Direct examination of Ronald Phillips (part 3)

📄 Direct examination of Ronald Phillips (part 3) — Wednesday, February 15, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\FEB\15\DIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-RONALD-P.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 19 of 167

◀ Direct examination of Ronald Phillips (part 2) Sidebar: blood drop characterization ▶

Witness: Det. Ronald Phillips
Examiner: Marcia Clark
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Wednesday, February 15, 1995 • Utterances: 232

Marcia Clark conducted a detailed direct examination of Detective Phillips about his observations at the Bundy crime scene on the night of the murders. Phillips walked the jury through his systematic tour of the property — the rear alley, the back gate, the garage, and the interior walkway — describing pools of blood, bloody shoeprints leading westbound away from the bodies, blood droplets on the driveway near the Jeep, and blood on the rear gate's rungs and latch. Throughout, he testified that he and other officers carefully avoided disturbing any of this evidence.

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

# 2 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

NOW, YOUR HONOR, THIS IS PEOPLE'S 43-A, AND AGAIN, THE FEED WILL NEED TO BE CUT ON THIS PHOTO.

# 3 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: DO YOU SEE THIS -- DO YOU SEE WHAT'S DEPICTED IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH YOU'RE LOOKING IN YOUR MONITOR, SIR?

# 4 A:

YES, SIR. YES, MA'AM.

# 5 Q:

AND CAN YOU TELL US, SIR, IF YOU CAN SEE THE PAW PRINTS THAT YOU WERE EARLIER REFERRING TO?

# 6 A:

YES, I DO.

# 7 Q:

NOW, THOSE -- YOU SEE SPLOTCHES OF BLOOD, WHAT APPEARS TO BE BLOOD ON THIS WALKWAY? I AM GOING TO CIRCLE IT. IF YOU CAN'T SEE IT, YOU CAN STEP DOWN.

# 8 A:

YES, I DO.

# 9 Q:

AND ANOTHER ONE OVER HERE AND UP HERE (INDICATING)?

# 10 A:

YES.

# 11 Q:

YOU WERE THERE, SIR. TELL US WHAT THEY APPEARED TO -- WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE TO YOU.

# 12 A:

THEY WERE JUST POOLS OF BLOOD.

KEY QUOTE

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

# 14 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: WHAT DID YOU DO AFTER YOU OBSERVED FROM THE LOCATION NORTH OF THE VICTIMS?

# 15 A:

WE WERE TOLD THAT YOU COULD GET A BETTER LOOK.

# 16 MR. COCHRAN:

OBJECTION TO THIS, YOUR HONOR.

# 17 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED. WHAT DID YOU DO, NOT WHAT YOU WERE TOLD.

# 18 DET. RONALD PHILLIPS:

WALKED AROUND SOUTHBOUND ON BUNDY AND THEN WALKED WESTBOUND ON DOROTHY AND THEN NORTHBOUND INTO THE ALLEY TO THE REAR OF THE RESIDENCE AT 875 SOUTH BUNDY.

# 19 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: NOW, WHO WAS THERE? WHO WENT ON THIS WALK?

# 20 A:

OFFICER RISKE, SERGEANT ROSSI, MARK FUHRMAN AND MYSELF AND THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A SERGEANT COON, BUT I'M NOT SURE.

# 21 Q:

AND DID YOU WALK INTO THE ALLEY THEN?

# 22 A:

YES.

# 23 Q:

WHERE DID YOU GO NEXT?

# 24 A:

WALKED NORTHBOUND IN THE ALLEY TO THE REAR OF 875 SOUTH BUNDY.

# 25 Q:

AND WHERE DID YOU ENTER? DID YOU ENTER THROUGH THE GARAGE OR HOW DID YOU GO IN?

# 26 A:

WHEN WE ORIGINALLY ENTERED INTO THE HOUSE, WE ORIGINALLY -- WE WENT THROUGH THE GARAGE.

# 27 Q:

NOW, BEFORE YOU ENTERED THE GARAGE, DID YOU MAKE ANY OBSERVATIONS OUTSIDE IN THE DRIVEWAY?

