Marcia Clark cross-examined interior decorator Mary Collins, who had met with OJ Simpson and Paula Barbieri on June 6, 1994 to discuss redecorating the Rockingham home. Clark probed whether the redecorating — particularly of Nicole's bathroom and the master bedroom — reflected Simpson's effort to erase Nicole's presence from the home, and attempted to show Collins a wedding photograph of OJ and Nicole that Collins could not identify. The examination was largely blocked by sustained scope objections from Cochran.
# 1 MR. COCHRAN: Yes, I'm finished I think. I think I'm finished.
# 2 THE COURT: All right. Miss Clark.
# 3 MS. CLARK: You want me to do it all now?
CROSS-EXAMINATION BY MS. CLARK
# 4 MS. CLARK: Good afternoon, Miss Collins.
# 5 MS. COLLINS: Good afternoon.
# 6 MS. CLARK: Can you tell us when you got the call to come over and do the meeting with Mr. Simpson and Paula?
# 7 MS. COLLINS: Uh, I think it was about a week before I met with him.
# 8 MS. CLARK: So that would have been sometime around memorial day?
# 9 MS. COLLINS: Umm, maybe it was a little before memorial day.
# 10 MS. CLARK: Just before that weekend maybe?
# 11 MS. COLLINS: Probably. I can't remember for sure.
# 12 MS. CLARK: Okay. But around that time.
# 13 MS. COLLINS: I think so.
# 14 MS. CLARK: Okay. It wasn't that day or the day before that, right?
# 16 MS. CLARK: All right. Now, when you were in the--in the bedroom, did you look around, kind of get acquainted with what was already there so you could get some ideas about what you were going to do?
# 17 MS. COLLINS: Yes. I had been there before.
# 18 MS. CLARK: On more than one occasion, correct?
# 20 MS. CLARK: I have a photograph that I'd like to show you, a couple of them actually.
# 21 MS. CLARK: I would ask that these photographs, your Honor, be marked People's 491 and 492.
# 22 THE COURT: 491 and 492.
# 23 (Peo's 491 and 492 for id = photographs) # 24 MS. CLARK: I'm going to show them to counsel.
# 25 (Discussion held off the record between Defense counsel.) # 26 THE COURT: All right. Miss Clark.
# 27 MS. CLARK: Thank you, your Honor.
# 28 MR. COCHRAN: May we approach, your Honor?
# 29 (A conference was held at the bench, not reported.) # 30 (The following proceedings were held in open court:) # 31 THE COURT: Miss Clark.
# 32 MS. CLARK: Thank you, your Honor.
# 33 MS. CLARK: You stated you had been at the Rockingham location on previous occasions, correct?
# 34 MS. COLLINS: That's correct.
# 35 MS. CLARK: And were you ever at that location during the time that the Defendant was married to Nicole Brown?
# 36 MS. COLLINS: I don't believe so.
# 37 MS. CLARK: So when had you been there prior to the date of June the 6th when you met with Mr. Simpson and Paula?
# 38 MS. COLLINS: It was--I believe it was right before his 45th birthday and I think Paula was planning a party for him, and at that time, we were trying to put the house together for this event.
# 39 MS. CLARK: Now, you said you had known the Defendant for 20 years?
# 41 MS. CLARK: Did you ever meet Nicole Brown?
# 43 MS. CLARK: So you knew who she was?
# 45 MS. CLARK: And when you were in the Defendant's bedroom--strike that. On his 45th birthday, was that at the Rockingham location as well?
# 47 MS. CLARK: And did you have occasion to go up to his bedroom at that time?
# 49 MS. CLARK: Did you see any photographs in his bedroom at that time?
# 50 MS. COLLINS: I must have. I think I did.
# 51 MS. CLARK: Okay. And did you see photographs of the Defendant with Nicole Brown in his bedroom at that time?
# 52 MS. COLLINS: I don't remember that.
# 53 MS. CLARK: Okay. If I showed you a photograph, would that refresh your recollection and you could tell us whether or not you had ever seen it before?
# 54 MS. COLLINS: Maybe so.
# 55 MR. COCHRAN: Your Honor, I would object to the form of the question. Time frame, there's no foundation.
# 56 THE COURT: Sustained.
# 57 MS. CLARK: Okay. Could you tell us when that was, the 45th birthday?
# 58 MS. COLLINS: It--did you just have your 47th? I don't know. It seems like it was like two years ago. Could have been--I think it was about two years ago.
# 59 MS. CLARK: All right. About two years ago? And on June the 6th, when you were there, do you recall seeing any photographs in the Defendant's bedroom?
# 60 MS. COLLINS: On June the 6th?
# 61 MS. CLARK: 1994. Uh-huh.
# 62 MS. COLLINS: It seems like he does have a lot of pictures of his family, yes.
KEY QUOTE # 63 MS. CLARK: And do you recall seeing a photograph of him with Nicole Brown at that time?
# 64 MR. COCHRAN: Your Honor, what time are we talking about?
# 65 MS. CLARK: We're on June 6th.
# 66 MS. COLLINS: Umm, I can't say that I recall that.
# 67 MS. CLARK: Okay. Would it refresh your recollection if I were to show you a photograph and you could tell us whether you recall seeing it or not?
