Direct examination of Ron Shipp (morning, part 2)

📄 Direct examination of Ron Shipp (morning, part 2) — Wednesday, February 1, 1995

Address:

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

TRIAL

▲ Day 10 of 167

◀ Sidebar: battering profile evidence Sidebar: Evidence Code 1107 domestic violence ▶

Witness: Ron Shipp
Examiner: Christopher Darden
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Wednesday, February 1, 1995 • Utterances: 168

Darden continues direct examination of Shipp, eliciting testimony about his visit to Nicole Brown Simpson around January 3-4, 1989 — shortly after the infamous New Year's Day beating — where he observed injuries on her face concealed by makeup. The examination then pivots to establish Shipp's credibility as a domestic violence expert: he taught DV dynamics at the LAPD academy. Darden then introduces People's 8, a four-page LAPD domestic violence teaching plan, before Douglas objects to reading it aloud before formal admission.

# 1 (THE FOLLOWING PROCEEDINGS WERE HELD IN OPEN COURT:)

# 2 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. PERHAPS MR. DARDEN, YOU CAN GET A TIGHTER FRAMEWORK FOR THE QUESTION.

# 3 MR. DARDEN:

YOUR HONOR, I WILL WITHDRAW THE QUESTION.

# 4 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT.

# 5 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: IN ADDITION TO PLAYING TENNIS AT HIS HOME, WHAT KINDS OF THINGS DID YOU AND THE OFFICERS YOU TOOK TO HIS HOME DO?

# 6 A:

UMM, OTHER THAN PLAYING TENNIS, THE OFFICERS I TOOK OVER THERE, WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE.

# 7 Q:

UMM, DID THE DEFENDANT HAVE A SWIMMING POOL?

# 8 A:

YES, HE DID.

# 9 Q:

DID YOU EVER SWIM IN THE POOL?

# 10 A:

I DID.

# 11 Q:

HOW ABOUT THE OTHER OFFICERS THAT YOU TOOK OVER?

# 12 A:

NO ONE I TOOK OVER SWAM IN THE POOL.

# 13 Q:

NOW, DO YOU KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THESE OTHER OFFICERS EVER WENT BACK TO THE DEFENDANT'S HOUSE ON THEIR OWN?

# 14 A:

NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE.

# 15 Q:

YOU HAVE NO FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE OF THAT?

# 16 A:

NO, I DO NOT.

# 17 Q:

WERE YOU STILL A MEMBER OF THE LAPD DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY, 1989?

# 18 A:

YES, I WAS.

# 19 Q:

AND DID YOU RECEIVE A TELEPHONE CALL FROM NICOLE THAT WEEK?

# 20 A:

YES, I DID.

# 21 Q:

DID SHE ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING?

# 22 A:

YES, SHE DID.

# 23 Q:

WHAT DID SHE ASK YOU TO DO?

# 24 MR. DOUGLAS:

OBJECTION, HEARSAY.

# 25 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

# 26 MR. DARDEN:

QUESTION, YOUR HONOR.

# 27 THE COURT:

I'M SORRY.

# 28 MR. DARDEN:

IT IS A QUESTION, WHAT DID SHE ASK HIM TO DO.

# 29 THE COURT:

AND THE CONTENTS OF THIS ANSWER IS HEARSAY.

# 30 MR. DARDEN:

I'M NOT ASKING FOR THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION; I'M JUST ASKING FOR THE QUESTION. IT IS NOT OFFERED FOR THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER STATED.

# 31 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

# 32 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: SHE ASKED YOU TO DO SOMETHING?

# 33 A:

YES, SHE DID.

# 34 Q:

AND THIS WAS DURING THE TELEPHONE CALL?

# 35 A:

YES, IT WAS.

# 36 Q:

DID YOU CALL HER OR DID SHE CALL YOU?

# 37 A:

SHE CALLED ME.

# 38 Q:

OKAY. DID SHE APPEAR UPSET OR SOUND UPSET AT ALL?

# 39 MR. DOUGLAS:

NO FOUNDATION THAT HE KNOWS.

# 40 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

# 41 RON SHIPP:

I'M SORRY. YES, SHE DID.

