHAT IS THAT OFFICER'S NAME?

# 88 A:

CHUCK SMITH.

# 89 Q:

AND IF YOU KNOW, IS HE STILL A MEMBER OF THE LAPD?

# 90 A:

YEAH, HE IS STILL AT WEST L.A.

# 91 Q:

DID OTHER OFFICERS ALSO VISIT THE DEFENDANT AT HIS HOME?

# 92 A:

TO MY KNOWLEDGE, UMM, NO, UNLESS THEY CAME OVER WITH ME.

# 93 Q:

OKAY. WELL, DID YOU TAKE OFFICERS TO THE DEFENDANT'S HOME OTHER THAN CHUCK SMITH?

# 94 A:

YES, I DID. IF I WAS ON PATROL, SOMETIME I WOULD TAKE PEOPLE OVER THERE. I USED TO GET A KICK OUT OF NOT TELLING THEM WHERE I WAS GOING AND RINGING THE DOORBELL AND HAVE O.J. COME OUT AND GREET THEM.

# 95 Q:

HOW MANY OTHER OFFICERS WOULD YOU SAY YOU TOOK TO ROCKINGHAM?

# 96 A:

WOW. I WOULD HAVE TO SAY APPROXIMATELY MAYBE -- MAYBE FORTY GUYS MAYBE.

# 97 Q:

AND WERE THESE FORTY GUYS ALL MEMBERS OF THE LAPD'S WEST L.A. DIVISION OR STATION?

# 98 A:

UMM, MOST OF THEM. MOST OF THEM WERE.

# 99 Q:

WAS THERE EVER ANY ANIMOSITY OR HOSTILITY BETWEEN THOSE FORTY GUYS THAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED AND THE DEFENDANT?

# 100 A:

NO WAY. NO.

# 101 Q:

DID ANY OFFICER GET THE DEFENDANT'S AUTOGRAPH?

# 102 A:

YES, A FEW OF THEM I GOT AUTOGRAPHS FROM O.J. FOR A FEW OF THEM. A COUPLE WERE WOMEN THAT I GOT AUTOGRAPHS FOR THEM AND THEIR KIDS, FEMALE PARTNERS.

# 103 Q:

WEST L.A. DIVISION HOLDS AN ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY; IS THAT RIGHT?

# 104 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 105 Q:

OKAY. WAS THERE EVER AN OCCASION WHERE YOU WERE IN CHARGE OF GETTING CELEBRITIES TO COME TO THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY?

# 106 A:

ONE PARTICULAR TIME, YES.

# 107 Q:

DO YOU RECALL WHICH YEAR THAT WAS?

# 108 A:

I BELIEVE IT IS EITHER 1980 OR '81.

# 109 Q:

AND DID YOU ARRANGE FOR A CELEBRITY'S APPEARANCE AT THE CHRISTMAS PARTY?

# 110 A:

I THOUGHT I DID.

# 111 Q:

WHO WAS THAT PERSON?

# 112 A:

O.J.

# 113 Q:

DID THE DEFENDANT AGREE TO APPEAR AT THE LAPD'S ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY?

# 114 A:

YES, HE DID.

# 115 Q:

DID YOU EVER MEET NICOLE BROWN?

# 116 A:

YES, I DID.

# 117 Q:

DO YOU RECALL WHEN THAT WAS?

# 118 A:

THAT WAS EITHER '79 OR '80. I'M NOT SURE.

# 119 Q:

WERE THEY MARRIED AT THE TIME?

# 120 A:

NO, THEY WEREN'T.

# 121 Q:

DID YOU EVER VISIT NICOLE BROWN AT ROCKINGHAM?

# 122 A:

YES, I DID.

# 123 Q:

ON HOW MANY OCCASIONS?

# 124 A:

I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHEN SHE MOVED IN, SO WHENEVER SHE MOVED IN, UMM, PROBABLY ABOUT MAYBE ONCE A WEEK WHEN WE WERE ONCE AGAIN ON PATROL MOST OF THE TIME.

# 125 Q:

OKAY. AND DID YOU CONSIDER NICOLE BROWN A FRIEND?

# 126 A:

YES, I DID.

# 127 Q:

AS YOU DID THE DEFENDANT?

# 128 A:

YES, I DID.

# 129 Q:

DO YOU AND THE DEFENDANT REMAIN FRIENDS TODAY?

