📄 Closing remarks — Friday, February 17, 1995
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\FEB\17\CLOSING-REMARKS.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 21 of 167

Closing remarks

Date: Friday, February 17, 1995 • Utterances: 70
After the jury was dismissed for the week, counsel addressed administrative matters including the repackaging of biological evidence (gloves and ski cap) into proper containers, correcting an exhibit number on the record (People's 35 to People's 55), and William Hodgman's disclosure that a fraudulent subpoena bearing the name 'Jill Shively' and referencing a 'Kato Investigation' had been faxed to the prosecution's office and was circulating in the media. The session ended with arrangements to repackage evidence in open court before adjourning to chambers.
1 (THE FOLLOWING PROCEEDINGS WERE HELD IN OPEN COURT, OUT OF THE PRESENCE OF THE JURY:)
2 THE COURT:

THANK YOU, COUNSEL. BE SEATED.

3 MS. CLARK:

YOUR HONOR, MAY WE JUST PUT ON THE RECORD, WE IDENTIFIED THE LAST PHOTOGRAPH SHOWN AS PEOPLE'S 35. IT WAS ACTUALLY PEOPLE'S 55, IF I COULD CORRECT THAT ON THE RECORD.

4 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. MRS. ROBERTSON.

5 (BRIEF PAUSE.)
6 THE COURT:

LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THE JURY HAS WITHDRAWN FROM THE COURTROOM AND WE ARE IN RECESS AS FAR AS THE JURY IS CONCERNED FOR THE WEEK. MR. HODGMAN, MR. BLASIER, IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN -- WE NEED TO PUT ON THE RECORD? AND, MISS CLARK, YOU ARE GOING TO REPACKAGE THOSE ITEMS THAT YOU JUST INTRODUCED OR THAT YOU JUST IDENTIFIED?

7 MS. CLARK:

YES. THERE IS NO ISSUE WITH RESPECT TO THAT. I JUST WANTED TO INDICATE WHICH GOES TO WHAT. THE BROWN BAG I'M HOLDING HERE --

8 MR. BLAISER:

YOUR HONOR, ANYTHING WE NEED TO DO CAN BE DONE IN CHAMBERS.

9 MS. CLARK:

I AM NOT TOUCHING ANYTHING. IDENTIFYING. IDENTIFYING. RELAX, MR. SCHECK.

KEY QUOTE
10 THE COURT:

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

11 MS. CLARK:

PEOPLE GET EXCITED.

12 MR. DARDEN:

WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE REPLACE IT, YOUR HONOR?

13 MS. CLARK:

THE BAG IS IDENTIFIED NUMBER 38 ON IT. I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT FOR MR. CLARK TO DO. IT'S IDENTIFIED WITH NUMBER 38, IS FOR THE CAP.

14 MR. DARDEN:

THAT'S 78-A.

15 THE COURT:

YOU MEAN 78?

16 MS. CLARK:

RIGHT. 78, WHICH IS THE CAP, IS -- GOES BACK TO 78-A AND INTO WHATEVER CONTAINER IT LIKES. THE GLOVE WAS INITIALLY IN -- THE GLOVE THAT IS 77 WAS INITIALLY IN THE BAG CONTAINED IN 77-A.

17 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT.

18 MS. CLARK:

WHICH HAS THE NUMBER 37 ON IT.

19 THE COURT:

THE COURT NOTES FOR THE RECORD THAT THE AUTHORITY DEALING WITH BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE INDICATE THAT THE PLACING IN PLASTIC CONTAINERS IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE PACKAGING MATERIAL FOR BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE.

KEY QUOTE
20 MS. CLARK:

LET THE RECORD REFLECT ALSO THOUGH THAT NONE OF THESE BAGS HAVE BEEN SEALED.

21 THE COURT:

NOTED.

22 MS. CLARK:

AND I'M HANDING IT ALL OVER TO MR. CLARK.

23 MR. SCHECK:

MAY I MAKE THE REQUEST THAT --

24 THE COURT:

MR. SCHECK?

25 MR. SCHECK:

-- THE GLOVES, THEY BE PLACED BACK IN THE ORIGINAL PACKAGING AND THAT THE PLASTIC BAGS THAT CONTAINED EACH ITEM ALSO BE --

26 MR. BAILEY:

PRESERVED?