# 42 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: WAS SHE HYSTERICAL?

# 43 A:

NO, SHE WAS NOT.

# 44 Q:

AND WHAT DID YOU DO AFTER SHE ASKED YOU TO DO SOMETHING?

# 45 A:

SHE ASKED ME --

# 46 MR. DOUGLAS:

OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR, NONRESPONSIVE.

# 47 THE COURT:

MR. SHIPP, THE QUESTION WAS WHAT DID YOU DO AFTER THE REQUEST WAS MADE OF YOU?

# 48 RON SHIPP:

I'M SORRY. WHEN I GOT OFF OF WORK I WENT OVER THERE.

# 49 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: NOW, YOUR GOING OVER THERE, WAS THAT IN RESPONSE TO SOMETHING SHE ASKED TO YOU DO?

# 50 A:

YES, IT WAS.

# 51 Q:

AND DID YOU DO EXACTLY WHAT SHE ASKED YOU TO DO?

# 52 A:

YES, I DID.

# 53 Q:

YOU WENT TO THE DEFENDANT'S HOME ON ROCKINGHAM?

# 54 A:

YES, I DID.

# 55 Q:

DID YOU TAKE ANYTHING WITH YOU AT THAT TIME?

# 56 A:

NO, I DID NOT.

# 57 Q:

DID YOU DRIVE YOUR PERSONAL CAR OVER TO THE PROPERTY AT ROCKINGHAM?

# 58 A:

I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I DID OR NOT. SOMETIMES I WOULD PARK ON THE GROUNDS AND SOMETIMES I WOULD JUST PARK ON THE STREET.

# 59 Q:

OKAY. DID YOU KNOCK AT THE DOOR?

# 60 A:

YES, I -- I PUSHED THE BUZZER.

# 61 Q:

DID SHE COME TO THE DOOR?

# 62 A:

SHE BUZZED ME IN.

# 63 Q:

OKAY. DID YOU KNOCK AT THE DOOR THEN?

# 64 A:

NO. I JUST WALKED ON IN. A LOT OF TIME WHEN THEY BUZZ YOU IN, THE DOOR IS OPEN, YOU WALK IN.

# 65 Q:

OKAY. SO YOU JUST WALKED ON INTO THE HOUSE?

# 66 A:

WALKED ON IN.

# 67 Q:

AND DID YOU SEE NICOLE BROWN AT THAT TIME?

# 68 A:

YES, I DID.

# 69 Q:

NOW, WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK WAS THIS, IF YOU KNOW?

# 70 A:

I WOULD HAVE TO SAY IT WAS EITHER I THINK TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY.

# 71 Q:

AND HOW MANY DAYS AFTER JANUARY 1, 1989, WAS IT THAT YOU WENT TO THE DEFENDANT'S HOUSE?

# 72 A:

I THINK PROBABLY TWO.

# 73 Q:

PROBABLY WHAT?

# 74 A:

TWO DAYS.

# 75 Q:

OKAY. SO SOMEWHERE AROUND THE 3RD OR 4TH?

# 76 A:

YEAH, RIGHT AROUND THE 3RD OR 4TH.

# 77 Q:

AND DID YOU SEE NICOLE BROWN AT THAT TIME?

# 78 A:

YES, I DID.

# 79 Q:

AND DID YOU NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT HER AT THAT TIME?

# 80 A:

YES. UMM, IF I REMEMBER, SHE HAD SOME INJURIES THAT HAD STARTED TO FADE.

# 81 MR. DOUGLAS:

OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR. HOW DOES HE KNOW THAT? CALLS FOR SPECULATION. NO FOUNDATION.

# 82 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

# 83 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: WHAT INJURIES DID YOU SEE AT THAT TIME, MR. SHIPP?

# 84 A:

IF I REMEMBER -- I MEAN, I COULDN'T SEE THAT WELL BECAUSE I REMEMBER SHE HAD MAKE-UP ON, BUT IF I REMEMBER THERE, WAS SOME SWELLING ABOUT HER HEAD SOMEWHERE. I REMEMBER IT WAS COVERED UP PRETTY GOOD.

# 85 Q:

SHE HAD MAKE-UP ON?

