Cross-examination of Det. Tom Lange

📄 Cross-examination of Det. Tom Lange — Tuesday, February 21, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\FEB\21\CROSS-EXAMINATION-OF-DET-TOM-L.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 22 of 167

◀ Cross-examination timing Daily adjournment ▶

Witness: Det. Tom Lange
Examiner: Johnnie Cochran
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Tuesday, February 21, 1995 • Utterances: 166

Cochran cross-examines Detective Lange on the investigation's procedural shortcomings: the absence of a footprint specialist at the scene, the late arrival of the coroner (roughly 10.5 hours after the first officer), and the trainee status of criminalist Mazzola. Cochran closes by methodically establishing the cramped dimensions of Goldman's murder scene — under six feet by four feet — to imply that a lone attacker fighting a physically capable, resistant victim in that space would have left more evidence.

# 1

CROSS-EXAMINATION

# 2

BY MR. COCHRAN:

# 3 Q:

GOOD AFTERNOON, DETECTIVE LANGE.

# 4 A:

GOOD AFTERNOON.

# 5 Q:

YOU HAVE BEEN A HOMICIDE DETECTIVE FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 6 A:

SAY APPROXIMATELY 20 YEARS.

# 7 Q:

AND AS A HOMICIDE DETECTIVE, YOU'VE HAD SOME GREAT EXPERIENCE IN INVESTIGATING HOMICIDES AS SUCH; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 8 A:

YES.

# 9 Q:

AND IN THE COURSE OF YOUR CAREER AS A LOS ANGELES POLICE OFFICER, DETECTIVE, YOU HAVE INVESTIGATED I BELIEVE YOU SAID SOME 250 TO 300 HOMICIDES, RIGHT?

# 10 A:

EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, YES.

# 11 Q:

AND YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU COME ON THE SCENE OF A HOMICIDE AS THE DETECTIVE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO KNOW IS, YOU WANT TO TRY TO SOLVE A PARTICULAR CRIME OR CRIMES; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 12 A:

CERTAINLY.

# 13 Q:

AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT AN ISLAND ON TO YOURSELF. YOU HAVE A TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH YOU; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 14 A:

IN MOST CASES. SOME CASES, THAT HASN'T BEEN THAT WAY.

# 15 Q:

IN THIS CASE, YOU HAD A TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY BE AT YOUR DISPOSAL; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 16 A:

YES.

# 17 Q:

AND IN THAT TEAM, YOU WOULD HAVE YOUR PARTNER, DETECTIVE VANNATTER; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 18 A:

CORRECT.

# 19 Q:

YOU UTILIZED THE SERVICES OF DETECTIVES FUHRMAN AND PHILLIPS WHILE THEY WERE STILL THERE; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 20 A:

RIGHT.

# 21 Q:

YOU TOLD US ABOUT THE USE OF A CRIMINALIST; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 22 A:

YES.

# 23 Q:

AND THE CRIMINALIST YOU TALKED ABOUT WAS A CRIMINALIST BY THE NAME OF DENNIS FUNG; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 24 A:

YES.

# 25 Q:

THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER -- A FEMALE CRIMINALIST WHO CAME OUT THERE BY THE NAME OF MAZZOLA; ISN'T THAT CORRECT.

# 26 A:

YES.

# 27 Q:

M-A-Z-Z-O-L-A?

# 28 A:

I BELIEVE THERE'S TWO L'S, BUT YES.

# 29 Q:

AND MAZZOLA IN FACT WAS THE OFFICER IN CHARGE AS BETWEEN SHE AND FUNG ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 30 A:

THAT'S NOT MY UNDERSTANDING.

# 31 Q:

DID YOU SEE ANY REPORTS WHICH INDICATED THAT SHE WAS IN FACT THE OFFICER IN CHARGE?

# 32 A:

I HAVE HEARD OF A REPORT THAT PROBABLY INCORRECTLY STATES THAT SHE WAS. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING SHE WAS A TRAINEE.

KEY QUOTE

# 33 Q:

IN FACT, SHE WAS A TRAINEE, WASN'T SHE?

# 34 A:

I BELIEVE SO, YES.

# 35 Q:

AND THIS WAS ONLY HER THIRD CRIME SCENE; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 36 A:

I DON'T KNOW.

# 37 Q:

YOU DON'T KNOW THAT? ALL RIGHT. SO YOU HAVE THESE CRIMINALISTS, AND YOU HAD SOME PRINT PEOPLE, FINGERPRINT PEOPLE; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 38 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 39 Q:

AND YOU HAD THEM DO FINGERPRINTS THROUGHOUT; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 40 A:

YES.