# 28 A:

YES, I DID.

# 29 Q:

WHAT DID YOU SEE?

# 30 A:

I NOTICED A JEEP PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH THE PASSENGER DOOR SEMI AJAR, LOOKED LIKE IT HADN'T BEEN SHUT ALL THE WAY, I NOTICED SOME CHANGE IN THE DRIVEWAY AND ALSO A COUPLE OF DROPLETS OF BLOOD.

# 31 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

YOUR HONOR, P-52.

# 32 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: DO YOU RECOGNIZE WHAT'S SHOWN THERE, SIR?

# 33 A:

YES, I DO.

# 34 Q:

WHAT IS THAT?

# 35 A:

THAT'S THE REAR OF 875 SOUTH BUNDY.

# 36 Q:

NOW, DID OFFICER RISKE POINT OUT TO YOU THAT THE GARAGE DOOR WAS NOW OPEN?

# 37 A:

YES, HE DID.

# 38 Q:

DID HE EXPLAIN TO YOU IN WHAT CONDITION HE ORIGINALLY FOUND THE GARAGE DOOR WHEN HE FIRST APPEARED ON THE SCENE?

# 39 A:

YES, HE DID.

# 40 Q:

AND WAS IT OPEN OR CLOSED WHEN IT WAS --

# 41 MR. COCHRAN:

OBJECTION. THAT CALLS FOR HEARSAY.

# 42 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

# 43 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: DID HE EXPLAIN TO YOU HOW THE GARAGE DOOR CAME TO BE OPEN?

# 44 A:

YES.

# 45 Q:

NOW, WHERE IF YOU CAN RECALL DID YOU SEE THE CHANGE AND THE BLOOD DROP ON THE DRIVEWAY?

# 46 A:

IT WAS TO THE LEFT OF THE JEEP I BELIEVE.

# 47 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

YOUR HONOR, EXHIBIT NO. 48-K.

# 48 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: EXCUSE ME. LEFT OF THE JEEP AS WE FACE IT NOW?

# 49 A:

YES.

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

# 51 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: OKAY. YOU'VE SEEN THAT PHOTOGRAPH. I'M GOING TO GET A PERSPECTIVE SHOT FOR YOU.

# 52 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

THIS IS 48-J.

# 53 MS. CLARK:

AND 48-J. NOW CLOSE-UP ON THE PHOTOGRAPH.

# 54 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

48-I.

# 55 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: NOW, DO YOU RECOGNIZE THE CLOSE-UP AND THE PERSPECTIVE SHOT OF WHAT YOU'VE JUST SEEN HERE?

# 56 A:

YES.

# 57 Q:

AND WHAT IS THAT?

# 58 A:

THAT'S THE CHANGE AND THE BLOOD DROP THAT I OBSERVED BY THE JEEP.

# 59 Q:

DID YOU MAKE THOSE OBSERVATIONS BEFORE GOING IN THROUGH THE GARAGE?

# 60 A:

YES, I DID.

# 61 Q:

OKAY. SO YOUR FIRST ENTRY WAS IN THROUGH THE GARAGE, IS THAT RIGHT, OR WAS IT THROUGH THE REAR GATE?

# 62 A:

THE FIRST ENTRY I WENT IN WAS THROUGH THE REAR GATE WITH SERGEANT ROSSI. HE WANTED TO SHOW ME SOMETHING.

# 63 Q:

AND WHEN YOU WALKED THROUGH THE REAR GATE, WAS IT -- WHO WENT WITH YOU?

# 64 A:

JUST MYSELF AND SERGEANT ROSSI.

# 65 Q:

AND WHAT HAPPENED TO OFFICER RISKE AND DETECTIVE FUHRMAN?

# 66 A:

THEY STAYED OUT IN THE DRIVEWAY BY THE JEEP.

# 67 Q:

WHAT DID -- WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU WENT THROUGH THE REAR GATE WITH SERGEANT ROSSI?