27 THE COURT:

INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGING? CERTAINLY.

28 MR. CLARK:

I HOPE I DON'T HAVE TO BE PACKAGED, YOUR HONOR.

29 MR. DARDEN:

I'M HANDING MR. CLARK A PAIR OF RUBBER GLOVES, YOUR HONOR.

30 MS. CLARK:

I HAVE HERE ALSO THE PLASTIC BAG OUT OF WHICH WE TOOK THE BAG CONTAINING THE SKI CAP. ITEM NUMBER 37 STILL CONTAINS THE SLIDES OF THE HAIR AND FIBER THAT WERE EXAMINED BY THE DEFENSE AND THE PROSECUTION. I'M GOING TO ASK LEAVE OF THE COURT TO PLACE THAT BACK IN THE MANILA ENVELOPE THAT HAS THE NUMBER 38 ON IT AND REPLACE THIS ITEM, THIS MANILA ENVELOPE BACK INTO THE BOX FROM WHICH IT WAS REMOVED.

31 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT.

32 MR. BAILEY:

YOUR HONOR --

33 MR. SCHECK:

I WOULD REQUEST THAT WE RESEAL THAT AND INITIAL IT AND DATE IT. YES. AND IF IT MIGHT BE OKAY, COULD WE JUST SHOW IT TO THE DEFENDANT?

34 THE COURT:

SURE.

35 MR. SCHECK:

SHOW IT TO THE DEFENDANT BEFORE YOU RESEAL IT?

36 MS. CLARK:

SURE.

37 MR. SCHECK:

I WOULD ASK THAT WHEN MR. CLARK REPACKAGES THE ITEMS, THAT HE CHANGES GLOVES EACH TIME AND WHEN HE HANDLES EACH ITEM.

38 THE COURT:

NO OBJECTION. ALL RIGHT. NOW, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO PUT ON THE RECORD? AND, MR. BLASIER, MR. SCHECK, YOU ARE GOING TO SUBMIT TO THE COURT A REMOVAL ORDER?

39 MR. BAILEY:

I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE.

40 MR. DARDEN:

WHO IS GOING TO RESEAL THE BOX BY THE WAY?

41 THE COURT:

THE BOX WILL BE RETURNED TO THE CLERK AFTER THE ITEMS HAVE BEEN EXHIBITED TO THE DEFENDANT AND THEN THE CLERK WILL RESEAL THE BOX.

42 MR. DARDEN:

WE WOULD ASK ONE OF US REMAIN TO WATCH AS MR. SIMPSON --

43 THE COURT:

I WILL ORDER ALL OF YOU STAY HERE UNTIL IT IS DONE.

44 MS. CLARK:

NOT US, YOUR HONOR.

45 THE COURT:

ALL OF YOU.

46 MR. DARDEN:

YOU LET MR. SHAPIRO AND MR. COCHRAN LEAVE.

47 THE COURT:

THEY WERE ORDERED TO APPEAR IN THE SUPERVISING JUDGE'S COURTROOM. I'M GOING TO ORDER THAT MR. CLARK, MR. BLASIER, MR. SCHECK REMAIN FOR THE DNA OR BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE MATERIALS. ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO TAKE UP ON THE RECORD, MR. HODGMAN? MR. DARDEN, MISS CLARK, YOU ARE EXCUSED. HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.

48 MR. BAILEY:

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE UP THE 1335 MATTER. THE AFFIDAVIT IS COMING IN AS WE SPEAK.

49 THE COURT:

LET ME FINISH WITH THE DNA PROBLEMS FIRST.

50 MR. BAILEY:

RIGHT.

51 THE COURT:

MR. HODGMAN.

52 MR. HODGMAN:

WELL, WE HAVE ONE MISCELLANEOUS MATTER, YOUR HONOR, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE COURT'S ATTENTION, AND I'LL PROVIDE COUNSEL WITH SOME COPIES. AND IF I MAY, I'LL APPROACH THE CLERK WITH SOME COPIES OF AN ITEM AS WELL.