# 41 Q:

DID YOU HAVE ANYBODY COME OUT AND CHECK FOR FOOTPRINTS? DID YOU HAVE ANY FOOTPRINT SPECIALISTS THERE?

# 42 A:

NO. OTHER THAN THE CRIMINALISTS WHO I REQUESTED TO DO A STRIDE ANALYSIS AND PHOTOGRAPH THE PRINTS. OTHER THAN THAT, NO.

# 43 Q:

DID YOU EVER ASK ANYONE TO GO OVER INTO THIS LOOSE DIRT AREA THAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED FOR US AND ATTEMPT TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT YOU COULD MATCH UP ANY SHOEPRINTS OR FOOTPRINTS IN THAT LOOSE DIRT AREA?

# 44 A:

I MYSELF CHECKED THAT AREA AND COULDN'T OBSERVE ANY.

# 45 Q:

ALL RIGHT. YOU COULDN'T OBSERVE ANY?

# 46 A:

NO.

# 47 Q:

DID YOU HAVE ANYONE ELSE COME OUT AND TRY TO DO THAT?

# 48 A:

I DID NOT RECALL SPECIFICALLY TELLING FUNG TO DO THAT. HE MAY HAVE. I DON'T KNOW.

# 49 Q:

YOU DON'T KNOW IF HE DID IT OR NOT?

# 50 A:

NO.

# 51 Q:

YOU KNEW OF COURSE THAT MR. GOLDMAN HAD BEEN IN THAT AREA; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 52 A:

YES.

# 53 Q:

YOU KNEW OF COURSE THAT HIS ASSAILANT OR ASSAILANTS HAD PERHAPS BEEN IN THAT AREA; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 54 A:

I BELIEVED THAT TO BE THE CASE.

# 55 Q:

YOU KNEW BECAUSE YOU SAW A PICTURE OF DETECTIVE FUHRMAN THAT HE HAD BEEN IN THAT AREA, HIS FOOTPRINTS WERE IN THERE; IS THAT RIGHT?

# 56 A:

RIGHT.

# 57 MS. CLARK:

OBJECTION. COUNSEL IS TESTIFYING. THERE'S BEEN NO FACTS -- ASSUMES FACTS NOT IN EVIDENCE.

# 58 MR. COCHRAN:

WELL, THAT'S A SPEAKING OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR.

# 59 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

# 60 MR. COCHRAN:

THAT'S A SPEAKING OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR.

# 61 THE COURT:

AT THIS POINT, THE OBJECTION IS SUSTAINED, BUT IT'S JUST A FOUNDATIONAL QUESTION.

# 62 Q:

BY MR. COCHRAN: SURE. YOU'VE SEEN THAT PHOTOGRAPH OF DETECTIVE FUHRMAN POINTING DOWN TOWARD THE FOLIAGE WITH HIS FOOT IN THAT LOOSE DIRT, DIDN'T YOU?

# 63 A:

YES.

# 64 Q:

SO YOU KNOW HE WAS IN THERE ALSO; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 65 A:

YES.

# 66 Q:

AND WE KNOW -- AT SOME POINT, DID MISS RATCLIFFE GO OVER IN THAT AREA?

# 67 A:

YES, SHE DID.

# 68 Q:

DID SHE GO OVER THERE WITH HER ASSISTANT TO MOVE MR. GOLDMAN'S BODY AT SOME POINT?

# 69 A:

YES.

# 70 Q:

SO THERE HAD BEEN A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN WALKING IN THIS LOOSE DIRT AREA; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 71 A:

OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, YES.

# 72 Q:

YES. PRIOR TO THE BODIES BEING REMOVED, RIGHT?

# 73 A:

YES.

# 74 Q:

NOW, SIR, AS AN EXPERIENCED HOMICIDE DETECTIVE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO KNOW AND TRY TO DETERMINE WOULD BE THE TIME OF DEATH OF THESE VICTIMS; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 75 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 76 Q:

AND SO THAT WE'RE CLEAR AND THE JURY IS CLEAR, THE L.A. COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE IS A SEPARATE COUNTY ENTITY, SEPARATE AND DISTINCT FROM THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 77 A:

YES.

# 78 Q:

AND THE CORONER'S OFFICE, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN TRAINING; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 79 A:

YES.

# 80 Q:

THEY HAVE INVESTIGATORS AND THEY HAVE DOCTORS, DON'T THEY?

# 81 A:

YES.

# 82 Q:

AND YOU RELY UPON THEM IN THE COURSE OF YOUR HOMICIDE INVESTIGATIONS; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 83 A:

CERTAINLY.

