📄 Redirect examination of Louis Karpf (part 1) — Wednesday, February 8, 1995
📅 Feb 8 — Day 15
🏛️ Marcia Clark🗣️ Louis Karpf🛡️ Johnnie Cochran⚖️ Lance A. Ito
timeline
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\FEB\8\REDIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-LOUIS-.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 15 of 167

Redirect examination of Louis Karpf (part 1)

Witness: Louis Karpf
Examiner: Marcia Clark
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Wednesday, February 8, 1995 • Utterances: 23
Marcia Clark begins redirect examination of neighbor Louis Karpf, focusing on a conversation she had with him during the break about whether his girlfriend came downstairs when he returned home from the airport. Clark then attempts to elicit that the girlfriend told Karpf she was awakened by dogs barking 30 minutes before he arrived home — a potentially significant timeline detail — but Cochran's hearsay objection is sustained and the examination breaks for a sidebar before it can proceed.
1 (THE FOLLOWING PROCEEDINGS WERE HELD IN OPEN COURT, IN THE PRESENCE OF THE JURY:)
2 THE COURT:

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. BE SEATED. MR. KARPF, HAVE A SEAT, PLEASE. I WOULD LIKE THE RECORD TO REFLECT WE HAVE BEEN REJOINED BY ALL THE MEMBERS OF OUR JURY PANEL. MR. LOUIS KARPF IS STILL ON THE WITNESS STAND. MR. KARPF, YOU ARE REMINDED THAT YOU ARE STILL UNDER OATH, SIR. AND MISS CLARK, YOU MAY COMMENCE YOUR REDIRECT EXAMINATION.

3 MS. CLARK:

THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR.

4

REDIRECT EXAMINATION

5

BY MS. CLARK:

6 Q:

MR. KARPF, DID YOU AND I HAVE A LITTLE CONVERSATION OVER THIS PAST BREAK?

7 A:

A LITTLE CONVERSATION.

8 Q:

VERY LITTLE? I'M SORRY.

9 MR. COCHRAN:

MOVE TO STRIKE THAT LAST STATEMENT; TESTIFYING.

KEY QUOTE
10 THE COURT:

OVERRULED. MISS CLARK.

11 Q:

BY MS. CLARK: AND DO YOU RECALL THAT I ASKED YOU IF YOU REMEMBERED YOUR GIRLFRIEND COMING DOWNSTAIRS TO SEE YOU WHEN YOU GOT HOME FROM THE AIRPORT?

12 A:

I DIDN'T REMEMBER THAT SHE DID, NO.

13 Q:

DO YOU REMEMBER MY ASKING YOU THAT?

14 A:

YES, YOU DO.

15 Q:

AND YOUR ANSWER WAS?

16 A:

I DIDN'T RECALL THAT SHE DID. IT IS POSSIBLE, BUT I DIDN'T RECALL THAT SHE DID.

KEY QUOTE
17 Q:

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SHE DID, BUT YOU DON'T REMEMBER ANY MORE?

18 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

19 Q:

IN THIS CASE, AFTER -- THE DAY AFTER YOU FOUND OUT ABOUT THE MURDERS, DO YOU RECALL THAT SHE TOLD YOU THAT HALF AN HOUR BEFORE YOU GOT HOME SHE WAS AWAKENED BY DOGS BARKING?

KEY QUOTE
20 MR. COCHRAN:

OBJECT TO THE FORM OF THIS QUESTION AS HEARSAY, YOUR HONOR.

21 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

22 MS. CLARK:

MAY WE APPROACH, YOUR HONOR?

23 THE COURT:

SURE.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (3)

Marcia Clark
IN THIS CASE, AFTER -- THE DAY AFTER YOU FOUND OUT ABOUT THE MURDERS, DO YOU RECALL THAT SHE TOLD YOU THAT HALF AN HOUR BEFORE YOU GOT HOME SHE WAS AWAKENED BY DOGS BARKING?
Clark attempts to introduce the girlfriend's statement about dogs barking to establish a timeline anchor near the time of the murders — a critical prosecution thread.
Louis Karpf
I DIDN'T RECALL THAT SHE DID. IT IS POSSIBLE, BUT I DIDN'T RECALL THAT SHE DID.
Karpf's hedged answer about whether his girlfriend came downstairs — 'it is possible' — suggests incomplete recollection, which Clark is working around.
Johnnie Cochran
MOVE TO STRIKE THAT LAST STATEMENT; TESTIFYING.
Cochran flags Clark's 'Very little? I'm sorry' as improper attorney testimony — a minor but characteristic defensive move.

Notable Exchanges (1)

Marcia ClarkJohnnie CochranLance A. Ito
Clark tries to introduce through Karpf what his girlfriend told him about hearing dogs bark 30 minutes before he arrived home. Cochran objects on hearsay grounds and is sustained, prompting Clark to request a sidebar.
strategic

Objections

2 objections (1 sustained, 1 overruled)
Proceeding 4726 • 23 utterances • Prosecution witness
Criminal Trial
Department 103
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📂 FEB 8, 1995 📄 Redirect examination of Louis
FEB 8, 1995 KRT DvH TD