Direct examination of Sukru Boztepe

📄 Direct examination of Sukru Boztepe — Wednesday, February 8, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\FEB\8\DIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-SUKRU-BO.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 15 of 167

◀ Redirect examination of Steven Schwab Cross-examination of Sukru Boztepe (part 1) ▶

Witness: Sukru Boztepe
Examiner: Marcia Clark
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Wednesday, February 8, 1995 • Utterances: 297

Sukru Boztepe, a neighbor who lived roughly two blocks from 875 South Bundy, testifies about how he came to discover Nicole Brown Simpson's body on the night of June 12, 1994. After receiving Nicole's Akita from neighbor Steven Schwab around 11:40 PM and noticing dried blood on its paws inside his apartment, Boztepe and his wife took the dog for a walk to find its owner — letting the dog lead the way. The dog pulled them southbound on Bundy and stopped directly in front of 875 South Bundy just before midnight, where Boztepe looked up the walkway and saw Nicole's body.

# 1 MS. CLARK:

PEOPLE CALL MR. SUKRU BOZTEPE. I'LL GO GET HIM.

# 2 (BRIEF PAUSE.)

# 3 THE COURT:

MR. BOZTEPE, WOULD YOU STAND OVER HERE JUST TO THE SIDE OF THE COURT REPORTER, PLEASE, AND FACE THE CLERK.

SUKRU BOZTEPE, CALLED AS A WITNESS BY THE PEOPLE, WAS SWORN AND TESTIFIED AS FOLLOWS:

# 4 THE CLERK:

RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND, PLEASE. YOU DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT THE TESTIMONY YOU MAY GIVE IN THE CAUSE NOW PENDING BEFORE THIS COURT, SHALL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP YOU GOD?

# 5 SUKRU BOZTEPE:

YES.

# 6 THE CLERK:

PLEASE HAVE A SEAT IN THE WITNESS STAND AND SPELL YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAMES FOR THE RECORD.

# 7 SUKRU BOZTEPE:

SUKRU BOZTEPE, S-U-K-R-U B-O-Z-T-E-P-E.

# 8 THE CLERK:

THANK YOU.

# 9 THE COURT:

MISS CLARK.

# 10 MS. CLARK:

THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR.

# 11

DIRECT EXAMINATION

# 12

BY MS. CLARK:

# 13 Q:

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. BOZTEPE.

# 14 A:

GOOD AFTERNOON.

# 15 Q:

SIR, DIRECTING YOUR ATTENTION TO THE DATE OF JUNE THE 12TH, 1994, AS OF THAT DATE, SIR, WHERE DID YOU LIVE?

# 16 A:

I LIVE IN MONTANA AVENUE BETWEEN SAN VICENTE AND BUNDY.

# 17 Q:

NOW, DIRECTING YOUR ATTENTION TO THE CHART THAT'S BEEN MARKED AS PEOPLE'S 26, CAN YOU TELL US -- GO AHEAD AND TAKE A LOOK.

# 18 A:

HERE (INDICATING).

# 19 Q:

SEE THIS ICON, THIS HOUSE HERE?

# 20 A:

YES.

# 21 Q:

IS THAT APPROXIMATELY WHERE YOU LIVE?

# 22 A:

YES, IT IS.

# 23 Q:

AND IS THAT AN APARTMENT BUILDING, SIR?

# 24 A:

YES.

# 25 Q:

AND DID YOU HAVE A NEIGHBOR IN THAT APARTMENT BUILDING BY THE NAME OF STEVEN SCHWAB?

# 26 A:

YES.

# 27 Q:

AND YOU BOTH LIVED IN THE SAME BUILDING?

# 28 A:

YES.

# 29 Q:

CAN YOU TELL US, SIR, WHAT IS THE APPROXIMATE DISTANCE FROM YOUR -- FROM THAT APARTMENT BUILDING ON MONTANA TO THE LOCATION OF 875 SOUTH BUNDY?

