Cross-examination of John Edwards (part 2)

📄 Cross-examination of John Edwards (part 2) — Tuesday, January 31, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\JAN\31\CROSS-EXAMINATION-OF-JOHN-EDWA.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 9 of 167

◀ Jury instruction: limited admissibility of prior incident Cross-examination of John Edwards (part 3) ▶

Witness: Det. John Edwards
Examiner: Johnnie Cochran
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Tuesday, January 31, 1995 • Utterances: 193

Cochran cross-examines Detective Edwards about the January 1, 1989 domestic violence call to the Rockingham residence, methodically exposing investigative failures: witnesses at the scene (Michelle Abudrahm, the nanny) were never interviewed, Nicole's mud-covered pants were never booked into evidence, and the female partner's bathroom examination of Nicole for bruises was never properly documented. Cochran also pins down the arrival timeline using the 3:58 AM 911 call timestamp.

# 1

CROSS-EXAMINATION (RESUMED)

# 2

BY MR. COCHRAN:

# 3 Q:

GOOD AFTERNOON, DETECTIVE. WHEN WE BROKE AT LUNCH WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS POLAROID, AND I WANT YOU TO THINK BACK FOR US. THIS CAMERA THAT YOU HAD, DID YOU HAVE THAT CAMERA AT THE SCENE OF ROCKINGHAM BEFORE YOU WENT TO WEST LOS ANGELES?

# 4 A:

NO, I GOT IT AT THE DESK.

# 5 Q:

AT WEST LOS ANGELES STATION?

# 6 A:

YES.

# 7 Q:

YOU WERE ASSIGNED TO THAT STATION AT THAT TIME, RIGHT?

# 8 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 9 Q:

AND THE TIME YOU GOT THAT CAMERA, HOW -- HOW MANY EXPOSURES OR HOW MANY -- WHAT WAS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FILM THAT YOU HAD IN THAT CAMERA AT THAT TIME?

# 10 A:

I -- I DON'T KNOW. I SHOT IT UNTIL IT WAS EMPTY.

# 11 Q:

ALL RIGHT. NOW, AND -- AND IN SHOOTING UNTIL IT WAS EMPTY, IS IT YOUR TESTIMONY THAT YOU ONLY TOOK THREE SHOTS?

# 12 A:

I BELIEVE I ONLY TOOK THREE.

# 13 Q:

DO YOU RECALL TAKING A PHOTOGRAPH OF NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON WHILE SHE WAS STILL IN THE POLICE CAR?

# 14 A:

I DON'T BELIEVE I EVER DID THAT.

# 15 Q:

YOU DON'T RECALL ANY SUCH PHOTOGRAPH BEING IN EXISTENCE?

# 16 A:

I'M PRETTY SURE I DIDN'T DO THAT.

# 17 Q:

ALL RIGHT. DO YOU HAVE ANY RECORD THAT WOULD REFRESH YOUR RECOLLECTION ON THAT?

# 18 A:

I DON'T THINK I TOOK A PICTURE OF HER IN THE CAR.

# 19 Q:

ALL RIGHT. NOW, AT SOME POINT YOU DESCRIBED FOR US THAT A YOUNG LADY OR A LADY BY THE NAME OF MICHELLE CAME OUT TO THE POLICE CAR AND STARTED HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH MISS NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 20 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 21 Q:

AND SO THAT WE ARE CLEAR, AS I UNDERSTAND IT AT THAT TIME, MR. SIMPSON WAS NOT OUTSIDE, YOU COULD NOT SEE HIM AT THAT POINT?

# 22 A:

HE WAS NOT OUTSIDE IN MY VIEW.

# 23 Q:

YOU WERE STILL OUTSIDE THE GATE AT THIS POINT, RIGHT?

# 24 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 25 Q:

AND THIS LADY MICHELLE, CAN YOU DESCRIBE HER FOR US, PLEASE?

# 26 A:

I BELIEVE SHE HAD DARK HAIR, SHE WAS ABOUT 5-4, AND I THINK SHE WAS FILIPINO, BUT I'M NOT REALLY SURE.

# 27 Q:

YOU BELIEVE SHE WAS FILIPINO?

# 28 A:

I'M NOT SURE. I KNOW SHE HAD A LONG LAST NAME THAT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS.

# 29 Q:

WAS HER LAST NAME MICHELLE ABUDRAHM, A-B-U-D-R-A-H-M? DOES THAT REFRESH YOUR RECOLLECTION?

