Redirect examination of Ronald Shipp (part 1)

📄 Redirect examination of Ronald Shipp (part 1) — Thursday, February 2, 1995

Address:

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

TRIAL

▲ Day 11 of 167

◀ Cross-examination of Ronald Shipp (afternoon, part 2) Sidebar: calendar foundation ▶

Witness: Ron Shipp
Examiner: Christopher Darden
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Thursday, February 2, 1995 • Utterances: 97

Darden uses redirect to rehabilitate Shipp after a bruising cross-examination, reframing his personal flaws (drinking, LAPD suspension) as things OJ knew about and accepted — evidence of genuine friendship, not a transactional relationship. The examination ends with Darden attempting to introduce OJ Simpson's personal calendar, which triggers a sidebar when the defense objects to foundation.

# 1

REDIRECT EXAMINATION

# 2

BY MR. DARDEN:

# 3 Q:

MR. SHIPP, YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING IN THE BOOK SO FAR, HAVEN'T YOU?

# 4 MR. DOUGLAS:

OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR. THAT IS ARGUMENTATIVE.

# 5 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

# 6 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: YOU WERE SUBPOENAED TO COME HERE AND TESTIFY, MR. SHIPP?

# 7 A:

YES, SIR.

# 8 Q:

YOU DIDN'T GET A LAWYER AND FIGHT THAT SUBPOENA, DID YOU?

# 9 MR. DOUGLAS:

LEADING, YOUR HONOR. OBJECT.

# 10 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

# 11 RON SHIPP:

I GOT A LAWYER FIRST, ROBERT MC NEIL, BUT I DIDN'T -- NO, I DIDN'T FIGHT IT.

# 12 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: YOU KNEW, WHEN YOU RECEIVED THE SUBPOENA, THAT ON AN OCCASION IN YOUR LIFE YOU HAD A DRINKING PROBLEM? YOU KNEW THAT?

# 13 A:

CORRECT.

# 14 Q:

DID YOU TELL THAT TO THE DEFENDANT?

# 15 A:

THAT I HAD A DRINKING PROBLEM?

# 16 Q:

YEAH.

# 17 A:

I THINK I MAY HAVE TOLD CATHY RANDA AND I THINK HE KNEW.

# 18 Q:

DID YOU EVER TELL THE DEFENDANT THAT YOU WERE SUSPENDED FROM THE DEPARTMENT FOR SOME DAYS?

# 19 A:

OH, NO. I DON'T THINK I TOLD HIM THAT.

# 20 Q:

BUT YOU KNEW THAT, RIGHT?

# 21 A:

OH, YEAH.

# 22 Q:

AND YOU KNEW MR. COCHRAN WAS MR. SIMPSON'S ATTORNEY, RIGHT?

# 23 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 24 Q:

YOU KNEW THEY WOULD FIND OUT ABOUT THAT, DIDN'T YOU?

# 25 MR. DOUGLAS:

OBJECTION. LEADING, YOUR HONOR.

# 26 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

# 27 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: YOU FILED A STRESS CLAIM AND WENT OUT ON STRESS AT SOME POINT DURING YOUR CAREER WITH THE LAPD?

# 28 A:

THAT IS RIGHT AROUND THE TIME WHEN I HAD THE INCIDENT, MY ONE AND ONLY INCIDENT ON LAPD.

# 29 Q:

WHAT -- WHAT BROUGHT ABOUT THAT INCIDENT?

# 30 A:

I WAS JUST BURNED OUT BEING A COP. I WAS UNHAPPY AND I WAS JUST PARTYING QUITE A BIT.

KEY QUOTE

# 31 Q:

AND WHEN YOU WENT TO SEE CATHY RANDA ONE NIGHT AND BEAT ON HER DOOR AROUND ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, WHAT BROUGHT ABOUT THAT INCIDENT?

# 32 A:

I HAD HAD SOME DRINKS AND I KNOW CATHY WAS TAKING THIS REAL HARD, AND I FELT REALLY BAD AND I WANTED TO GO BY THERE AND JUST TALK TO HER, AND CATHY WAS THE TYPE OF PERSON, BECAUSE CATHY ALSO HAS HAD A DRINKING PROBLEM, AND AT TIMES WE USED TO REINFORCE EACH OTHER, AND SHE HADN'T HAD ANY DRINKS THAT I RECALL DURING THIS WHOLE TIME THAT I RECALL, AND I THINK I KIND OF WENT BY THERE TO GO, HEY, CATHY, WHOOPS, HERE I AM.

# 33 Q:

WERE THERE OTHER OCCASIONS DURING THE TIME THAT YOU HAVE KNOWN CATHY RANDA IN WHICH YOU WENT TO HER HOUSE LATE AT NIGHT?