# 68 A:

WE WALKED EASTBOUND A PORTION OF THE WAY UNTIL HE POINTED OUT SOME FADED FOOTPRINTS, WHAT APPEARED TO BE FADED FOOTPRINTS AND THEN SAID HE HAD NOT GONE ANY FARTHER THAN THAT AND I SAID, "WELL, LET'S GO BACK OUT AND GET THE REST OF THEM," AND THEN WE WENT BACK OUT. WE DIDN'T GO ANY FARTHER.

# 69 Q:

OKAY. THOSE FOOTPRINTS, HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO SEE THEM?

# 70 A:

WITH THE AID OF A FLASHLIGHT. SERGEANT ROSSI HAD ONE AND I HAD ONE.

# 71 Q:

DID THEY APPEAR TO BE -- WHAT COLOR DID THEY APPEAR TO BE?

# 72 A:

THE FOOTPRINTS APPEARED TO BE IN A RED STAIN.

# 73 Q:

DID THEY APPEAR TO BE BLOOD TO YOU?

# 74 MR. COCHRAN:

OBJECTION TO THAT, YOUR HONOR. CALLS FOR CONCLUSION.

# 75 THE COURT:

OVERRULED. HE'S A HOMICIDE DETECTIVE. HE CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

KEY QUOTE

# 76 DET. RONALD PHILLIPS:

IT APPEARED TO BE A RED STAIN THAT RESEMBLED BLOOD, YES.

KEY QUOTE

# 77 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: NOW, BEFORE YOU ENTERED THROUGH THE REAR GATE, SIR, WAS ANYTHING POINTED OUT TO YOU TO BE CAREFUL OF?

# 78 A:

WELL, I WAS POINTED OUT SOME BLOOD THAT WAS ON THE TOP RUNG OF THE REAR GATE AND ALSO ON THE BOTTOM RUNG OF THE REAR GATE AND THEN ALSO AT A LATCH ON THE REAR GATE.

KEY QUOTE

# 79 Q:

AND SO DID YOU TOUCH THE GATE?

# 80 A:

NO, I DID NOT.

# 81 Q:

AND WAS THERE ANY OTHER BLOOD POINTED OUT TO YOU NEAR THAT AREA OF THE REAR GATE?

# 82 A:

I BELIEVE THERE WAS ANOTHER DROP OF BLOOD OR TWO IN THE VICINITY OF THAT REAR GATE.

# 83 Q:

ON THE GROUND?

# 84 A:

ON THE GROUND.

# 85 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

YOUR HONOR, THIS IS EXHIBIT 48 I BELIEVE H. I AM SORRY. 48-G, YOUR HONOR.

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

# 87 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

48 I BELIEVE F.

# 88 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: UH-HUH. OKAY. DO YOU SEE THE MARKER IN THE PHOTOGRAPH?

# 89 A:

YES, I DO.

# 90 Q:

AND THE GATE THAT IS DEPICTED IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH, WHICH GATE IS THAT?

# 91 A:

THAT'S THE GATE THAT LEADS OUT TO THE ALLEY AT THE REAR OF 875 BUNDY.

# 92 Q:

OKAY. THE MARKER THAT YOU SEE THERE, DOES THAT -- IS THAT A LOCATION THAT YOU WERE DISCUSSING JUST NOW WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT A BLOOD DROP --

# 93 A:

YES.

# 94 Q:

-- ON THE GROUND?

# 95 A:

YES.

# 96 Q:

WAS THAT POINTED OUT TO YOU BEFORE YOU WENT THROUGH THE REAR GATE?

# 97 A:

AFTER I WENT THROUGH THE REAR GATE.

# 98 Q:

AND DID YOU AVOID STEPPING ON IT?

# 99 A:

YES, I DID.

# 100 Q:

WERE YOU USING YOUR FLASHLIGHT THE ENTIRE TIME THAT YOU WALKED DOWN THE WALKWAY?

# 101 A:

YES, I WAS.