53 THE COURT:

MADAM REPORTER, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

54 THE COURT REPORTER:

OKAY.

55 MR. HODGMAN:

YOUR HONOR, I'VE HANDED TO THE COURT A DOCUMENT WHICH BEARS THE HEADING AMONGST OTHER THINGS, "SUBPOENA FOR APPEARANCE OF WITNESS," AND IT APPEARS TO BE ADDRESSED TO ONE -- A JILL SHIVELY, AND IN THE BOX MARKED SPECIAL INSTRUCTION TO WITNESS, ON-CALL STATUS, "KATO INVESTIGATION." I'M HERE -- THIS PARTICULAR ITEM WAS FAXED TO OUR OFFICE, AND I WANT TO TELL THIS COURT AND I WANT TO TELL ALL WHO MAY BE LISTENING THAT THIS SUBPOENA IS NOT AN OFFICIALLY AUTHORIZED SUBPOENA FROM OUR OFFICE. IT WAS NOT SENT BY OUR OFFICE. THERE IS NO SUCH KATO INVESTIGATION. THIS WAS NEVER SENT BY OUR OFFICE TO MISS SHIVELY. WE ARE CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION TO FIND OUT HOW IN THE WORLD SOMEONE COULD GET HOLD OF A SUBPOENA SUCH AS THIS AND APPEAR TO HAVE DOCTORED IT IN ORDER TO CREATE THE DOCUMENT BEFORE YOU. THIS WAS -- HAS BEEN BROUGHT OUT IN THE MEDIA I AM LED TO BELIEVE, AND I WANT THIS COURT TO BE AWARE THAT THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT OF ANY SORT. IT WAS NOT ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE, AND I'M LETTING THE DEFENSE KNOW THAT AS WELL.

56 THE COURT:

INTERESTINGLY, THE FACSIMILE DATE ON IT AND LOCATION.

57 MR. BAILEY:

ONE FROM ORANGE COUNTY AND TWO FROM WEST L.A.

58 MR. HODGMAN:

SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THAT IS OF CONCERN TO ANYONE, IT NEED NO LONGER BE A CONCERN. WE DO HAVE THE MATTERS REGARDING THE TRANSPORTATION. WE STILL HAVE THE MATTERS REGARDING THE MOVEMENT OF CERTAIN PROPERTY ITEMS, AND IF WE COULD APPROACH, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS THAT.

59 THE COURT:

SURE.

60 MR. HODGMAN:

ONE ADDITIONAL MATTER I NEED TO TAKE UP.

61 THE COURT:

HAVE WE RESOLVED MOST OF THOSE ITEMS?

62 MR. HODGMAN:

I BELIEVE SO. WE CAN -- WE WOULD LIKE TO APPROACH WITH THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THAT AND HANDLING THAT PARTICULAR ASPECT OF THE CASE. BUT I THINK WE CAN ASSURE THE COURT THAT SOMETHING I DESCRIBED AS BEING AKIN TO THE LOGISTICS INVOLVED BY THE NORMANDIE INVASION, APPARENTLY WE ARE LANDING -- ALL BOATS ARE LANDING AND IT APPEARS TO BE WORKING.

63 THE COURT:

WE'LL GIVE IT A CODE NAME, OPERATION OVERLOAD.

64 MR. HODGMAN:

VERY WELL. THERE IS A MATTER THAT I NEED TO ADDRESS WITH THE COURT AND COUNSEL IN CHAMBERS WITH THE REPORTER.

65 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO DO? I GUESS WE CAN DO THAT MATTER AS WELL, MR. BAILEY.

66 MR. BAILEY:

IN CHAMBERS?

67 THE COURT:

ANYTHING ELSE?

68 MR. CLARK:

YOUR HONOR, WITH REGARD TO THE CHANGE OF EVIDENCE TO THE ORIGINAL CONTAINERS, INVESTIGATOR MIKE STEVENS HAS BEEN ASKED BY ME TO PERFORM THAT TASK.