# 84 Q:

AND OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR 20 YEARS, WHENEVER YOU'VE HAD A BODY IN LOS ANGELES CITY, YOU'VE HAD TO CALL THE CORONER AND YOU'VE HAD TO WORK HAND IN GLOVE WITH THE CORONER; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 85 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 86 Q:

THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD PLAN OF WORDS, HAND AND GLOVE, RIGHT?

KEY QUOTE

# 87 A:

YES.

# 88 Q:

YOU WORK TOGETHER AND YOU RELY UPON EACH OTHER; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 89 A:

YES.

# 90 Q:

NOW, IN THAT CONNECTION, YOU KNOW THAT THE CORONER'S OFFICE, WHEN THEY GET TO THE SCENE, THEY DO THINGS LIKE TAKE A LIVER TEMPERATURE; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 91 A:

YES.

# 92 Q:

AND WHAT OTHER THINGS ARE YOU AWARE OF THAT THE CORONER'S OFFICE WILL DO IN AN EFFORT TO DETERMINE OR EXTRAPOLATE BACKWARDS AND DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF DEATH -- THE TIME OF DEATH?

# 93 A:

IN AN EFFORT TO GENERALLY DETERMINE TIME OF DEATH, I'M AWARE OF SEVERAL THINGS THEY WOULD DO. THEY WOULD TEST FOR RIGOR MORTIS. THEY WOULD TEST PERHAPS FOR LIVIDITY. OF COURSE, THE LIVER TEMPERATURE. THEY WOULD INTERVIEW THE INVESTIGATOR AT THE SCENE.

# 94 Q:

ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN THINK OF NOW? DO THEY OFTENTIMES CHECK THE EYE FLUIDS?

# 95 A:

I'M AWARE OF THAT EXAMINATION, BUT I'M ALSO AWARE THAT THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE DOES NOT CONDUCT THOSE EXAMINATIONS IN THE FIELD.

# 96 Q:

BUT YOU ARE AWARE OF THE EYE FLUIDS CHECK?

# 97 A:

YES.

# 98 Q:

ALL RIGHT. NOW, YOU MENTIONED RIGOR MORTIS. AND IN THE TIME THAT THE CORONER IS THERE AND THESE BODIES WERE MOVED, WHAT TIME WAS THAT, WAS THE BODY OF NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON MOVED?

# 99 A:

APPROXIMATELY 10:30, 10:40, RIGHT IN THAT TIME.

# 100 Q:

A.M. --

# 101 A:

A.M.

# 102 Q:

-- ON JUNE 13TH, RIGHT?

# 103 A:

YES.

# 104 Q:

AND AT THAT TIME, WAS SHE IN FULL RIGOR MORTIS?

# 105 A:

SHE WAS.

# 106 Q:

AND BY THAT, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY FULL RIGOR MORTIS?

# 107 A:

BY FULL RIGOR MORTIS, IT MEANS THAT THE MUSCLES IN THE BODY HAVE BECOME RIGID DUE TO A COAGULATION OF PROTEIN IN THE BLOOD.

# 108 Q:

ALL RIGHT. AND WITH REGARD TO THE LIVIDITY, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT LIVIDITY WITH REGARD TO HER BODY, IF ANYTHING, AT THAT TIME?

# 109 A:

HER BODY HAD NO LIVIDITY.

# 110 Q:

ALL RIGHT. AND WHAT WAS THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AT OR ABOUT THE TIME OF 10:30 A.M.? WHAT WAS THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE THERE AT THE TIME THE CORONER ARRIVED?

# 111 A:

I BELIEVE IT WAS 70 DEGREES.

# 112 Q:

AND YOU SAID THAT THE CORONERS TOOK HER BODY INTO THE CORONER'S VEHICLE AND TOOK A LIVER TEMPERATURE, RIGHT?

# 113 A:

YES.

# 114 Q:

AND WHAT WAS THE LIVER TEMPERATURE OBTAINED AT THAT TIME?

# 115 A:

I BELIEVE THAT THE LIVER TEMPERATURE WAS 82 DEGREES.

# 116 Q:

NOW, THESE THINGS THAT THE CORONER'S OFFICE DID AT 10:30 A.M., APPROXIMATELY 10 AND A HALF HOURS AFTER THE FIRST OFFICER ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER HAD THEY BEEN ABLE TO DO THOSE THINGS MUCH EARLIER AND AFTER THESE BODIES WERE FOUND; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 117 A:

NOT NECESSARILY.