# 86 A:

SHE HAD MAKE-UP ON.

# 87 Q:

COVERING HER INJURIES?

# 88 A:

RIGHT.

# 89 Q:

BUT YOU COULD STILL SEE?

# 90 A:

A LITTLE BIT OF IT.

# 91 THE COURT:

MR. DARDEN, MR. SHIPP, YOU ALL ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TALK ONE AT A TIME.

# 92 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: AND DID YOU HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HER AT THAT TIME?

# 93 A:

YES, I DID.

# 94 Q:

WHAT WAS HER DEMEANOR DURING THAT CONVERSATION?

# 95 A:

WHEN SHE FIRST STARTED OUT SHE WAS LIKE SHE ALWAYS WOULD BE WHEN WE WOULD TALK, SHE WAS KIND OF JOKING, AND THEN AFTER A WHILE SHE JUST KIND OF GOT INTO ACTUALLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND STARTED TELLING ME WHAT HAD HAPPENED BETWEEN HER AND O.J.

# 96 Q:

DID SHE SHOW YOU ANYTHING AT THAT TIME?

# 97 A:

NO, SHE DID NOT.

# 98 Q:

WHAT WERE YOUR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WITH THE LAPD DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY, 1989?

# 99 A:

AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME I WAS ON LOAN TO WEST LOS ANGELES -- ACTUALLY IT WAS THE VALLEY DIVISION, FORGERY UNIT, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY OUT OF WEST LOS ANGELES.

# 100 Q:

OKAY. NOW, DOES THE LAPD HAVE A POLICE ACADEMY?

# 101 A:

YES, THEY DO.

# 102 Q:

AND WHAT EXACTLY IS A POLICE ACADEMY?

# 103 A:

A POLICE ACADEMY IS WHERE ALL THE RECRUITS RECEIVE THEIR TRAINING PRIOR TO BECOMING A FULL-FLEDGED LOS ANGELES POLICE OFFICER.

# 104 Q:

OKAY. AND WERE YOU EVER ASSIGNED TO TEACH ANY PARTICULAR SUBJECT AT THE POLICE ACADEMY?

# 105 A:

YES, I WAS.

# 106 Q:

AND WERE YOU SO ASSIGNED DURING JANUARY OF 1989?

# 107 A:

NO, I WAS NOT.

# 108 Q:

WHEN HAD YOU LAST BEEN --

# 109 A:

ACTUALLY, EXCUSE ME. LET ME CORRECT. I WAS ASSIGNED TO THE ACADEMY, BUT I WAS ON LOAN TO FORGERY, WEST L.A. FORGERY.

# 110 Q:

OKAY. SO YOU WERE STILL A MEMBER OF THE POLICE ACADEMY TEACHING STAFF?

# 111 A:

ON PAPER.

# 112 Q:

OKAY. AND DID YOU SPECIALIZE IN A PARTICULAR AREA?

# 113 A:

YES, I DID.

# 114 Q:

YOU TAUGHT A PARTICULAR SUBJECT?

# 115 A:

YES, I DID.

# 116 Q:

WHAT WAS THAT SUBJECT?

# 117 A:

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

# 118 Q:

YOU TAUGHT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

# 119 A:

YES, I DID.

# 120 Q:

YOU TAUGHT THAT TO OTHER POLICE OFFICERS?

# 121 A:

YEAH, OTHER POLICE OFFICERS AND RECRUITS.

# 122 Q:

WHAT KIND OF THINGS DID YOU TEACH THOSE OTHER POLICE OFFICERS AND RECRUITS?

# 123 A:

PARDON ME?

# 124 Q:

WHAT KIND OF THINGS DID YOU TEACH THOSE OTHER POLICE OFFICERS AND RECRUITS?

# 125 MR. DOUGLAS:

OBJECTION, VAGUE.