# 102 Q:

YOU INDICATED THEN THAT DETECTIVE -- THAT SERGEANT ROSSI -- WHEN YOU GOT TO THE POINT JUST BEFORE YOU WERE AT THE BLOODY SHOEPRINTS ON THE WALKWAY, THEN YOU TURNED AROUND?

# 103 A:

THEN WE RETURNED BACK TO THE ALLEY, YES.

# 104 Q:

THEN WHAT HAPPENED?

# 105 A:

I THEN ENTERED THE RESIDENCE THROUGH THE GARAGE WITH OFFICER RISKE LEADING THE WAY AND DETECTIVE FUHRMAN AND I FOLLOWING HIM AND SERGEANT ROSSI STAYED OUTSIDE.

# 106 Q:

AND WHAT DID YOU DO WHEN YOU GOT INTO THE RESIDENCE?

FIRST OF ALL, LET ME BACK UP, LET ME ASK YOU, HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE RESIDENCE?

# 107 A:

WALKED THROUGH THE OPEN GARAGE DOOR AND WALKED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF A WHITE SPORTS CAR THAT WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY OR IN THE GARAGE AND THEN WENT THROUGH THE DOOR THAT LEADS FROM THE GARAGE INTO THE HOUSE.

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

# 109 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: AND WHAT DID YOU SEE WHEN YOU GOT INSIDE THE HOUSE?

# 110 A:

THE FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS SOME STAIRS THAT LED UP TO ANOTHER LEVEL IN THE HOUSE, AND WE STARTED TO ASCEND THOSE STAIRS.

# 111 Q:

AND TELL US WHAT YOU OBSERVED WHEN YOU ENTERED, WHEN YOU FIRST ENTERED THE DOOR.

# 112 A:

WHEN WE FIRST ENTERED THE DOOR, OFFICER RISKE POINTED OUT AN ICE CREAM CUP THAT WAS POSITIONED ON A BANISTER ABOUT FOUR FEET INSIDE THE RESIDENCE FROM THE BACK DOOR AND HE ALSO POINTED OUT A SPOON THAT HAD FALLEN OR BEEN MISPLACED OR SOMETHING THAT WAS TO THE LEFT OF THAT BANISTER LYING ON ONE OF THE STEPS LEADING DOWN INTO ANOTHER ROOM.

# 113 Q:

OKAY. WHAT ELSE DID YOU SEE?

# 114 A:

AT THAT TIME, JUST THE ICE CREAM AND THE SPOON.

# 115 Q:

OKAY. AND THEN WHAT?

# 116 A:

WALKED UP INTO THE KITCHEN AREA OF THE RESIDENCE, WALKED THROUGH THE KITCHEN AREA INTO THE LIVING ROOM, OUT THE LIVING ROOM AND TO A FRONT DOOR THAT I WAS TOLD THAT HAD BEEN FOUND OPEN.

# 117 MR. COCHRAN:

OBJECTION TO WHAT HE WAS TOLD.

# 118 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED. THE JURY IS TO DISREGARD THE LAST COMMENT, HE WAS TOLD THAT THE DOOR WAS FOUND OPEN.

# 119 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: YOU WENT UPSTAIRS AND YOU WENT THROUGH A KITCHEN AREA?

# 120 A:

YES.

# 121 Q:

NOW, WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF YOUR GOING INTO THE HOUSE AT THIS TIME?

# 122 A:

GOING INTO THE HOUSE BECAUSE OFFICER RISKE WAS GOING TO SHOW ME A BETTER LOCATION TO VIEW THE CRIME SCENE FROM.

# 123 Q:

AND DID YOU COME OUT -- WHEN YOU CAME TO THE FRONT DOOR, WAS IT OPEN OR CLOSED?

# 124 A:

IT WAS OPEN.

# 125 Q:

AND WERE YOU INFORMED OF THE MANNER IN WHICH IT WAS FIRST FOUND BY THE FIRST OFFICER ON THE SCENE, OFFICER RISKE?

# 126 A:

YES.