# 118 Q:

WELL, IN A PERFECT HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION, WHICH I'M SURE YOU STRIVE FOR, WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO HAVE THE CORONER OUT THERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO RENDER THAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE, TO CHECK THE LIVER TEMPERATURE, TO CHECK THE LIVIDITY, TO CHECK THE STATE OF RIGOR MORTIS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE? WOULDN'T YOU WANT THAT?

# 119 A:

YES.

# 120 Q:

ALL RIGHT. THAT WOULD BE IDEAL, WOULD IT NOT, IF YOU COULD DO THAT?

# 121 A:

THAT WOULD BE IDEAL. WE DON'T OFTEN SEE THAT.

KEY QUOTE

# 122 Q:

ALL RIGHT. NOW, WITH REGARD TO --

# 123 MR. COCHRAN:

AND I'LL BE MINDFUL OF THE HOUR, YOUR HONOR.

# 124 Q:

BY MR. COCHRAN: WITH REGARD TO THIS AREA, THIS LOOSE DIRT AREA YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT --

# 125 MR. COCHRAN:

AND MAY WE SEE THAT PHOTOGRAPH, JONATHAN?

# 126 (DISCUSSION HELD OFF THE RECORD BETWEEN THE DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND DEFENSE COUNSEL.)

# 127 MR. FAIRTLOUGH:

THIS IS PEOPLE'S EXHIBIT 83, YOUR HONOR. I AM SORRY. PEOPLE'S EXHIBIT 83.

# 128 Q:

BY MR. COCHRAN: NOW, WITH REGARD TO PEOPLE'S EXHIBIT 83, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. THIS AREA SO THAT WE'RE CLEAR, HOW WIDE IS THIS PARTICULAR AREA? DID YOU TAKE SOME MEASUREMENTS?

# 129 MS. CLARK:

OBJECTION. VAGUE. WHICH AREA?

# 130 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED. WHY DON'T YOU REPHRASE THE QUESTION?

# 131 MR. COCHRAN:

CERTAINLY.

# 132 Q:

BY MR. COCHRAN: WHAT'S THE WIDTH OF THIS AREA WHERE MR. GOLDMAN'S BODY WAS LOCATED, THE WIDTH?

# 133 A:

FROM SOUTH TO NORTH, IN THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE LOOKING, IT'S FIVE FEET EIGHT INCHES.

# 134 Q:

ALL RIGHT. SO IT'S LESS THAN SIX FEET FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. AND FROM THE TREE LOOKING WEST TO EAST, HOW WIDE IS IT?

# 135 A:

I HAVE IT ON THE SCHEMATIC. I BELIEVE IT'S SOMETHING LIKE FOUR FEET, TWO INCHES.

# 136 Q:

SO SOMETHING LIKE FIVE FOOT EIGHT INCHES BY FOUR FOOT, TWO INCHES; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 137 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 138 Q:

AND YOU ASCERTAINED, DID YOU NOT, THAT MR. GOLDMAN WAS AT LEAST FIVE FOOT, 10 INCHES TALL?

# 139 A:

YES.

# 140 Q:

AND HE WEIGHED HOW MUCH?

# 141 A:

I BELIEVE IT'S APPROXIMATELY 170, 175 POUNDS.

# 142 Q:

AND THAT LOOSE DIRT AREA OVER THERE INDICATES TO YOU THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME MOVEMENT, SOME VIOLENT MOVEMENT OF THE EARTH TO CAUSE THAT AS FAR AS YOU COULD TELL; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 143 A:

I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S SOMETHING I SURMISED.

# 144 Q:

WELL, I KNOW YOU WEREN'T AT THE SCENE, RIGHT?

# 145 A:

RIGHT.

# 146 Q:

BUT YOU HAVE SURMISED A NUMBER OF THINGS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SURMISED WAS THAT DIRT WAS MOVED IN THE COURSE OF THE ALTERCATION; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 147 A:

I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT, BUT IT DID APPEAR TO BE FRESHLY MOVED, YES.

# 148 Q:

FRESHLY MOVED DIRT; ISN'T THAT RIGHT?

# 149 A:

IT APPEARED TO BE THAT WAY.

# 150 Q:

ALL RIGHT. AND YOU ALSO DESCRIBED WHEN MISS CLARK WAS ASKING YOU QUESTIONS, THAT MR. GOLDMAN MAY HAVE HAD SOME KEYS IN HIS HAND AT THE TIME HE WAS BEING CONFRONTED BY ASSAILANT OR ASSAILANTS; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 151 A:

YES.

# 152 Q:

AND YOU KNOW, DO YOU NOT, THAT IF A PERSON HAS KEYS IN THEIR HAND, THAT IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT YOU COULD INFLICT A WOUND ON THE PERSON WHO WAS ATTACKING YOU; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 153 A:

I SUPPOSE THAT'S POSSIBLE.