# 30 A:

THAT MIGHT BE IT.

# 31 Q:

DOES THAT SOUND ABOUT RIGHT TO YOU?

# 32 A:

IT WAS "A" SOMETHING.

# 33 Q:

DID SHE APPEAR TO SPEAK TO YOU WITH AN ACCENT?

# 34 A:

SHE HAD AN ACCENT, YES, BUT SHE SPOKE ENGLISH.

# 35 Q:

ALL RIGHT. AND YOU BELIEVE THAT SHE WAS FILIPINO, DID YOU?

# 36 A:

WELL, NOT REALLY. I JUST CAN'T -- I DIDN'T ASK HER WHAT HER NATIONALITY WAS. IT WAS AT NIGHT AND I REALLY DON'T KNOW.

# 37 Q:

WELL, NOW, YOU WERE OUT THERE OF COURSE IN RESPONSE TO THIS PHONE CALL. DID YOU OR YOUR PARTNER OR SERGEANT VINGER EVER INTERVIEW THIS MICHELLE ABUDRAHM?

# 38 A:

JUST TO ADMONISH HER OF 148 OF THE PENAL CODE AND TELL HER TO LEAVE.

# 39 Q:

LET'S GET BACK TO MY QUESTION NOW. WHEN YOU ADMONISHED HER, YOU TOLD HER TO LEAVE BECAUSE SHE WOULD BE INTERFERING, RIGHT?

# 40 A:

THAT IS CORRECT.

# 41 Q:

I'M ASKING YOU DID YOU INTERVIEW HER TO FIND OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED, EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF 360 ROCKINGHAM BEFORE YOU ARRIVED THERE?

# 42 A:

NO, I DID NOT.

# 43 Q:

SO YOU DID NOT TAKE A STATEMENT AND AS FAR AS YOU KNOW NOT ONLY DID YOU NOT DO IT, BUT NEITHER DID YOUR BACK-UP SERGEANT OR YOUR TRAINEE PARTNER; IS THAT RIGHT?

# 44 A:

NO, BECAUSE SHE WAS INSIDE THE GATE AFTER I TOLD HER TO LEAVE.

# 45 Q:

YOUR ANSWER IS NO, YOU DIDN'T DO THAT?

# 46 A:

NOBODY INTERVIEWED HER.

KEY QUOTE

# 47 Q:

ALL RIGHT. DID YOU -- WERE YOU AWARE THAT THERE WAS A SECOND WOMAN, ANOTHER WOMAN INSIDE THE HOUSE, A SO-CALLED NANNY?

# 48 (NO AUDIBLE RESPONSE.)

# 49 Q:

DID YOU EVER SEE ANOTHER WOMAN?

# 50 A:

I DIDN'T SEE ANOTHER WOMAN, NO.

KEY QUOTE

# 51 Q:

YOU NEVER SAW HER OR TALKED WITH HER; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 52 A:

THAT IS CORRECT.

# 53 Q:

NOW, BY THE WAY, YOU SAID WOULD YOU SPELL FOR US THE NAME OF YOUR PARTNER. SPELL IT FOR US NOW, WILL YOU PLEASE.

# 54 A:

YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T LOOK IT UP TO SEE WHAT IT IS, BUT IT IS M-I-L-W-E-S-K-W-I, I BELIEVE.

# 55 Q:

M-I-L-W-E-S-K-W-I?

# 56 A:

YEAH, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, FIRST NAME PATRISHA.

# 57 Q:

THAT IS CLOSE? ALL RIGHT. DID THIS OFFICER MILEWSKI, OR WHATEVER WE HAVE THERE, DID SHE EVER HAVE OCCASION TO, AS A FEMALE OFFICER, LOOK AT MISS NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON'S BODY FOR ANY OTHER BRUISES OR INJURIES AT SOME POINT?

# 58 MR. DARDEN:

OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR, UNLESS THE WITNESS WAS PRESENT.

# 59 MR. COCHRAN:

HE CAN ANSWER YES OR NO IF HE KNOWS.

# 60 MR. DARDEN:

HEARSAY.

# 61 MR. COCHRAN:

IT IS NOT HEARSAY.

# 62 THE COURT:

OVERRULED. IF HE KNOWS.

# 63 DET. JOHN EDWARDS:

I WAS NOT PRESENT DURING THAT.

# 64 Q:

BY MR. COCHRAN: ALL RIGHT. BUT YOU INSTRUCTED HER, DID YOU NOT, TO LOOK AT HER BODY, DID YOU NOT?