# 30 A:

AROUND TWO BLOCKS OR 700 FEET, 600 FEET, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

# 31 Q:

DO YOU SEE THE LOCATION OF 875 SOUTH BUNDY ON THAT CHART, SIR, PEOPLE'S 26?

# 32 A:

YES.

# 33 Q:

CAN YOU POINT TO IT, SIR?

# 34 A:

(INDICATING).

# 35 Q:

THAT'S THE -- IS THAT THE EAST SIDE OF THE STREET -- IS 875 SOUTH BUNDY ON THE WEST OR THE EAST SIDE OF THE STREET, IF YOU KNOW?

# 36 A:

I BELIEVE IT'S WEST.

# 37 Q:

WEST? OKAY?

# 38 MR. COCHRAN:

MAY WE HAVE THE HOUSE IDENTIFIED FOR THE RECORD, COUNSEL?

# 39 MS. CLARK:

WELL, LET ME ORIENTATE THE WITNESS FIRST.

# 40 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: IF MY RIGHT IS THE EAST AND MY LEFT IS THE WEST --

# 41 A:

IT'S WEST.

# 42 Q:

IT WOULD BE ON THE WEST SIDE?

# 43 A:

YOU MEAN THIS BUILDING DOESN'T BELONG TO THIS STREET, CORRECT?

# 44 Q:

RIGHT. IT BELONGS TO BUNDY.

# 45 A:

OKAY. IT'S THIS -- THIS ONE (INDICATING).

# 46 Q:

THAT AREA THERE?

# 47 A:

OR THIS ONE (INDICATING).

# 48 Q:

ONE OF THOSE TWO.

# 49 MS. CLARK:

OKAY. FOR THE RECORD, THE WITNESS IS POINTING TO EITHER THE RED OR THE BLUE HOUSE. OKAY. GOOD ENOUGH?

# 50 MR. COCHRAN:

IT'S YOUR WITNESS.

# 51 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: NOW, DID YOU GO OUT THAT NIGHT AT SOME POINT, SIR?

# 52 A:

YES.

# 53 Q:

AND WHAT TIME DID YOU COME BACK?

# 54 A:

IT WAS 11:40 P.M.

# 55 Q:

WERE YOU ALONE?

# 56 A:

I WAS ALONE.

# 57 Q:

AND YOU GOT BACK TO YOUR APARTMENT BUILDING AT 11:40?

# 58 A:

YES.

# 59 Q:

WHEN YOU GOT BACK TO YOUR APARTMENT BUILDING, IS THERE A COURTYARD THAT YOU ENTER INTO IN ORDER TO GET TO YOUR APARTMENT?

# 60 A:

YES.

# 61 Q:

DID YOU SEE SOMEONE YOU RECOGNIZED IN THE COURTYARD?

# 62 A:

OUR NEIGHBORS, STEVEN AND LINDA SCHWAB WAS THERE.

# 63 Q:

AND DID STEVEN -- WAS HE ALONE?

# 64 A:

HE WAS WITH HIS WIFE AND WITH A WHITE DOG.

# 65 Q:

HAD YOU EVER SEEN THAT DOG BEFORE?

# 66 A:

NO.

# 67 Q:

DID YOU GO UP AND TALK TO HIM?

# 68 A:

YES, I DID.

# 69 Q:

AND DID YOU DISCUSS THE DOG?

# 70 A:

YES. I ASK WHOSE DOG IT WAS.

# 71 Q:

AND DID HE TELL YOU ABOUT WHERE HE HAD FOUND THE DOG?

# 72 A:

YES, HE DID.

# 73 Q:

CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THE DOG LOOKED LIKE?

# 74 A:

IT WAS A BIG WHITE BEAUTIFUL DOG AND THAT'S IT.

# 75 Q:

I AM SORRY?

# 76 A:

THAT'S ALL I CAN DESCRIBE.

# 77 Q:

THE AREA THAT YOU WERE -- THAT YOU FOUND STEVE SCHWAB IN WITH THE DOG, IS THERE A POOL NEARBY?

# 78 A:

YES.

# 79 Q:

IS THAT THE POOL AREA OF THE APARTMENT BUILDING?