# 127 Q:

AND THEN YOU WALKED THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR?

# 128 A:

YES.

# 129 Q:

AND WHAT DID YOU SEE?

# 130 A:

SAW FOOTPRINTS THAT APPEARED TO BE GOING IN A WESTBOUND DIRECTION AWAY FROM THE ACTUAL CRIME SCENE OR THE MAIN CRIME SCENE PAST THE FRONT DOOR AND ALONG THE ALLEY OR ALONG THE WALKWAY THAT I HAD WALKED PARTIALLY UP TO BEFORE.

# 131 Q:

OKAY. DID THOSE SHOEPRINTS ANGLE IN TOWARDS THE FRONT DOOR AT ANY TIME?

# 132 A:

NO.

# 133 MR. COCHRAN:

OBJECTION TO THE FORM OF THE QUESTION. LEADING AND SUGGESTIVE.

# 134 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

# 135 DET. RONALD PHILLIPS:

NO.

# 136 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: THEY APPEARED TO GO STRAIGHT PAST IT?

# 137 A:

YES.

# 138 Q:

AND HOW MANY OF THEM DID YOU OBSERVE, SIR, IF YOU RECALL?

# 139 A:

I DON'T RECALL HOW MANY I SAW.

# 140 Q:

OKAY. HOW MANY SHOEPRINTS -- HOW MANY SETS OF SHOEPRINTS DID YOU SEE?

# 141 A:

DIFFERENT SETS?

# 142 Q:

UH-HUH. DIFFERENT SETS.

# 143 A:

THEY APPEARED TO ALL BE THE SAME.

# 144 Q:

ONE SET OF SHOEPRINTS?

# 145 A:

YES.

# 146 Q:

NOW, DID YOU SEE ANY SHOEPRINTS DOWN BETWEEN THE BODIES OF RONALD GOLDMAN AND NICOLE BROWN?

# 147 A:

DOWN ON THE STEPS IS THE ONLY PLACE I OBSERVED THEM. I DIDN'T GET THAT CLOSE TO ACTUALLY OBSERVE IF THERE WAS ANY AROUND THE BODIES.

# 148 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

YOUR HONOR, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT THE FEED. THIS IS 45-B.

# 149 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT.

# 150 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: OKAY. WERE YOU ABLE -- DO YOU SEE ONE OF THE SHOEPRINTS THAT YOU SAW THAT NIGHT FROM THE VANTAGE POINT OF THE TOP OF THE LANDING?

# 151 A:

YES, I DO.

# 152 Q:

AND CAN -- IF YOU CAN SEE IT ON THE SCREEN, I'M GOING TO POINT IT OUT WITH THE LASER. IS THAT --

# 153 A:

YES.

# 154 Q:

THAT'S ONE OF THEM? OKAY.

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

# 156 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

45-C.

# 157 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: DO YOU RECALL SEEING WHAT I'M CIRCLING RIGHT NOW, IF YOU CAN LOOK?

# 158 A:

YES.

# 159 Q:

AND WHAT WERE THE -- DID YOU SEE THOSE THAT NIGHT?

# 160 A:

YES, I DID.

# 161 Q:

WHAT DID THEY APPEAR TO BE?

# 162 A:

FOOTPRINTS, SOME TYPE OF RED STAIN THAT APPEARED TO BE BLOOD.

# 163 Q:

BARE FOOTPRINTS?

# 164 A:

NO. FOOT -- SHOEPRINTS. I AM SORRY.

# 165 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

45-D.

# 166 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M CIRCLING ON THE SCREEN NOW, SIR?

# 167 A:

YES.

# 168 Q:

DO YOU RECALL SEEING THESE SHOEPRINTS?

# 169 A:

YES, I DO.

# 170 Q:

AND WERE THOSE AT THE TOP OF THE LANDING, SIR?

# 171 A:

YES, THEY WERE.

# 172 Q:

AND WHO POINTED THEM OUT TO YOU?

# 173 A:

OFFICER RISKE.