# 65 A:

THAT'S CORRECT, I DID.

# 66 Q:

OKAY. TELL US WHAT YOU ASKED HER TO DO.

# 67 A:

I ASKED HER TO GO TAKE HER INTO THE WOMEN'S BATHROOM THAT IS LOCATED IN THE LOBBY OF WEST L.A. STATION AND SEE IF SHE HAD ANY BRUISES OR MARKS ON HER BACK.

# 68 Q:

AND DID YOU THEN SEE YOUR PARTNER, FEMALE PARTNER, THEN GO ALONG WITH MISS NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON INTO A BATHROOM AREA?

# 69 A:

YES.

# 70 Q:

AND YOU WEREN'T IN THAT ROOM OBVIOUSLY, WERE YOU?

# 71 A:

NO, I WAS NOT IN THAT ROOM.

# 72 Q:

THEN THEY CAME BACK OUT AT SOME POINT; ISN'T THAT CORRECT?

# 73 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 74 Q:

AFTER THIS WAS ALL OVER YOU HAD OCCASION TO WRITE OUT A REPORT, DID YOU NOT?

# 75 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 76 Q:

AND IN THAT REPORT YOU TALKED WITH YOUR PARTNER AS TO HER OBSERVATIONS, DID YOU NOT?

# 77 A:

WELL, MY PARTNER WROTE THE REPORT AND I ASSISTED HER WITH IT, YES.

# 78 Q:

SO YOU HAD OCCASION TO SEE HER REPORT AND YOU HAD HER RESPONSE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT SHE SAW ANY BRUISES ON NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON'S BODY, RIGHT?

# 79 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 80 Q:

IT IS TRUE, IN FACT SHE DID NOT SEE ANY BRUISES?

# 81 MR. DARDEN:

OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR. THAT CALLS FOR HEARSAY.

# 82 THE COURT:

SUSTAINED.

# 83 Q:

BY MR. COCHRAN: THERE IS A REPORT; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 84 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 85 Q:

IS SHE HERE TODAY IN THIS BUILDING, YOUR PARTNER?

# 86 A:

NOT THAT I KNOW OF.

# 87 Q:

YOU HAVEN'T SEEN HER?

# 88 A:

NO.

# 89 Q:

YOU STILL WORK WEST LOS ANGELES?

# 90 A:

NO, VAN NUYS HOMICIDE.

# 91 Q:

ALL RIGHT. NOW, DETECTIVE, SO THAT WE ARE CLEAR, I BELIEVE YOU INDICATED TO MR. DARDEN THAT YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU ARRIVED AT THE SCENE SOMETIME AFTER 3:30 OR THEREABOUTS, AND IF I WERE TO INDICATE TO YOU THAT THE CALL THAT CAME TO DOWNTOWN FOR THE 911 WAS AT 3:58, WOULD THAT REFRESH YOUR RECOLLECTION THAT YOU WERE THERE A LITTLE AFTER FOUR O'CLOCK?

# 92 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 93 Q:

OR AT FOUR O'CLOCK; WOULD THAT BE CORRECT?

# 94 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 95 Q:

YOU ALSO TOLD US THAT YOU HAD HEARD IN THE TRANSMISSION THAT THE WOMAN CALLING THE 911 HAD SAID SHE WAS BEING BEATEN. YOU HEARD THAT, DID YOU?

# 96 A:

NO. IT APPEARED ON A VIDEO SCREEN IN OUR CAR.

KEY QUOTE

# 97 Q:

WELL, ISN'T IT TRUE THAT WHAT APPEARED ON THE VIDEO SCREEN WAS THAT IT WAS THE COMMENTS OF THE TRANSCRIBER, THE PERSON WHO WAS WORKING DOWN AT PARKER CENTER?

# 98 A:

THAT'S CORRECT. THAT IS WHAT I TESTIFIED TO. THAT IS WHAT WE WERE GIVEN AS A RADIO CALL.

# 99 Q:

YOU DIDN'T SAY EARLIER TODAY THAT IT WAS YOUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE WOMAN WHO MADE THE CALL HAD SAID SHE WAS BEING BEATEN? DID YOU SAY THAT?

# 100 A:

I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I SAID THAT OR NOT.