# 126 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

# 127 RON SHIPP:

I TAUGHT THEM FOR THE MOST PART THE DYNAMICS AND PROFILES OF THE VICTIM AND THE BATTERER IN RELATION TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

KEY QUOTE

# 128 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN EXACTLY?

# 129 A:

OKAY. FOR THE MOST PART, WHAT IT IS, IT IS THE DIFFERENT -- THE MAKE-UP, THE -- HOW CAN I SAY THIS? THE -- I'M DRAWING A BLANK RIGHT NOW, BUT ANYHOW, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE THE VICTIM, IT WOULD TALK ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT MAKES UP A BATTERER -- I MEAN, WHAT MAKES UP A VICTIM AS FAR AS BEING LIKE THEIR BACKGROUND, UMM, LOW SELF-ESTEEM, JUST YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PROFILES.

# 130 Q:

AND YOU ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE PROFILES OF THE BATTERER?

# 131 A:

RIGHT.

# 132 Q:

NOW -- MAY I HAVE ONE MOMENT, YOUR HONOR?

# 133 THE COURT:

CERTAINLY.

# 134 (DISCUSSION HELD OFF THE RECORD BETWEEN THE DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS.)

# 135 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: DID YOU ALSO HAVE A -- STRIKE THAT. AT SOME POINT DID YOU DEVELOP A TEACHING PLAN OR TEACHING OUTLINE?

# 136 A:

I DIDN'T DEVELOP IT. IT WAS ALREADY -- IT WAS ALREADY GIVEN TO ME FROM THE ACADEMY.

# 137 MR. DARDEN:

YOUR HONOR, I HAVE HERE IN MY HAND THAT WHICH APPEARS TO BE A TEACHING PLAN. MAY IT BE MARKED PEOPLE'S 8?

# 138 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. PEOPLE'S 8.

# 139 (PEO'S 8 FOR ID = DOC/4-PG LAPD TEACHING PLAN)

# 140 THE COURT:

HOW MANY PAGES IS THAT? IT APPEARS TO BE MULTIPLE PAGES.

# 141 MR. DARDEN:

CAN I HAVE ONE MOMENT?

# 142 THE COURT:

SURE.

# 143 (DISCUSSION HELD OFF THE RECORD BETWEEN THE DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS.)

# 144 MR. DARDEN:

PEOPLE'S 8 WILL CONSIST OF FOUR PAGES, YOUR HONOR.

# 145 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. FOUR PAGES.

# 146 MR. DOUGLAS:

YOUR HONOR, AT THE BREAK COULD THE CLERK BE SO KIND TO MAKE A COPY, AT A BREAK?

# 147 MR. COCHRAN:

WE DON'T HAVE A COPY.

# 148 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: SHOWING YOU PEOPLE'S 8 FOR IDENTIFICATION, MR. SHIPP, DOES THAT APPEAR TO BE A COPY OF TEACHING OUTLINE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO?

# 149 A:

YES, IT IS. IT IS A PORTION OF IT. IT IS ENLARGED FROM HOW I REMEMBER IT, BUT YES, IT IS.

# 150 Q:

ALL RIGHT. WHAT IS PAGE 1 ENTITLED?

# 151 A:

"VICTIM'S PROFILE" --

# 152 MR. DOUGLAS:

MAY I APPROACH, YOUR HONOR?

# 153 THE COURT:

SURE.

# 154 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: WHAT IS PAGE 1 ENTITLED?

# 155 A:

"VICTIM'S PROFILES."

# 156 Q:

AND PAGE 2, WHAT IS IT ENTITLED?

# 157 A:

"BATTERER'S PROFILES."

# 158 Q:

AND PAGE 3?

# 159 A:

"THE CYCLES OF BATTERING."

# 160 Q:

AND IS THERE A FOURTH PAGE?

# 161 A:

"BATTERING AND ARGUING."

# 162 Q:

DOES PAGE 1 LIST SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS COMMON TO WOMEN WHO REMAIN IN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS?

# 163 A:

YES, IT DOES.

# 164 Q:

COULD YOU LIST THOSE CHARACTERISTICS FOR US?