# 80 A:

YES.

# 81 Q:

SHOWING YOU A SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS THAT'S BEEN MARKED AS PEOPLE'S 40 -- CAN YOU SEE THAT?

# 82 A:

YES.

# 83 Q:

DID THE DOG LOOK LIKE THE DOG DEPICTED IN PEOPLE'S 40?

# 84 A:

YES.

# 85 Q:

NOW, AFTER YOU HAD THE CONVERSATION WITH MR. SCHWAB ABOUT THE DOG, WHAT DID YOU DO?

# 86 A:

WE DECIDE TO KEEP THE DOG FOR OVERNIGHT. I TOOK THE DOG OUT FROM THE ALLEY ENTRANCE OF THE BUILDING AND THEN WALK AROUND TO BUILDING AND THEN COME BACK FROM THE FRONT DOOR.

# 87 Q:

YOU DID THAT BY YOURSELF?

# 88 A:

YES.

# 89 Q:

WAS YOUR WIFE ANYWHERE NEARBY?

# 90 A:

SHE WAS JUST IN FRONT OF OUR APARTMENT DOOR.

# 91 Q:

WAS SHE TALKING TO SOMEBODY OR WAS SHE JUST STANDING THERE?

# 92 A:

SHE WAS TALKING TO LINDA SCHWAB.

# 93 Q:

TO LINDA SCHWAB?

# 94 A:

YES.

# 95 Q:

WOULD THAT BE STEVE SCHWAB'S WIFE?

# 96 A:

YES.

# 97 Q:

AND WAS THAT IN THE COURTYARD AREA OF THE BUILDING AS WELL?

# 98 A:

YES.

# 99 Q:

SO YOU TOOK THE DOG OUT AND YOU WALKED AROUND THE BUILDING?

# 100 A:

YES.

# 101 Q:

DID YOU REMEMBER TO SAY THAT WHEN YOU TESTIFIED AT THE PRELIMINARY HEARING, SIR?

# 102 A:

NO.

# 103 Q:

WHEN DID YOU REMEMBER THAT?

# 104 A:

COUPLE DAYS AFTER.

# 105 Q:

AFTER YOU TESTIFIED?

# 106 A:

YES.

# 107 Q:

AND SO HOW LONG WERE YOU OUT WITH THE DOG THAT FIRST TIME?

# 108 A:

LIKE MINUTES.

# 109 Q:

A FEW MINUTES?

# 110 A:

ONE MINUTE OR MAYBE LESS. BUT A VERY SHORT TIME.

# 111 Q:

AND THEN YOU CAME BACK TO THE APARTMENT BUILDING?

# 112 A:

YES.

# 113 Q:

THEN WHAT HAPPENED?

# 114 A:

WE TOOK THE DOG INSIDE OF OUR APARTMENT.

# 115 Q:

YOU AND YOUR WIFE DID?

# 116 A:

YES. AND WE WERE GOING TO SLEEP AND DOG WAS ACTING SO NERVOUS RUNNING AROUND SCRATCHING THE DOOR, AND WE DIDN'T FEEL SO COMFORTABLE SLEEPING WITH SUCH A BIG DOG IN OUR APARTMENT AND WE DECIDE TO TAKE THE DOG FOR A WALK. SO WE TOOK IT.

# 117 Q:

SO YOU TOOK IT OUT FOR A WALK?

# 118 A:

YES.

# 119 Q:

FOR WHAT PURPOSE?

# 120 A:

WELL, WE THOUGHT THAT WE CAN FIND OWNER OR OWNERS AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THE DOG WANTS TO GO SOMEWHERE. SO --

# 121 Q:

SO WERE YOU TRYING TO LET THE DOG LEAD YOU?

# 122 A:

YES.

# 123 Q:

WHEN YOU FIRST SAW THE DOG IN THE COURTYARD, DID YOU HAPPEN TO NOTICE ITS PAWS OR ITS LEGS?

# 124 A:

NOT IN THAT TIME, BUT I NOTICED WHEN WE GO INSIDE OF THE APARTMENT.