# 101 Q:

ALL RIGHT. OKAY. WELL, AT ANY RATE, AS YOU THINK ABOUT IT NOW, AT NO TIME WERE YOU EVER TOLD BY ANYONE THAT NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON OR ANY LADY INSIDE THAT HOUSE EVER TOLD ANYONE THEY WERE BEING BEATEN THROUGH THE TRANSCRIBER; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 102 A:

AT THE TIME THAT I GOT THE RADIO CALL IT WAS JUST THAT A WOMAN WAS BEING BEATEN IN THE BACKGROUND.

# 103 Q:

ALL RIGHT. THAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING, RIGHT?

# 104 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 105 Q:

SO LET'S ASSUME THAT YOU ARRIVED THERE AT SOME TIME AFTER 3:58. KNOWING THAT INFORMATION, CAN YOU NOW TELL THE JURY OR THE COURT AND THE JURY WITH BETTER PRECISION AS TO WHAT TIME YOU ACTUALLY ARRIVED?

# 106 A:

NO, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE I STARTED FROM AND HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO GET THERE UNLESS I HAD THE ARRIVAL TIME ON THAT DOCUMENT THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. JUST REFRESHING MY MIND, I THINK IT WAS UNDER TEN MINUTES, LIKE I TESTIFIED EARLIER.

# 107 Q:

SO FROM WHATEVER TIME YOU GOT THE CALL, YOU THINK YOU GOT THERE FROM THE AREA YOU WERE NEAR LA CIENEGA OR WHATEVER, ABOUT TEN MINUTES?

# 108 A:

I WOULD SAY IT WAS UNDER TEN MINUTES, BUT IT WAS AROUND THAT AREA.

# 109 Q:

ALL RIGHT. SO LET'S SAY THAT YOU WERE OUT THERE BY 4:15 A.M. AND THIS IS NEW YEAR'S DAY EARLY MORNING HOURS, RIGHT?

# 110 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 111 Q:

AND HOW LONG WERE YOU THERE UNTIL YOU LEFT TO TAKE MISS NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON DOWN TO THE WEST LOS ANGELES STATION TO HAVE THESE PICTURES TAKEN THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT?

# 112 A:

PROBABLY SOMEWHERE AROUND EIGHT OR TEN MINUTES.

# 113 Q:

SO IF YOU ARRIVED BY 4:15, WOULD YOU SAY BY 4:23, 4:25, YOU WOULD BE OUT OF THERE; IS THAT RIGHT?

# 114 A:

4:30, SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE.

# 115 Q:

IN THAT GENERAL RANGE?

# 116 A:

RIGHT.

# 117 Q:

YOU DESCRIBED FOR US -- WAS IT RAINING THAT PARTICULAR NIGHT?

# 118 A:

IT WAS A LIGHT MISTY RAIN IN THE HILLS PRETTY MUCH ONLY.

# 119 Q:

WAS IT ALSO KIND OF MUDDY OUTSIDE?

# 120 A:

YES.

# 121 Q:

DID YOU EVER AT ANY TIME GO INSIDE THE RESIDENCE AT ROCKINGHAM THERE AND LOOK AT ANY OF THE ROOMS OR AT ANY TIME GO INSIDE THE HOUSE?

# 122 A:

I NEVER GOT PAST THE FRONT GATE.

KEY QUOTE

# 123 Q:

YOUR TESTIMONY IS THAT EVERYTHING YOU TESTIFIED ABOUT IN THIS EIGHT TO TEN MINUTES OCCURRED WITH YOU OUTSIDE THE ROCKINGHAM RESIDENCE; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 124 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 125 Q:

THE PHOTOGRAPH THAT SHOWED MISS NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON WITH THE APPARENT MUD OR WHATEVER ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LIGHT-COLORED OR WHITE-COLORED PANTS SHE WAS WEARING, DID SHE HAVE THAT MUD ON THE PANTS WHEN YOU FIRST SAW HER?

# 126 A:

YES, YES, SHE DID.

# 127 Q:

AND THAT WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HER BODY?

# 128 A:

YES.

# 129 Q:

AND THAT WAS CONSISTENT WITH SOME OF THE MARKS OR INJURIES YOU SAW ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HER BODY ALSO?

# 130 MR. DARDEN:

OBJECTION.

# 131 Q:

BY MR. COCHRAN: THAT SAME SIZE?

# 132 THE COURT:

WHAT IS THE OBJECTION?

# 133 MR. DARDEN:

THE QUESTION IS VAGUE, YOUR HONOR. HOW CAN HE TESTIFY TO WHAT INJURIES ARE CONSISTENT WITH MUD.

# 134 MR. COCHRAN:

THAT IS NOT WHAT I ASKED.