# 130 A:

I STILL LOVE THE GUY, BUT, UMM, I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, THIS IS A WEIRD SITUATION I'M SITTING HERE IN.

KEY QUOTE

# 131 Q:

YOU SAY YOU STILL LOVE HIM?

# 132 A:

SURE.

# 133 Q:

DID YOU EVER ATTEND PARTIES AT THE DEFENDANT'S HOUSE?

# 134 A:

YES, I DID.

# 135 Q:

DID YOU ATTEND HIS WEDDING?

# 136 A:

THE RECEPTION.

# 137 Q:

DID YOU EVER HAVE INTIMATE AND PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM?

# 138 A:

YES, I DID.

# 139 Q:

WHAT KINDS OF THINGS DID YOU TALK ABOUT DURING THOSE PERSONAL AND INTIMATE CONVERSATIONS?

# 140 MR. DOUGLAS:

OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR. OVERBROAD, VAGUE.

# 141 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

# 142 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE TERM "INTIMATE AND PERSONAL"?

# 143 A:

YES, I DO.

# 144 Q:

OKAY. DID YOU EVER DISCUSS YOUR HEALTH WITH THE DEFENDANT?

# 145 A:

NO, I DID NOT.

# 146 Q:

DID YOU EVER DISCUSS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR WIFE WITH THE DEFENDANT?

# 147 A:

I DON'T BELIEVE SO.

# 148 Q:

DID HE EVER DISCUSS HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS WIFE, NICOLE, WITH YOU?

# 149 MR. DOUGLAS:

NO FOUNDATION, YOUR HONOR. THIS IS A LONG TIME WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. IRRELEVANT PERHAPS.

# 150 THE COURT:

I THINK THIS IS FOUNDATIONAL. WE ARE NOT GOING TO CONTENT YET. OVERRULED. YOU CAN ASK THE FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS.

# 151 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: DID THE DEFENDANT EVER DISCUSS HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS WIFE, NICOLE, WITH YOU?

# 152 A:

YES, UMM -- YES, HE DID.

# 153 Q:

YOU TESTIFIED A MOMENT AGO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE TERM "INTIMATE AND PERSONAL," CORRECT?

# 154 A:

YES, I DO.

# 155 Q:

CAN YOU GIVE US SOME EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE INTIMATE AND PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS YOU HAD WITH THE DEFENDANT?

# 156 MR. DOUGLAS:

YOUR HONOR, OBJECTION. MAY WE APPROACH WITH AN OFFER OF PROOF?

# 157 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. WITH THE REPORTER, PLEASE.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (3)

Ronald Shipp

I STILL LOVE THE GUY, BUT, UMM, I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, THIS IS A WEIRD SITUATION I'M SITTING HERE IN.

Shipp acknowledges his continued affection for Simpson even while testifying for the prosecution — establishing the emotional cost of his appearance and preempting attacks on his motive.

Ronald Shipp

O.J. TRUSTED ME, SO I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TO CALL.

Establishes the extraordinary intimacy of Shipp's access to Rockingham — he could arrive unannounced. Defense objected as speculation but was overruled.

Ronald Shipp

I USED TO GET A KICK OUT OF NOT TELLING THEM WHERE I WAS GOING AND RINGING THE DOORBELL AND HAVE O.J. COME OUT AND GREET THEM.

Illustrates the casual, insider nature of Shipp's relationship with Simpson and his habit of bringing LAPD colleagues to the home — roughly forty over the years.

Notable Exchanges (2)

Christopher Darden•Ronald Shipp

Darden methodically builds the picture of Shipp as an insider — LAPD officer, frequent visitor, tennis player, party attendee, conduit for ~40 officers who met Simpson — before pivoting toward intimate conversations about Nicole.

strategic

Carl Douglas•Lance A. Ito

Douglas requests a sidebar and offer of proof just as Darden attempts to elicit the substance of Shipp's intimate conversations with Simpson, halting the examination before anything damaging is said in front of the jury.

defensive/strategic

Light Moments (1)

Ronald Shipp

Shipp describes his habit of taking LAPD officers to Rockingham without telling them where they were going, then enjoying their surprise when OJ answered the door.

Objections

4 objections (1 sustained, 2 overruled)

Proceeding 4518 • 157 utterances • Prosecution witness

Criminal Trial

Department 103