69 THE COURT:

I WILL ALLOW COUNSEL TO OBSERVE THAT WHILE WE DO THAT, ALTHOUGH MY RECOLLECTION IS, WE ARE ALSO GOING TO EXHIBIT THESE ITEMS FIRST TO THE DEFENDANT BEFORE WE REPACKAGE THEM. VERY GOOD. THEN WE'LL STAND IN RECESS, ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN IN OPEN COURT. THEN, COUNSEL, I'M GOING TO GIVE THE COURT REPORTER A 10-MINUTE RECESS. WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH THIS, LET ME KNOW, AND WE'LL TAKE UP THOSE OTHER MATTERS IN CHAMBERS. WE'LL STAND IN RECESS UNTIL 9:00 O'CLOCK, TUESDAY THE 21ST. THANK YOU, COUNSEL.

70 (PAGES 15410 THROUGH 15428, VOLUME 90A, TRANSCRIBED AND SEALED UNDER SEPARATE COVER.)

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (4)

Marcia Clark
I AM NOT TOUCHING ANYTHING. IDENTIFYING. IDENTIFYING. RELAX, MR. SCHECK.
Illustrates the intense scrutiny and mutual suspicion around evidence handling between prosecution and defense.
William Hodgman
THIS SUBPOENA IS NOT AN OFFICIALLY AUTHORIZED SUBPOENA FROM OUR OFFICE. IT WAS NOT SENT BY OUR OFFICE. THERE IS NO SUCH KATO INVESTIGATION.
Prosecution puts on record that a fraudulent subpoena referencing Jill Shively and a 'Kato Investigation' was doctored and circulating — a potentially serious tampering or fraud matter.
Lance A. Ito
THE COURT NOTES FOR THE RECORD THAT THE AUTHORITY DEALING WITH BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE INDICATE THAT THE PLACING IN PLASTIC CONTAINERS IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE PACKAGING MATERIAL FOR BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE.
Judge formally notes an evidence-handling deficiency on the record, relevant to DNA chain-of-custody arguments.
William Hodgman
SOMETHING I DESCRIBED AS BEING AKIN TO THE LOGISTICS INVOLVED BY THE NORMANDIE INVASION, APPARENTLY WE ARE LANDING -- ALL BOATS ARE LANDING AND IT APPEARS TO BE WORKING.
Colorful reference to the logistical complexity of moving the jury and evidence — Ito immediately coined 'Operation Overload' in response.

Evidence (3)

People's 55 (corrected from People's 35)
Photograph shown during prior testimony; exhibit number corrected on record by Clark
corrected on record
People's 77 / 77-A
Glove and its original packaging bag (bag numbered 37)
repackaged into original container
People's 78 / 78-A
Ski cap and its original packaging bag (bag numbered 38); item 37 also contains hair and fiber slides
repackaged into original container

Notable Exchanges (4)

Barry ScheckMarcia ClarkLance A. Ito
Scheck requested that gloves be returned to original packaging, that plastic bags be preserved, that items be shown to the defendant before resealing, and that the repackager change gloves between each item — all granted without objection.
strategic
William HodgmanLance A. ItoF. Lee Bailey
Hodgman disclosed a fraudulent subpoena addressed to Jill Shively referencing a nonexistent 'Kato Investigation,' faxed from Orange County and West L.A. locations. Prosecution announced an internal investigation into how it was created.
alarming
William HodgmanLance A. Ito
Hodgman compared jury/evidence logistics to the Normandy invasion; Ito quipped the code name should be 'Operation Overload.'
light
Christopher DardenLance A. Ito
Darden asked who would watch the evidence resealing; Ito ordered all counsel to remain, then relented to excuse Clark and Darden while retaining Blasier, Scheck, and Clark (the investigator).
procedural

Light Moments (3)

Mr. Clark
Mr. Clark (investigator/clerk) quipped 'I hope I don't have to be packaged, your honor' when Ito discussed repackaging biological evidence.
Christopher Darden
Christopher Darden announced he was handing Mr. Clark a pair of rubber gloves, deadpan, as if stage-managing the moment.
Lance A. Ito
Ito named the jury logistics operation 'Operation Overload' after Hodgman's Normandy invasion comparison.

Objections

None recorded
Proceeding 4905 • 70 utterances
Criminal Trial
Department 103
⚖️ Start
📂 FEB 17, 1995 📄 Closing remarks
FEB 17, 1995 KRT DvH TD