# 34 A:

YEAH. I USED TO -- ONCE AGAIN, HERE I WAS ON PATROL. I WORKED NORTH HOLLYWOOD DIVISION AND SHE HAD PROBLEMS WITH PEOPLE AND I WOULD GO BY THERE AND CHECK ON HER, AND IF I WAS OFF, I WOULD CALL OTHER OFFICERS AND SAY WOULD YOU GO CHECK ON CATHY RANDA, BECAUSE SHE HAD A PROBLEM WITH SOME DRUG PEOPLE DOWN THE STREET THAT WERE HANGING OUT, HER AND HER NEIGHBORS, AND I HAD A FRIEND OF MINE, A SERGEANT, GO DOWN THERE OR HE WAS TRYING TO MEET WITH HER.

# 35 Q:

AND WERE THERE OCCASIONS WHEN CATHY RANDA WILL CALL YOU LATE AT NIGHT AND ASK YOU TO COME OVER AND HELP HER WITH HER DRINKING PROBLEM?

# 36 A:

WELL, CATHY -- SHE WOULDN'T REALLY CALL ME LATE AT NIGHT, BUT THERE WERE TIMES WHEN SHE HAD HER OWN PROBLEMS WHERE SHE HAD TO TAKE LEAVE FROM MR. SIMPSON'S OFFICE --

# 37 MR. DOUGLAS:

YOUR HONOR, OBJECTION, HEARSAY. BASED ON HEARSAY.

# 38 THE COURT:

OVERRULED. YOU CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION.

# 39 RON SHIPP:

SHE HAD HER OWN PROBLEMS WHERE SHE HAD TO TAKE LEAVE AND BASICALLY CATHY AND I AT ONE TIME --

# 40 MR. DOUGLAS:

THIS IS NONRESPONSIVE, YOUR HONOR.

# 41 RON SHIPP:

WE WERE VERY CLOSE. WE WOULD REINFORCE EACH OTHER.

# 42 THE COURT:

OVERRULED. THE ANSWER WILL STAND.

# 43 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: NOW, WHATEVER THE PROBLEM WAS THAT CATHY RANDA HAD, YOU KNOW THAT PROBLEM -- YOU KNOW WHAT THAT PROBLEM IS, CORRECT?

# 44 A:

CORRECT.

# 45 Q:

DO YOU SEE ANY NEED TO TELL THE WHOLE WORLD WHAT THAT PROBLEM IS?

# 46 A:

NOT AT ALL.

# 47 Q:

IT IS BETWEEN YOU AND SHE, ISN'T IT?

# 48 A:

IT IS BETWEEN ME AND HER.

KEY QUOTE

# 49 Q:

YOU HAD A DRINKING PROBLEM AND THE DEFENDANT KNEW THAT?

# 50 A:

YES, YES, HE DID.

# 51 Q:

BUT YOU WERE STILL HIS FRIEND?

# 52 A:

SURE, OF COURSE.

# 53 Q:

HE ACCEPTED YOU AS HIS FRIEND, NEVERTHELESS, CORRECT?

# 54 MR. DOUGLAS:

OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR. THAT IS LEADING AND CALLS FOR SPECULATION.

# 55 THE COURT:

I THINK THAT IS A CONCLUSION THAT HE COULD RECALL. OVERRULED.

# 56 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: HE ACCEPTED YOU AS HIS FRIEND EVEN THOUGH YOU HAD A DRINKING PROBLEM; IS THAT RIGHT?

# 57 MR. DOUGLAS:

OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR. THAT IS COMPOUND.

# 58 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

# 59 RON SHIPP:

I GOT DRUNK AT O.J.'S WEDDING AND MADE A FOOL OUT OF MYSELF AND HE ACCEPTED ME AND THOUGHT IT WAS A JOKE LATER ON.

KEY QUOTE

# 60 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: AND YOU WERE GOOD FRIEND WITH THE DEFENDANT, RIGHT?

# 61 A:

YES, I WAS.

# 62 Q:

WHO ARRANGED THE SECURITY FOR NICOLE BROWN'S FUNERAL?

# 63 A:

I DID. I WAS CONTACTED BY CATHY AND I CALLED A FRIEND OF MINE WHO ACTUALLY DID THE SECURITY. I MEAN, I DIDN'T DO IT, BUT I CALLED HIM, MADE THE CONTACT.

# 64 Q:

DID YOU ATTEND THE SERVICES AT THE CHURCH?

# 65 A:

YES, I DID.

# 66 Q:

NOT EVERYONE WAS ALLOWED ADMITTANCE TO THOSE SERVICES, WERE THEY?

# 67 A:

OH, NO, THEY WEREN'T.

# 68 Q:

WERE YOU ADMITTED INTO THOSE SERVICES?

# 69 A:

YES, I WAS.

# 70 Q:

THE DEFENDANT WAS THERE, WASN'T HE?

# 71 A:

YES, HE WAS.

# 72 Q:

HE DIDN'T STOP YOU FROM ENTERING THOSE FUNERAL SERVICES FOR NICOLE BROWN, DID HE?

# 73 A:

NO, HE DID NOT.

# 74 Q:

YOU ATTENDED THE DEFENDANT'S WEDDING RECEPTION?