# 135 MR. DARDEN:

THAT IS WHAT YOU ASKED.

# 136 MR. COCHRAN:

I WANTED TO BE CLEAR.

# 137 MR. DARDEN:

MAKE IT CLEAR FOR ALL OF US.

# 138 MR. COCHRAN:

YOUR HONOR, I WILL PROCEED.

# 139 Q:

THE -- YOU HAVE DESCRIBED FOR US THAT THIS MUD WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PANT LEG OF MISS NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON, RIGHT?

# 140 A:

FROM THE WAIST DOWN.

# 141 Q:

RIGHT. IT WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE?

# 142 A:

YES.

# 143 Q:

ALL RIGHT. AND DID SHE HAVE INJURIES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HER FACE OR BODY?

# 144 A:

YES, SHE DID.

# 145 Q:

THE SAME SIDE AS WHERE THIS MUD WAS, RIGHT?

# 146 A:

EXCEPT THAT THERE WAS NO MUD BETWEEN HER WAIST AND HER SHOULDERS.

# 147 Q:

THAT IS NOT WHAT I ASKED YOU, OFFICER. I ASKED YOU IS IT THE SAME SIDE AS WHERE THE MUD WAS?

# 148 A:

THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FACE. SOME OF THE INJURIES WERE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, YES; SOME OF THEM WERE ON THE LEFT.

# 149 Q:

I ASKED YOU WERE THERE INJURIES ON THE RIGHT SIDE?

# 150 A:

THE SIDE OF HER TORSO, NO, JUST ON THE SIDE OF HER HEAD.

# 151 Q:

WERE THERE INJURIES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HER FACE, OFFICER?

# 152 A:

YES.

# 153 Q:

NOW, BY THE WAY, WHEN YOU TOOK HER BACK HOME, DID YOU EVER BOOK THESE PANTS INTO EVIDENCE SO WE COULD HAVE THEM TO LOOK AT THEM NOW?

# 154 A:

NO.

# 155 Q:

WHEN YOU WENT BACK HOME WITH MISS NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON, DID YOU GO INSIDE THE HOUSE AT THAT TIME?

# 156 A:

NO.

# 157 Q:

YOU JUST LET HER OUT AT THE GATE?

# 158 A:

AT THE FRONT DOOR.

# 159 Q:

THE FRONT DOOR OF WHAT?

# 160 A:

THE -- THE HOUSE.

# 161 Q:

SO YOU WENT INSIDE THE GATE THIS TIME?

# 162 A:

I THINK WE DROVE TO THE FRONT GATE AND LET HER OUT, YES.

# 163 Q:

WELL, THAT IS NOT CLEAR. THERE ARE GATES ALL AROUND THE PREMISES. DID YOU DRIVE INSIDE THE GATES UP TO A FRONT DOOR --

# 164 A:

YES.

# 165 Q:

-- PREMISES. DID YOU GO INSIDE?

# 166 A:

NO.

# 167 Q:

SO YOU LET HER OUT AND SHE JUST WENT INSIDE THE HOUSE?

# 168 A:

HER -- THIS FEMALE CAME OUT, MICHELLE CAME OUT AND MET HER AND THEY WENT IN TOGETHER.

# 169 Q:

SHE AND MICHELLE WENT INSIDE. YOU DIDN'T BOTHER GOING IN AT THAT POINT?

# 170 A:

NO.

# 171 Q:

WHEN YOU WENT IN THIS SECOND TIME DID YOU EVER SEE THE NANNY AT THAT TIME?

# 172 A:

NO.

# 173 Q:

NOW, THIS WAS THE MORNING AFTER NEW YEAR'S EVE; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 174 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 175 Q:

IN TALKING TO MISS NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON DID YOU DISCUSS WITH HER THE FACT THAT SHE HAD BEEN TO A PARTY THAT EVENING?

# 176 A:

I ASKED HER.

# 177 MR. DARDEN:

OBJECTION, THAT CALLS FOR HEARSAY, YOUR HONOR.

# 178 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

# 179 DET. JOHN EDWARDS:

YES.

# 180 Q:

BY MR. COCHRAN: SHE INDICATED SHE HAD BEEN TO A PARTY; IS THAT CORRECT?

# 181 A:

THAT'S CORRECT.

# 182 Q:

AS YOU THINK ABOUT IT, YOU HAD LUNCHTIME TO THINK ABOUT IT, YOU RECALL, DON'T YOU, THAT SHE HAD BEEN DRINKING THAT NIGHT? DO YOU RECALL THAT NOW?