# 125 Q:

WHEN YOU TOOK THE DOG INSIDE YOUR APARTMENT, YOU AND YOUR WIFE, DID YOU NOTICE THE DOG'S PAWS AND LEGS?

# 126 A:

YES, I DID.

# 127 Q:

AND WHAT DID YOU NOTICE ABOUT THEM?

# 128 A:

IT WAS BLOODY THAT WAS SPOTS.

# 129 Q:

I AM SORRY?

# 130 A:

THERE WAS SPOTS.

# 131 Q:

SPOTS?

# 132 A:

ON THE PAWS AND THE LEGS.

KEY QUOTE

# 133 Q:

OF WHAT?

# 134 A:

OF BLOOD.

# 135 Q:

DID IT APPEAR TO BE DRY?

# 136 A:

YES.

# 137 Q:

WAS -- DID YOU SEE THOSE SPOTS OF BLOOD ON ALL FOUR PAWS AND LEGS?

# 138 A:

YES.

# 139 Q:

SO YOU TOOK THE DOG OUT FOR A WALK?

# 140 A:

YES.

# 141 Q:

AND DID YOU HAVE AN IDEA IN MIND AS TO WHERE YOU WOULD TAKE THE DOG?

# 142 A:

STEVEN SAID --

# 143 MR. COCHRAN:

MOVE TO STRIKE. NONRESPONSIVE. ALSO HEARSAY.

# 144 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED. WHY DON'T YOU ASK ANOTHER QUESTION.

# 145 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: DID YOU -- YOU HAD A CONVERSATION WITH STEVEN, RIGHT?

# 146 A:

CORRECT.

# 147 Q:

AND HE TOLD YOU WHERE HE HAD FOUND THE DOG?

# 148 A:

YES.

# 149 Q:

SO YOU DECIDED TO TAKE THE DOG BACK TO THAT LOCATION?

# 150 A:

YES.

# 151 Q:

AND WHAT WAS THE LOCATION YOU DECIDED TO TAKE THE DOG BACK TO?

# 152 A:

BUNDY AND DOROTHY.

# 153 Q:

AND DID YOU TAKE THE DOG -- SO CAN YOU ON THIS CHART, PEOPLE'S 26, CAN YOU PLEASE SHOW US THE ROUTE YOU TOOK WITH THE DOG?

# 154 A:

THIS SPOT FROM HERE, CROSS THE STREET IN THIS POINT, CONTINUE FROM HERE AND DOG PULL ME TO THIS SIDE OF STREET AND NOW WE CONTINUE TO HERE (INDICATING).

# 155 MS. CLARK:

PERHAPS THE COURT WOULD LIKE TO KILL THE FEED AT THIS POINT. THANK YOU.

# 156 MR. COCHRAN:

MAY WE --

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

# 158 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: ALL RIGHT. SO YOU TOOK THE DOG WALKING SOUTHBOUND ON BUNDY?

# 159 A:

CORRECT.

# 160 Q:

NOW, CAN YOU TELL US HOW THE DOG WAS BEHAVING AS YOU PROCEEDED SOUTH ON BUNDY?

# 161 A:

IT WAS -- IT WAS GETTING MORE NERVOUS AND IT WAS PULLING ME HARDER.

KEY QUOTE

# 162 Q:

AS YOU PROCEEDED SOUTH ON BUNDY, THE DOG WAS PULLING HARDER?

# 163 A:

YES.

# 164 Q:

IN THE DIRECTION OF SOUTH ON BUNDY?

# 165 A:

CORRECT.

# 166 Q:

AND APPROXIMATELY WHAT TIME WAS IT?

# 167 A:

IT WAS JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT, LIKE TWO MINUTES BEFORE MIDNIGHT.

# 168 Q:

SO AS THE DOG WAS LEADING YOU SOUTHBOUND ON BUNDY, IT WAS PULLING HARDER AS IT GOT MORE AND MORE SOUTH?

# 169 MR. COCHRAN:

OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR. COUNSEL IS RESTATING TESTIMONY.