# 75 A:

YES, I DID.

# 76 Q:

YOU DISCUSSED HIS PROBLEMS, THE PROBLEMS HE WAS HAVING WITH NICOLE WHEN HE BEAT HER UP IN 1989; IS THAT RIGHT?

# 77 A:

YES, I DID.

# 78 Q:

THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT FRIENDS DO, CORRECT?

# 79 MR. DOUGLAS:

OBJECTION, ARGUMENTATIVE.

# 80 RON SHIPP:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 81 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

# 82 MR. COCHRAN:

MOVE TO STRIKE.

# 83 MR. DOUGLAS:

MOVE TO STRIKE.

# 84 THE COURT:

STRICKEN. THE JURY IS TO DISREGARD.

# 85 Q:

BY MR. DARDEN: YESTERDAY MR. DOUGLAS ASKED YOU IF YOU HAD EVER HAD A MEAL WITH THE DEFENDANT. DO YOU RECALL THAT?

# 86 A:

YES, I DID.

# 87 Q:

HAD YOU EVER HAD A MEAL WITH THE DEFENDANT IN PUBLIC?

# 88 A:

NOT PRIOR TO THE -- NOT PRIOR TO THE -- THE '89 INCIDENT, JUST HIM AND I, NO.

# 89 Q:

DID YOU HAVE ANY MEALS IN PUBLIC WITH HIM AFTER THE '89 INCIDENT?

# 90 A:

YES, I DID.

# 91 Q:

WHEN WAS THAT? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME?

# 92 A:

UMM, I HAD A MEAL WITH HIM ON THE SET OF NAKED GUN 2 AND 1/2 IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY.

# 93 Q:

WERE YOU SCHEDULED TO HAVE LUNCH WITH THE DEFENDANT ON JUNE 3RD, 1994?

# 94 A:

I THOUGHT IT WAS A DINNER, BUT I GUESS IF IT WAS LUNCH, I DO REMEMBER, YEAH, WE WERE SCHEDULED.

# 95 MR. DARDEN:

YOUR HONOR, I HAVE HERE WHAT APPEARS TO BE A XEROX COPY OF THE DEFENDANT'S PERSONAL CALENDAR. MAY IT BE MARKED NEXT IN EVIDENCE? I BELIEVE THAT WILL BE PEOPLE'S 11 -- PEOPLE'S 12.

# 96 MR. DOUGLAS:

I WOULD OBJECT, YOUR HONOR. IF THIS WERE PRESENTED BY -- TO THIS WITNESS WITH THIS DOCUMENT.

# 97 THE COURT:

WAIT. SPEAKING OBJECTIONS, COUNSEL. APPROACH, PLEASE.

Temperature

tense

Key Quotes (3)

Ronald Shipp

I GOT DRUNK AT O.J.'S WEDDING AND MADE A FOOL OUT OF MYSELF AND HE ACCEPTED ME AND THOUGHT IT WAS A JOKE LATER ON.

Shipp's most humanizing moment on redirect — illustrating the depth and authenticity of his friendship with Simpson, undercutting the defense's portrait of him as a fringe acquaintance or opportunist.

Ronald Shipp

I WAS JUST BURNED OUT BEING A COP. I WAS UNHAPPY AND I WAS JUST PARTYING QUITE A BIT.

Shipp gets ahead of his LAPD disciplinary history by explaining it in his own words — a controlled admission rather than a damaging revelation.

Ronald Shipp

NOT AT ALL. IT IS BETWEEN ME AND HER.

Shipp declines to disclose Cathy Randa's personal problem, a moment of loyalty that humanizes him and implicitly contrasts with how the defense painted him as someone who betrays confidences.

Evidence (1)

People's 12

Xerox copy of the defendant's personal calendar, referenced to establish a scheduled lunch/dinner with Shipp on June 3, 1994

Attempted introduction; objection raised, sidebar called before ruling

Notable Exchanges (3)

Christopher Darden•Ronald Shipp

Darden walks Shipp through the Cathy Randa late-night visit, allowing Shipp to reframe it as an act of mutual support between friends with drinking problems, rather than erratic behavior.

strategic

Christopher Darden•Ronald Shipp

Darden establishes that Shipp arranged security for Nicole Brown's funeral and was personally admitted by Simpson — reinforcing insider status and closeness to the family.

revealing

Christopher Darden•Carl Douglas

Douglas objects repeatedly to Darden's leading and argumentative questions; Ito sustains on the 'that's what friends do' question and strikes the answer, but most objections are overruled.

combative

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ Cathy Randa

implication of shared dysfunction

Darden elicits that Randa also had a personal problem (likely drinking) and that she and Shipp 'reinforced each other' — subtly suggesting her testimony or loyalty to Simpson may be compromised, while simultaneously humanizing Shipp.

Objections

9 objections (3 sustained, 5 overruled)

Proceeding 4565 • 97 utterances • Prosecution witness

Criminal Trial

Department 103