# 154 Q:

IN ADDITION TO THAT, AT SOME POINT, MR. GOLDMAN ALSO APPARENTLY HAD A RING ON HIS FINGER; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 155 A:

I BELIEVE SO.

# 156 Q:

AND SO THIS AREA THAT WE NOW KNOW IS LESS THAN SIX FEET AND ABOUT FOUR FEET ALSO HAD A TREE AS DEPICTED THERE IN PEOPLE'S 83, KIND OF RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT; IS THAT RIGHT?

# 157 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 158 Q:

AND YOU HAVE DESCRIBED FOR US EARLIER THAT MR. GOLDMAN IN THE COURSE OF THIS ALTERCATION SUSTAINED SOME DEFENSIVE WOUNDS, IS THAT CORRECT, IN HIS HANDS?

# 159 A:

APPEARED TO BE THAT WAY, YES.

# 160 Q:

HAD SOME CUTS ON HIS HANDS?

# 161 A:

YES.

# 162 Q:

AND YOU KNOW AND IT'S YOUR OPINION THAT HE PUT UP A VIGOROUS FIGHT; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 163 A:

IT WAS APPARENT HE DID PUT UP A FIGHT, YES.

KEY QUOTE

# 164 Q:

ALL RIGHT. IN THIS VERY SMALL AREA; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 165 A:

I BELIEVE SO, YES.

# 166 MR. COCHRAN:

IT'S 4:30. WE'LL RESUME TOMORROW. THANK YOU.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (4)

Johnnie Cochran

THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD PLAN OF WORDS, HAND AND GLOVE, RIGHT?

Cochran makes a deliberate glove pun during a question about detectives and coroners working together — a wry nod to the central evidence dispute of the trial, delivered with a light touch.

Tom Lange

THAT WOULD BE IDEAL. WE DON'T OFTEN SEE THAT.

Lange concedes that getting the coroner to the scene sooner would be ideal in a perfect homicide investigation, acknowledging the gap between standard and what occurred.

Tom Lange

I HAVE HEARD OF A REPORT THAT PROBABLY INCORRECTLY STATES THAT SHE WAS. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING SHE WAS A TRAINEE.

Lange admits Mazzola — one of the two criminalists who collected evidence — was a trainee, and that a report (perhaps incorrectly) listed her as officer in charge, raising questions about collection quality.

Tom Lange

IT WAS APPARENT HE DID PUT UP A FIGHT, YES.

Lange confirms Goldman fought vigorously in a very small, tree-obstructed space — a foundation for defense arguments about what evidence should have been left behind.

Evidence (1)

People's 83

Photograph of the foliage/loose dirt area where Ron Goldman's body was found, showing tree placement and area dimensions

discussed; used to establish spatial measurements of the murder scene

Notable Exchanges (3)

Johnnie Cochran•Tom Lange

Cochran walks Lange through the scene's dimensions: 5'8" north-to-south, 4'2" east-to-west, with a tree in the middle — then notes Goldman was 5'10" and 170-175 lbs and fought back with keys, a ring, and sustained defensive wounds. The implicit argument: one attacker couldn't have done this cleanly.

strategic

Johnnie Cochran•Tom Lange

Cochran establishes that no footprint specialist was called, Lange himself couldn't find prints in the loose dirt, and multiple people (Fuhrman, coroner's staff) had already walked through the area — raising contamination implications.

methodical

Johnnie Cochran•Tom Lange

Cochran elicits that the coroner arrived approximately 10.5 hours after the first officer, that Nicole was in full rigor mortis with no lividity and a liver temp of 82°F at an ambient 70°F — all data that could push the time-of-death window.

strategic

Light Moments (1)

Johnnie Cochran

Cochran uses the phrase 'hand in glove' to describe detectives and coroners working together, then immediately calls it 'probably a good plan of words' — a deliberate pun referencing the infamous glove evidence.

Credibility Attacks (2)

⚔ Andrea Mazzola

competence challenge via prior testimony and reports

Cochran gets Lange to confirm Mazzola was a trainee (not officer in charge as one report stated) and implies this was only her third crime scene, casting doubt on evidence collection quality.

⚔ LAPD investigation

omission — failure to deploy available resources

Cochran highlights that no footprint specialist was ever called to the loose dirt area, and that Lange himself could not find prints despite knowing Fuhrman, Goldman, and coroner staff had all been in that space.

Objections

2 objections (2 sustained, 0 overruled)

Proceeding 4955 • 166 utterances • Prosecution witness

Criminal Trial

Department 103