# 183 A:

NO, THAT IS NOT IT -- NO, I DON'T.

# 184 Q:

YOU DON'T RECALL THAT?

# 185 A:

NO, I DON'T RECALL HER TO HAVE BEEN DRINKING.

KEY QUOTE

# 186 Q:

DID YOU WRITE THAT IN ANY OF YOUR REPORTS, SIR?

# 187 A:

THAT SHE HAD BEEN DRINKING?

# 188 Q:

YES, WHETHER OR NOT SHE HAD BEEN DRINKING?

# 189 A:

I DON'T THINK I DID.

# 190 Q:

DID YOU ASCERTAIN THAT BOTH SHE AND MR. SIMPSON HAD BEEN TO A NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY?

# 191 MR. DARDEN:

SAME OBJECTION.

# 192 THE COURT:

OVERRULED.

# 193 DET. JOHN EDWARDS:

YES.

Temperature

tense

Key Quotes (4)

John Edwards

NOBODY INTERVIEWED HER.

Edwards confirms that neither he, his sergeant, nor his partner interviewed the eyewitness Michelle Abudrahm, who was present at the scene — a significant investigative failure Cochran is building toward.

John Edwards

NO.

Edwards admits the muddy pants Nicole was wearing — potentially corroborating physical evidence — were never booked into evidence and are unavailable to the court.

John Edwards

I NEVER GOT PAST THE FRONT GATE.

Edwards testifies he never entered the residence during the initial call, limiting the scope of his observations and undermining the thoroughness of the response.

John Edwards

NO, I DON'T RECALL HER TO HAVE BEEN DRINKING.

Cochran attempts to suggest Nicole had been drinking on New Year's Eve, possibly to cast doubt on the nature of the incident, but Edwards denies recalling any such observation.

Evidence (4)

Informal

Polaroid photographs of Nicole Brown Simpson taken at West L.A. Station

discussed — Edwards says he took only three shots until the film was empty; denies photographing Nicole in the police car

Informal

Incident report written by partner Officer Milewski

discussed — contains observations from the bathroom examination of Nicole's body; hearsay objection sustained preventing Edwards from testifying to its contents

Informal

Nicole Brown Simpson's mud-stained white pants

discussed — Edwards confirms mud was on the right side from waist down, consistent with injuries on her right side; never booked into evidence

Informal

911 dispatch log / CAD printout showing 3:58 AM call time

used by Cochran to refresh Edwards' recollection and establish arrival time closer to 4:00–4:30 AM

Notable Exchanges (4)

Johnnie Cochran•John Edwards

Cochran methodically establishes that neither Edwards, his sergeant, nor his trainee partner interviewed eyewitness Michelle Abudrahm, who was present at the Rockingham gate — she was simply told to leave under Penal Code 148.

strategic

Johnnie Cochran•John Edwards

Cochran extracts that Nicole's mud-stained pants were never booked into evidence, highlighting a chain-of-custody failure for potentially corroborating physical evidence from the 1989 incident.

revealing

Johnnie Cochran•Christopher Darden•Lance A. Ito

Darden objects that a question about whether mud location was consistent with injury location is vague; Ito asks Darden to clarify the objection, Darden and Cochran briefly argue, and Cochran moves on without pursuing the point.

procedural

Johnnie Cochran•John Edwards

Cochran uses the 3:58 AM 911 call time to correct Edwards' earlier estimate of arriving 'after 3:30,' establishing arrival at approximately 4:00–4:30 AM on New Year's Day.

strategic

Credibility Attacks (2)

⚔ John Edwards

omissions / investigative failure

Cochran establishes that Edwards' team failed to interview any witnesses at the scene (Michelle Abudrahm, the nanny), failed to book Nicole's mud-stained pants into evidence, and that Edwards himself never entered the residence — painting the 1989 response as cursory and incomplete.

⚔ John Edwards

prior inconsistent statement

Cochran challenges Edwards' testimony that he understood Nicole was 'being beaten' — Edwards clarifies this came from a dispatcher's transcription, not Nicole's own words, and admits he cannot recall if he misstated this earlier.

Witness Demeanor

(NO AUDIBLE RESPONSE) — when asked if he was aware there was a nanny inside the house

Objections

5 objections (1 sustained, 3 overruled)

Proceeding 4551 • 193 utterances • Prosecution witness

Criminal Trial

Department 103