# 170 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

# 171 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: CAN YOU TELL US WHEN DID THE DOG START TO PULL HARDER AS YOU WERE GOING SOUTH ON BUNDY?

# 172 A:

AROUND THIS POINT, HE WANTED TO CROSS THE STREET AND THEN PULL ME HARDER. WE CROSS THE STREET TOGETHER AND MY WIFE FOLLOW US AND THEN HE START PULLING A LOT HARDER IN THIS DIRECTION (INDICATING).

# 173 MS. CLARK:

FOR THE RECORD, THE WITNESS WAS POINTING TO THE LOCATION OF GORHAM AND BUNDY WHEN HE SAID THAT THE DOG STARTED PULLING A LOT HARDER.

# 174 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: AND WERE YOU ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE STREET?

# 175 A:

I WAS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE STREET BEFORE WE CROSS.

# 176 Q:

AND YOU CROSSED BECAUSE THE DOG PULLED YOU ACROSS?

# 177 A:

CORRECT.

# 178 Q:

AND THEN YOU WERE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE STREET?

# 179 A:

YES.

# 180 Q:

WAS THE DOG STILL PULLING HARD PULLING YOU SOUTHBOUND ON BUNDY?

# 181 A:

CORRECT.

# 182 Q:

AND ON THE WEST SIDE?

# 183 A:

YES.

# 184 Q:

AT SOME POINT, DID THE DOG STOP?

# 185 A:

YES.

# 186 Q:

AT WHAT POINT DID THE DOG STOP?

# 187 A:

YOU WANT ME SHOW IT OR --

# 188 Q:

YES.

# 189 A:

JUST AROUND HERE (INDICATING).

# 190 MS. CLARK:

FOR THE RECORD, THE WITNESS HAS POINTED TO THE LOCATION OF 875 SOUTH BUNDY NICOLE BROWN ICON, THE RED HOUSE.

# 191 THE COURT:

NOTED.

# 192 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: AND WHEN THE DOG STOPPED AT THAT LOCATION, WHAT DID IT DO?

# 193 A:

WELL, DOG JUST WAS IN FRONT OF ME AND THEN LOOKING AT THE RIGHT SIDE OF -- RIGHT SIDE OF THE STREET. SO I COULDN'T GO ANY FURTHER AND I STOPPED AT EXACTLY SAME POINT WHERE THE DOG WAS LOOKING.

# 194 Q:

SO THE DOG TURNED ITS HEAD TO THE RIGHT?

# 195 A:

CORRECT.

# 196 Q:

AND LOOKED -- WAS IT LOOKING TOWARDS THE HOUSE THAT WAS AT THE END OF THE PATHWAY?

# 197 A:

YES.

# 198 Q:

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU DID -- YOU LOOKED IN THE SAME DIRECTION?

# 199 A:

YES.

# 200 Q:

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOU SAW?

# 201 A:

I SAW A LADY LAYING DOWN FULL OF BLOOD.

KEY QUOTE

# 202 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. I AM GOING TO DIRECT THE PHOTOGRAPHERS NOT TO TAKE ANY PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE PRESENTATION SCREENS.

# 203 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: ALL RIGHT. MR. BOZTEPE, IF YOU WILL LOOK AT THE MONITOR TO YOUR RIGHT. CAN YOU TELL US, SIR, IF THAT IS -- IF THAT DEPICTS WHAT YOU SAW ON THE NIGHT OF JUNE THE 12TH, 1994 AT APPROXIMATELY MIDNIGHT WHEN THE AKITA STOPPED?

# 204 A:

CORRECT. YES.

# 205 Q:

ON 875 SOUTH BUNDY?

# 206 A:

YES.

# 207 Q:

AND IS THAT THE CONDITION IN WHICH YOU SAW THE WOMAN?

# 208 A:

YES.

# 209 Q:

THANK YOU. NOW, THAT LOCATION, IS IT VERY DARK?

# 210 A:

YES, IT WAS VERY DARK.