# 165 A:

YES. IT HAS HERE SELF-BLAMING GUILT AND THE NEXT ONE IS LIVES IN CONSTANT FEAR, HIGH LEVEL OF DEPENDENCE, AND THEN IT SAYS ECONOMIC AND/OR EMOTIONAL, AND IT SAYS COMMITMENT TO RELATIONSHIP, WILL DO ALMOST ANYTHING TO KEEP THE FAMILY TOGETHER, TRADITIONAL SEX ROLE, MEANING SHE IS A MOTHER --

# 166 MR. DOUGLAS:

YOUR HONOR, I WOULD OBJECT TO THE READING OF THIS DOCUMENT AT THIS POINT THROUGH THIS WITNESS. IT IS NOT IN EVIDENCE, YOUR HONOR, AND I THINK THAT THERE IS A HEARING THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ABOUT THIS ENTIRE SUBJECT MATTER AT THIS POINT.

# 167 MR. DARDEN:

IF COUNSEL HAS AN OBJECTION, HE SHOULD ASK TO APPROACH THE SIDE BAR.

# 168 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. THAT IS A SPEAKING OBJECTION. LET ME SEE COUNSEL AT THE SIDE BAR, PLEASE.

Temperature

tense

Key Quotes (4)

Ronald Shipp

IF I REMEMBER THERE, WAS SOME SWELLING ABOUT HER HEAD SOMEWHERE. I REMEMBER IT WAS COVERED UP PRETTY GOOD.

Eyewitness account of Nicole's injuries from the January 1989 domestic violence incident, observed directly by Shipp during his visit to Rockingham.

Ronald Shipp

SHE WAS KIND OF JOKING, AND THEN AFTER A WHILE SHE JUST KIND OF GOT INTO ACTUALLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND STARTED TELLING ME WHAT HAD HAPPENED BETWEEN HER AND O.J.

Describes Nicole's emotional transition during their conversation — consistent with DV victim behavior patterns Shipp would later testify he taught professionally.

Ronald Shipp

I TAUGHT THEM FOR THE MOST PART THE DYNAMICS AND PROFILES OF THE VICTIM AND THE BATTERER IN RELATION TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

Establishes Shipp as a credentialed expert witness on DV, lending professional authority to his characterization of what he observed with Nicole and OJ.

Ronald Shipp

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

His single-word answer — that he taught domestic violence at the LAPD academy — is a pivot moment in the examination, reframing him from a friend-of-OJ to an expert witness.

Evidence (1)

People's 8

Four-page LAPD domestic violence teaching plan used at the police academy, comprising: Victim's Profiles, Batterer's Profiles, The Cycles of Battering, and Battering and Arguing

Marked for identification; Shipp confirmed it as the outline he taught from; Douglas objected to reading it aloud before admission — matter sent to sidebar

Notable Exchanges (3)

Christopher Darden•Carl Douglas•Lance A. Ito

Darden attempted to get into evidence what Nicole asked Shipp to do during her phone call. Douglas objected on hearsay grounds; Darden argued he was asking for the question asked, not the truth of any statement. Ito sustained the objection, blocking the content.

strategic

Christopher Darden•Ronald Shipp

Darden walked Shipp through his visit to Rockingham circa January 3-4, 1989 — the buzzer entry, Nicole's concealed injuries, her initial joking demeanor transitioning to telling him what happened with OJ. Builds a picture of post-beating aftermath through a trained DV observer's eyes.

revealing

Carl Douglas•Lance A. Ito•Christopher Darden

Douglas objected to Shipp reading People's 8 aloud, noting it wasn't in evidence and flagging a pending hearing on the subject matter. Darden responded that objections should be at sidebar. Ito agreed and called counsel to sidebar.

procedural

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ Ronald Shipp

Implied bias / relationship proximity

Defense objections repeatedly targeted the foundation of Shipp's knowledge and perceptions — whether he could assess Nicole's emotional state, whether injuries 'starting to fade' was speculation — subtly undermining his reliability as an observer without direct cross-examination yet.

Witness Demeanor

Witness self-corrects his timeline testimony ('ACTUALLY, EXCUSE ME. LET ME CORRECT.')

Witness draws a blank mid-answer when explaining DV profiles ('I'M DRAWING A BLANK RIGHT NOW')

Witness apologizes when redirected by the judge ('I'M SORRY.')

Objections

6 objections (1 sustained, 3 overruled)

Proceeding 4520 • 168 utterances • Prosecution witness

Criminal Trial

Department 103