📂 Thursday, February 23, 1995 — Day 24
◀ Criminal Trial
📅 Thursday, February 23, 1995 13 proceedings 1459 lines
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\FEB\23
TRIAL
▲ Day 24 of 167

Day 24 — Thursday, February 23, 1995

Lange Grilled on Evidence Gaps; Darden Cited for Contempt
Judge Lance A. Ito • Criminal Trial • 13 proceedings • 1459 lines
tense

Detective Tom Lange underwent a systematic cross-examination by Johnnie Cochran focused on gaps in police evidence handling—blood on a dog that was not tested, photographed, or documented; a glove moved before it was photographed with no report written; duplicate exhibit numbers; and chain-of-custody questions involving eyeglasses. In a separate courtroom-conduct dispute, Judge Ito cited Christopher Darden for contempt after repeated admonitions; Darden later apologized after reviewing the sidebar transcript, Ito accepted the apology, and Ito offered an apology for his own reaction. Across the day, the defense challenged the thoroughness of the investigation and its evidence documentation.

  • Cochran begins systematic cross-examination of Detective Lange, exposing evidence handling failures
  • Judge Ito allows three of four Channel 5 crime scene video excerpts for use during Lange's cross-examination
  • Prosecutor Darden cited for contempt after ignoring multiple judicial admonitions
  • Darden apologizes to judge after reviewing sidebar transcript
  • Blood on Akita dog was not tested, photographed, or documented
  • Bundy glove established to have been moved before proper crime scene documentation
  • Eyeglasses evidence raises chain-of-custody concerns over missing lens count
  • Duplicate exhibit numbers (115-117) found from same scene, different dates
Day 24 • 13 proceedings • 1459 lines
Criminal Trial
Department 103
📂 Day 24 — FEB 23, 1995
FEB 23, 1995