# 211 Q:

AS YOU APPROACHED THE LOCATION OF 875 SOUTH BUNDY, WERE YOU ABLE TO SEE THAT ANYTHING WAS UNUSUAL? DID ANYTHING UNUSUAL APPEAR TO YOU BEFORE THE DOG STOPPED?

# 212 A:

NOT REALLY.

# 213 Q:

HAD THE DOG NOT STOPPED, WOULD YOU HAVE LOOKED UP THAT PATHWAY OR SEEN ANYTHING?

# 214 MR. COCHRAN:

OBJECTION TO THE FORM OF THAT QUESTION, YOUR HONOR. SPECULATION.

# 215 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

# 216 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: WAS THE REASON YOU STOPPED BECAUSE THE DOG STOPPED AND LOOKED AT THE PATHWAY?

# 217 A:

YES.

# 218 Q:

OTHERWISE, YOU WOULD NOT HAVE DONE SO?

# 219 MR. COCHRAN:

OBJECTION. SPECULATION.

# 220 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

# 221 SUKRU BOZTEPE:

I WOULDN'T STOP AND LOOK.

KEY QUOTE

# 222 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: NOW, AFTER YOU SAW THAT SIGHT, SIR, WHAT DID YOU DO?

# 223 A:

I TURNED TO MY WIFE AND SAID THERE WAS A DEAD PERSON THERE.

# 224 MR. COCHRAN:

ASKING THE WITNESS TO SPECULATE.

# 225 THE COURT:

OVERRULED. YOU CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION.

# 226 SUKRU BOZTEPE:

I TURNED TO MY WIFE AND SAID THAT THERE WAS A DEAD PERSON THERE AND NEXT WE TRIED TO CALL 911. WE DECIDE TO CALL 911.

# 227 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: AND WHAT DID YOU DO TO TRY TO CALL 911?

# 228 A:

WE CROSS THE STREET, RAN TO A HOUSE, KNOCKED AT DOOR, RANG THE BELL AND THERE WAS NOBODY THERE AND THERE WAS NO ANSWER. AND THEN WE DECIDE TO GO TO THE NEXT HOUSE, WHICH IS -- I BELIEVE IT'S THE NORTH SIDE OF THE HOUSE. AND WHEN WE WERE GOING THERE, WE HAD SEEN A LADY. WE TRIED -- WE STOPPED HER AND THEN SAID THAT THERE WAS A PERSON LAYING DOWN THERE AND SHE SHOULD CALL 911, AND SHE SAID, OKAY, SHE WOULD DO THAT AND SHE JUST LEFT BY HER CAR. AND THEN I DIDN'T -- I DIDN'T TRUST HER, THAT SHE WOULD CALL THEM. AND WE WENT TO THE OTHER HOUSE AND WE MADE THE MAN, KIND OF OLD MAN CALL 911.

# 229 Q:

OKAY. BEFORE YOU WENT TO THE OLD MAN, DID YOU KNOCK ON SOMEONE ELSE'S DOOR?

# 230 A:

YES. AS I SAID THE FIRST TIME, I WENT AND KNOCKED ON SOMEBODY'S DOOR.

# 231 Q:

WAS THAT ACROSS THE STREET FROM 875 SOUTH BUNDY?

# 232 A:

YES. JUST OPPOSITE SIDE OF STREET.

# 233 Q:

AND DID YOU RING THE BELL?

# 234 A:

YES.

# 235 Q:

MANY TIMES?

# 236 A:

PROBABLY COUPLE TIMES.

# 237 Q:

DID ANYONE ANSWER?

# 238 A:

NO.

# 239 Q:

WAS THAT -- WAS THAT DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM 875 SOUTH BUNDY?

# 240 A:

YES.

# 241 Q:

AND NO ONE ANSWERED THE DOOR THERE?

# 242 A:

NO ONE ANSWERED.

# 243 Q:

AND THEN YOU WENT TO THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR TO THAT?

# 244 A:

CORRECT.

# 245 Q:

AND AFTER YOU SPOKE TO THAT OLD MAN, WHAT DID YOU DO?

# 246 A:

WE WAIT FOR THE POLICE ARRIVE.