# 174 Q:

AND AFTER HE POINTED THEM OUT TO YOU, DID YOU GO OVER AND STEP IN THEM?

# 175 A:

NO, I DID NOT.

# 176 Q:

YOU AVOIDED THEM?

# 177 A:

YES, I DID.

# 178 Q:

DID EITHER YOURSELF, DETECTIVE FUHRMAN OR OFFICER RISKE STEP IN THOSE FOOTPRINTS?

# 179 A:

NO, WE DID NOT.

# 180 MS. CLARK:

NEXT.

# 181 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

45-E.

# 182 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: CAN YOU SEE WHAT I'M CIRCLING HERE, SIR?

# 183 A:

YES.

# 184 Q:

DO YOU RECALL SEEING THESE THINGS THAT I'M CIRCLING THAT NIGHT?

# 185 A:

WELL, THESE APPEAR TO BE THE SAME SHOEPRINTS LEADING WESTBOUND OUT THAT WALKWAY.

# 186 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

45-F.

# 187 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: AND ONCE AGAIN, DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M CIRCLING?

# 188 A:

YES.

# 189 Q:

SAME THING, THOSE BLOODY SHOEPRINTS?

# 190 A:

YES.

# 191 Q:

YOU SAW THEM THAT NIGHT?

# 192 A:

YES.

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

# 194 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

45-G.

# 195 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: WERE YOU ABLE TO EVER EXAMINE THEM CLOSELY, SIR, BY SHINING YOUR FLASHLIGHT AND LOOKING CLOSELY AT THESE SHOEPRINTS?

# 196 A:

I NEVER EXAMINED THEM CLOSELY, NO.

# 197 Q:

DID YOU EVER SEE ONE AS CLOSE-UP AS YOU'RE SEEING ON THE SCREEN HERE?

# 198 A:

NO.

# 199 Q:

NOW, FROM THE VANTAGE POINT OF THE TOP OF LANDING, WERE YOU ABLE TO SEE THE CRIME SCENE AREA WHERE THE VICTIMS AND THE EVIDENCE THAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED PREVIOUSLY WAS MORE CLEARLY?

# 200 A:

YES.

# 201 Q:

AND AFTER MAKING THOSE OBSERVATIONS FROM THE TOP OF THE LANDING, WHAT DID YOU DO?

# 202 A:

I THEN FOLLOWED OFFICER RISKE WESTBOUND OUT THE -- THE NORTH PATHWAY TO THE NORTH OF THE RESIDENCE TO THE REAR GATE AND EXITED OUT THE REAR GATE.

# 203 Q:

AS YOU DID SO, DID OFFICER RISKE POINT ANYTHING OUT TO YOU?

# 204 A:

YES. HE POINTED OUT DROPLETS OF WHAT APPEARED TO BE BLOOD AND ALSO THESE FOOTPRINTS UNTIL THEY FADED OUT.

# 205 Q:

NOW, DID OFFICER RISKE EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT HE HAD DONE WHEN HE HAD WENT INSIDE THE HOUSE EARLIER?

# 206 A:

I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.

# 207 Q:

DID OFFICER RISKE TELL YOU WHAT HE HAD DONE AT THE SCENE BEFORE YOU ARRIVED?

# 208 A:

AS FAR AS THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE?

# 209 Q:

YES.

# 210 A:

YES.

# 211 Q:

AND DID HE TELL YOU ABOUT GOING THROUGH THE HOUSE AND WHAT HE HAD DONE WITH ANY PERSONS HE FOUND INSIDE?

# 212 MR. COCHRAN:

OBJECTION. HEARSAY.

# 213 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

# 214 DET. RONALD PHILLIPS:

YES.

# 215 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: ALL RIGHT. YOU SAID YOU WALKED DOWN THE WALKWAY, HE POINTED OUT BLOOD DROPS TO YOU?

# 216 A:

YES.

# 217 Q:

DID YOU OBSERVE THOSE BLOOD DROPS NEXT TO ANY OF THE BLOODY SHOEPRINTS THAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED TO US?

