Recross-examination of Ronald Shipp (part 2)

📄 Recross-examination of Ronald Shipp (part 2) — Thursday, February 2, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\FEB\2\RECROSS-EXAMINATION-OF-RONALD-.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 11 of 167

◀ Sidebar: Angela Spilker impeachment Witness excused ▶

Witness: Ron Shipp
Examiner: Carl Douglas
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Thursday, February 2, 1995 • Utterances: 31

Carl Douglas conducts a brief recross of Ronald Shipp focused on OJ Simpson's demeanor on June 13, 1994. Shipp declines to characterize Simpson as simply 'distraught,' instead insisting he observed anger — specifically anger at news coverage accusing Simpson of the murders. The examination ends abruptly after Douglas confers off-record with Simpson, and Shipp is excused subject to recall at the defense's request.

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

# 2 (DISCUSSION HELD OFF THE RECORD BETWEEN DEFENSE COUNSEL.)

# 3 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COUNSEL.

# 4 Q:

BY MR. DOUGLAS: YOU RECALLED WHEN MR. SIMPSON WAS PRESENT AT HIS HOME ON JUNE 13, CORRECT?

# 5 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 6 Q:

AND DO YOU RECALL THAT HE WAS SITTING THERE IN THE COMPANY OF HIS MOTHER FOR MOST OF THAT EVENING WHILE HE WAS WATCHING TELEVISION?

# 7 A:

ACTUALLY, YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT, SHE WAS SITTING THERE.

# 8 Q:

AND DO YOU RECALL IN FACT THAT MR. SIMPSON WAS VERY DISTRAUGHT DURING THAT TIME?

# 9 A:

HE WAS -- IN MY OPINION, MR. SIMPSON, WHAT I SAW WAS ANGER. I SAW ANGER AT THE NEWS COVERAGE THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY BEING ACCUSED OF MURDERING NICOLE AND RON. THAT IS ALL I SAW.

KEY QUOTE

# 10 Q:

WELL, IT IS TRUE, IS IT NOT, THAT MR. SIMPSON WAS DISTRAUGHT THAT WEEK OF JUNE 13 WHEN YOU SAW HIM, CORRECT?

# 11 A:

TUESDAY MORNING I SAW O.J. BEFORE HE SNUCK OUT OF THE COMPOUND. I SAW HIM THAT MORNING HE WAS LEAVING. THAT IS WHEN TO ME -- THAT IS WHEN I SAW HIM, HE LOOKED TOTALLY DISHEVELED AND DISTRAUGHT.

KEY QUOTE

# 12 Q:

AND IT IS YOUR TESTIMONY THAT MR. SIMPSON DIDN'T SHOW ANY SIGNS OF CONCERN ON JUNE 13 WHEN YOU WERE THERE IN HIS HOUSE?

# 13 MR. DARDEN:

OBJECTION, THAT IS VAGUE. YOUR HONOR, THAT IS VAGUE, "SIGNS OF CONCERN."

# 14 THE COURT:

OVERRULED. YOU CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION.

# 15 MR. DOUGLAS:

ONE MOMENT, YOUR HONOR.

# 16 (DISCUSSION HELD OFF THE RECORD BETWEEN DEFENSE COUNSEL AND THE DEFENDANT.)

# 17 MR. DOUGLAS:

NOTHING FURTHER, YOUR HONOR.

# 18 THE COURT:

MR. DARDEN, BRIEFLY.

# 19 MR. DARDEN:

NOTHING FURTHER, YOUR HONOR.

# 20 THE COURT:

GREAT. THANK YOU.

# 21 MR. DARDEN:

MAY THIS WITNESS BE EXCUSED?

# 22 THE COURT:

YES.

# 23 MR. DOUGLAS:

NO, YOUR HONOR. I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HIM ON CALL.

# 24 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. MR. SHIPP, I'M GOING TO EXCUSE YOU AT THIS TIME SUBJECT TO FURTHER RECALL. YOU ARE ORDERED NOT TO DISCUSS YOUR TESTIMONY WITH ANY OTHER PERSON, OTHER THAN THE ATTORNEYS IN THE CASE.

# 25 RON SHIPP:

YES, YOUR HONOR.

# 26 THE COURT:

THANK YOU, SIR.

# 27 MR. DOUGLAS:

YOUR HONOR, CAN THE WITNESS BE SIMILARLY ADMONISHED AS TO THE COURT'S ORDER AS TO PENDING WITNESSES?

# 28 THE COURT:

ALSO, DON'T WATCH ANY OF THE TELEVISION COVERAGE OR NEWS COVERAGE REGARDING THIS CASE.

# 29 RON SHIPP:

YES, YOUR HONOR.

# 30 THE COURT:

THANK YOU, SIR.

# 31 RON SHIPP:

THANK YOU.

Temperature

tense

Key Quotes (2)

Ronald Shipp

IN MY OPINION, MR. SIMPSON, WHAT I SAW WAS ANGER. I SAW ANGER AT THE NEWS COVERAGE THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY BEING ACCUSED OF MURDERING NICOLE AND RON. THAT IS ALL I SAW.

Shipp refuses to let the defense reframe Simpson's emotional state as grief or distress — he insists the dominant emotion he witnessed was anger at being accused, which cuts against a sympathetic portrayal of Simpson.

Ronald Shipp

TUESDAY MORNING I SAW O.J. BEFORE HE SNUCK OUT OF THE COMPOUND. I SAW HIM THAT MORNING HE WAS LEAVING. THAT IS WHEN TO ME -- THAT IS WHEN I SAW HIM, HE LOOKED TOTALLY DISHEVELED AND DISTRAUGHT.

Shipp uses the word 'snuck,' implying covert or suspicious behavior, and limits his description of distraught appearance to Tuesday morning — not the June 13 evening the defense was asking about.

Notable Exchanges (2)

Carl Douglas•OJ Simpson

After Darden's objection was overruled and the question about Simpson showing 'signs of concern' was pending, Douglas called a timeout to confer with Simpson off-record, then abruptly ended the examination with 'Nothing further.' The question was never answered.

strategic

Carl Douglas•Lance A. Ito

When the prosecution moved to fully excuse Shipp, Douglas intervened to keep him 'on call' and also requested Shipp be admonished about the court's order regarding pending witnesses — suggesting the defense may have further use for him.

strategic

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ Ronald Shipp

reframing / leading questions

Douglas attempted to soften Shipp's portrayal of Simpson by getting him to agree Simpson was 'distraught' on June 13 — implying grief over Nicole's death rather than guilt. Shipp resisted, drawing a distinction between Tuesday morning (disheveled/distraught) and June 13 evening (anger at accusations).

Objections

1 objections (0 sustained, 1 overruled)

Proceeding 4570 • 31 utterances • Prosecution witness

Criminal Trial

Department 103