# 247 Q:

AND DID YOU STILL HAVE THE AKITA WITH YOU?

# 248 A:

YES.

# 249 Q:

WHEN THE POLICE ARRIVED, DID YOU MEET WITH THEM?

# 250 A:

YES.

# 251 Q:

AND DID YOU TELL THEM WHAT YOU HAD SEEN?

# 252 A:

YES.

# 253 Q:

WERE YOU ABLE TO SEE THE BODY OF THE WOMAN CLEARLY FROM YOUR POSITION AT THE SIDEWALK?

# 254 A:

WHICH SIDEWALK?

# 255 Q:

WHEN YOU FIRST STOPPED AT 875 SOUTH BUNDY AND YOU LOOKED UP THE WALKWAY AND YOU SAW THE BODY OF THE WOMAN, WERE YOU ABLE TO SEE IT CLEARLY?

# 256 A:

YES.

# 257 Q:

WAS IT DARK IN THAT AREA?

# 258 A:

IT WAS DARK.

# 259 Q:

SO WERE YOU ABLE TO SEE ANY DETAILS OR WAS IT JUST THAT YOU COULD SEE A BODY THERE?

# 260 MR. COCHRAN:

OBJECT TO THE FORM OF THAT QUESTION.

# 261 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

# 262 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: HOW MUCH WERE YOU ABLE TO SEE IN THE DARKNESS WHEN YOU LOOKED UP THE WALKWAY AND SAW THE BODY OF THE WOMAN?

# 263 MR. COCHRAN:

ASKED AND ANSWERED, YOUR HONOR.

# 264 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

# 265 SUKRU BOZTEPE:

I COULD SEE THE PERSON WAS A LADY, SHE WAS BLOND. I COULD SEE HER ARM AND THAT'S ABOUT IT.

# 266 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: AND THAT WAS ABOUT IT. WERE YOU ABLE TO SEE ANY OTHER -- WHETHER THERE WERE ANY OTHER VICTIMS LYING THERE?

# 267 A:

NO.

# 268 Q:

WERE YOU ABLE TO SEE ALL OF THE BLOOD THAT WAS LYING AROUND HER?

# 269 A:

THERE WAS A LOT OF BLOOD. SO THAT'S WHAT I SEEN.

# 270 Q:

YOU JUST SAW A LOT OF BLOOD?

# 271 A:

CORRECT.

# 272 Q:

WERE YOU ABLE TO SEE THE PAW PRINTS IN THE WALKWAY, THE BLOODY PAW PRINTS?

# 273 A:

NO.

# 274 MR. COCHRAN:

OBJECTION TO THE FORM OF THE QUESTION. THAT ASSUMES FACTS NOT IN EVIDENCE.

# 275 THE COURT:

WELL, HE SAID NO. THE ANSWER WAS NO. AND THE QUESTION AND ANSWER WILL STAND.

# 276 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: DID YOU WALK UP THAT WALKWAY?

# 277 A:

NO.

# 278 Q:

DID YOUR WIFE WALK UP THAT WALKWAY?

# 279 A:

NO.

# 280 Q:

DID ANYONE GO UP THAT WALKWAY BEFORE THE POLICE ARRIVED?

# 281 A:

NO.

# 282 Q:

NOW, WHEN THE DOG WAS WITH YOU, WAS IT BARKING?

# 283 A:

NO.

# 284 (DISCUSSION HELD OFF THE RECORD BETWEEN THE DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS.)

# 285 MS. CLARK:

I DON'T KNOW IF WE MARKED THE PHOTOGRAPH, YOUR HONOR, BUT PERHAPS WE SHOULD.

# 286 THE COURT:

LAST PHOTOGRAPH THAT WAS SHOWN, THAT WOULD BE 42, PEOPLE'S 42.

# 287 MS. CLARK:

42. THANK YOU.

# 288 (PEO'S 42 FOR ID = PHOTO WALKWAY/NBS)

# 289 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: ALL RIGHT. YOU SPOKE TO THE OFFICER THAT -- THE FIRST OFFICER THAT ARRIVED AT THE SCENE?