# 218 A:

YES.

# 219 Q:

AND TO WHAT SIDE OF THE BLOODY SHOEPRINTS WERE THEY?

# 220 A:

TO THE LEFT.

# 221 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

P-48A.

# 222 THE COURT:

48-A.

# 223 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: OKAY. YOU CAN SEE THE ITEM 112?

# 224 A:

YES.

# 225 Q:

AND THE AREA I'M CIRCLING RIGHT THERE, IS THAT ONE OF THOSE BLOODY SHOEPRINTS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT?

# 226 A:

YES.

# 227 MS. CLARK:

ALL RIGHT. AND THE ITEM 112 CLOSE-UP?

# 228 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

P-48B.

# 229 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: DO YOU RECALL SEEING BLOOD DROPPED -- AND THAT APPEARS TO BE TO THE LEFT OF THE SHOEPRINT THAT YOU EARLIER DESCRIBED?

# 230 A:

YES.

# 231 MR. COCHRAN:

OBJECTION TO THE FORM. YOUR HONOR, MAY WE APPROACH?

# 232 THE COURT:

SURE, WITH THE REPORTER.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (4)

Detective Phillips

THEY WERE JUST POOLS OF BLOOD.

Blunt, visceral description of what he saw on the Bundy walkway north of the victims — establishes the sheer volume of blood at the scene.

Detective Phillips

IT APPEARED TO BE A RED STAIN THAT RESEMBLED BLOOD, YES.

Phillips' careful phrasing after Cochran objected that the question called for a conclusion — the judge overruled, allowing the experienced homicide detective to characterize what he saw.

Lance A. Ito

OVERRULED. HE'S A HOMICIDE DETECTIVE. HE CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

The court affirmed Phillips' expertise to opine on whether a substance appeared to be blood, a ruling that bolstered his credibility as an experienced investigator.

Detective Phillips

I WAS POINTED OUT SOME BLOOD THAT WAS ON THE TOP RUNG OF THE REAR GATE AND ALSO ON THE BOTTOM RUNG OF THE REAR GATE AND THEN ALSO AT A LATCH ON THE REAR GATE.

Critical testimony establishing blood on the back gate — foundational to the prosecution's theory that the killer exited through this route.

Evidence (10)

People's 43-A

Photograph of the Bundy walkway showing blood splotches and paw prints

displayed, discussed; feed cut from broadcast

People's 52

Photograph of the rear of 875 South Bundy

introduced, identified by witness

People's 48-K

Photograph of driveway area near the Jeep

introduced

People's 48-J

Perspective shot of change and blood drop by the Jeep

introduced, identified

People's 48-I

Close-up of change and blood drop by the Jeep

introduced, identified

People's 48-G / 48-H / 48-F

Photographs of rear gate area showing blood drop marker

introduced, discussed

+ 4 more

Notable Exchanges (3)

Marcia Clark•Detective Phillips

Clark methodically walked Phillips through each leg of the crime scene tour — alley, rear gate, garage, interior, front landing — building a precise spatial account of what he saw and where he stepped, consistently asking whether he or other officers avoided disturbing evidence.

strategic

Johnnie Cochran•Lance A. Ito

Cochran repeatedly objected on hearsay grounds when Clark asked Phillips what other officers told him (garage door condition, front door, Riske's prior actions). The court sustained three of these, instructing the jury to disregard what Phillips was told about the front door.

procedural

Johnnie Cochran•Lance A. Ito

Cochran objected that asking a detective whether a substance 'appeared to be blood' called for a conclusion. Ito overruled, explicitly vouching for Phillips' expertise as a homicide detective.

revealing

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ Detective Phillips

hearsay exclusion

Cochran successfully blocked Phillips from repeating what officers told him about the garage door and front door, preventing him from vouching for the original crime scene conditions through hearsay rather than personal observation.

Objections

7 objections (3 sustained, 3 overruled)

Proceeding 4870 • 232 utterances • Prosecution witness

Criminal Trial

Department 103