# 290 A:

YES, I DID.

# 291 Q:

AND HOW LONG AFTER YOU SAW THE BODY OF THE WOMAN AND YOU WENT TO KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND RING THE DOORBELL OF THE PERSON WHO DIDN'T ANSWER DID THEY ARRIVE?

# 292 A:

WELL, IT TOOK FIVE MINUTES AFTER I SAW THE BODY, PROBABLY LIKE FIVE MINUTES, FOUR, SIX SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

# 293 Q:

FOR THE OFFICER TO ARRIVE?

# 294 A:

YES.

# 295 Q:

ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, FIVE OR SIX MINUTES AFTER YOU SAW THE BODY?

# 296 A:

YES.

# 297 MS. CLARK:

THANK YOU.

Temperature

emotional

Key Quotes (4)

Sukru Boztepe

I SAW A LADY LAYING DOWN FULL OF BLOOD.

The moment of discovery — Boztepe's first and most direct description of what he saw when the Akita stopped at 875 South Bundy.

Sukru Boztepe

IT WAS GETTING MORE NERVOUS AND IT WAS PULLING ME HARDER.

Establishes that the Akita was actively leading Boztepe toward the crime scene, building the narrative of the dog as an unwitting guide to the bodies.

Sukru Boztepe

I WOULDN'T STOP AND LOOK.

Key admission that without the dog stopping and looking up the walkway, Boztepe would have walked past the scene — underscoring how dark and concealed the area was.

Sukru Boztepe

THERE WAS SPOTS. ON THE PAWS AND THE LEGS. OF BLOOD.

Establishes that the Akita had already walked through the crime scene before Schwab found it — the dog carried physical evidence from 875 South Bundy to the Boztepes' apartment.

Evidence (3)

People's 26

Area map/chart showing the neighborhood around 875 South Bundy and Montana Avenue

Used to have witness trace his route and identify key locations

People's 40

Photograph of the Akita dog

Shown to witness to confirm the dog he received from Schwab matched Nicole Brown Simpson's dog

People's 42

Photograph of the walkway at 875 South Bundy (Nicole Brown Simpson)

Introduced and shown to witness to confirm it depicted what he saw at the scene

Notable Exchanges (3)

Marcia Clark•Sukru Boztepe

Clark walks Boztepe through the dog's behavior as it pulled him southbound on Bundy — increasingly agitated, crossing the street at Gorham, then stopping directly at 875 South Bundy — building a narrative of the Akita as an instinctive guide back to the murder scene.

revealing

Johnnie Cochran•Lance A. Ito

Cochran objected that Clark's question about bloody paw prints in the walkway 'assumes facts not in evidence.' The judge noted the witness had already answered 'no' and allowed the exchange to stand, leaving a subtle implication about the paw prints on the record.

strategic

Marcia Clark•Sukru Boztepe

Clark asked Boztepe about an action — walking the dog around the block before bringing it inside — that he had not mentioned at the preliminary hearing. He confirmed he remembered it only a few days after testifying, an apparent inconsistency that was proactively disclosed by Clark.

strategic

Light Moments (2)

Johnnie Cochran

Cochran quips 'It's your witness' after a brief back-and-forth about whether the map orientation had been established well enough to formally identify the location for the record.

Marcia Clark

Clark asks Ito to 'kill the feed' to cameras while the witness traces his route on the map, breaking the courtroom tension momentarily.

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ Sukru Boztepe

prior inconsistent statement

Clark preemptively disclosed that Boztepe had not mentioned walking the dog around the exterior of the building at the preliminary hearing, and that he only remembered this detail a few days after that testimony. Cochran did not press the point on cross in this portion.

Witness Demeanor

(INDICATING) — repeated physical gestures to map throughout testimony

Halting, non-native English speech patterns; Clark frequently rephrased or repeated answers for the record

Matter-of-fact and composed when describing the discovery of the body; no visible distress noted in transcript

Objections

8 objections (4 sustained, 4 overruled)

Proceeding 4761 • 297 utterances • Prosecution witness

Criminal Trial

Department 103