# 68 MS. COLLINS: I--yes.
# 69 MS. CLARK: People's 491, your Honor.
# 70 THE COURT: All right. Just show it to her to refresh her recollection.
# 71 MS. COLLINS: I can't say that this picture looks familiar to me.
# 72 MS. CLARK: You don't recall having seen that?
# 73 MS. COLLINS: It's very small. I can't make it out too well. Is that her in a wedding dress?
# 74 THE COURT: The issue is, does it refresh her recollection.
# 75 MS. CLARK: Does it refresh your recollection?
# 77 MS. CLARK: It does not. Can you tell us whether or not you recall seeing this photograph?
# 78 MS. COLLINS: I don't recall seeing that photograph.
# 79 MS. CLARK: You recall that there were photographs on the nightstand, correct?
# 81 MS. CLARK: And you don't recall seeing that photograph on the nightstand?
# 82 MS. COLLINS: I don't recall that.
# 83 MS. CLARK: Did you look under the bed?
# 84 MR. COCHRAN: I object, your Honor. Object.
# 85 THE COURT: Sustained. Sustained.
# 86 MS. CLARK: Did you look under the bed while you were there?
# 87 MR. COCHRAN: Your Honor, objection.
# 88 THE COURT: Sustained. Actually no. As part of the job, did you do that?
# 89 MS. COLLINS: No. I--I never looked under the bed.
KEY QUOTE # 90 MS. CLARK: Did your assistant?
# 92 MS. CLARK: So you don't know whether there was anything under the bed then?
# 94 MR. COCHRAN: Calls for speculation, your Honor.
# 95 THE COURT: Overruled. All right. Is there much more?
# 96 MS. CLARK: No. Not much more, your Honor. Thank you.
# 97 MS. CLARK: Now, are you in the habit of having--strike that. On June the 6th, ma'am, did you have a conversation with the Defendant about the nature of his relationship with Nicole Brown or the nature of his relationship with Paula Barbieri?
# 98 MR. COCHRAN: Object. That's beyond the scope. Object.
# 99 THE COURT: Overruled.
# 100 MR. COCHRAN: Also compound.
# 101 THE COURT: It is. Rephrase the question.
# 102 MS. CLARK: Okay. Did you have a conversation with the Defendant about the nature of his relationship with Nicole Brown on June the 6th?
# 103 MS. COLLINS: No. I didn't have a conversation like that.
# 104 MS. CLARK: And were you aware of any correspondence he had had with Nicole Brown on June the 6th, 1994?
# 105 MR. COCHRAN: Object. Assumes a fact not in evidence.
# 106 THE COURT: Overruled. Were you aware of anything like that?
# 107 MS. COLLINS: I was not aware, no.
# 108 MS. CLARK: Have you ever redecorated for people who have been divorced on prior occasions?
# 109 MR. COCHRAN: That's irrelevant and immaterial, your Honor.
# 110 THE COURT: Overruled.
# 111 MS. COLLINS: Umm, I just can't recall of decorating for anybody that--you mean that just got divorced?
# 112 MS. CLARK: Not just. Let me put it a different way. Have you ever had the experience that a new lover or spouse will come in and want to change the house to suit them?
# 113 MR. COCHRAN: Object to the form of the question.
# 114 THE COURT: Overruled.
# 115 MS. COLLINS: Umm, actually no, I don't think I ever have.
# 116 MS. CLARK: Do you know whose idea it was to redecorate the bedroom, whether it was Paula's idea or the Defendant's idea initially?
# 117 MR. COCHRAN: Calls for speculation.
# 118 THE COURT: If you know.
# 119 MS. CLARK: If you know.
# 120 MS. COLLINS: I don't know.
# 121 MS. CLARK: And the bathroom that Paula was complaining about and wanted to change so badly, that was Nicole's bathroom?
KEY QUOTE # 122 MS. COLLINS: I believe it was, yes.
# 123 MS. CLARK: The check that--
# 124 (Discussion held off the record between the Deputy District Attorneys.) # 125 MS. CLARK: Let me ask you this, ma'am. Were the bedroom and the bathroom, that bathroom that Paula was complaining about, the only rooms being changed?
# 126 MR. COCHRAN: Your Honor, object to the word "Complaining about."
# 127 THE COURT: Overruled.
# 128 MR. COCHRAN: That misstates the evidence.
# 129 THE COURT: Overruled.
# 130 MS. COLLINS: I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?
# 131 MS. CLARK: Sure. The master bedroom and the bathroom that Paula didn't like, were those the only two rooms that you were being asked to change?
# 133 MS. CLARK: What else were you?
# 134 MS. COLLINS: I was asked to change Justin's room and a little something for Sidney and also recovering the sofas in the television viewing room.
# 135 MS. CLARK: Now, the changes that were requested in Sidney and Justin's room, were those more or were those more extensive or less extensive than the changes requested in the master bedroom and Nicole's bathroom?
# 136 MS. COLLINS: No, they were not more extensive.
# 137 MS. CLARK: Were they less extensive?
# 138 MS. COLLINS: I mean, they were less extensive.
# 139 MS. CLARK: Much less?
# 140 MS. COLLINS: Uh, well, we wanted to completely change Justin's room because he was a young boy instead of a baby and it was a very babyish room. So that was going to have a big change. But nothing probably as big as the master suite.
# 141 MS. CLARK: Uh-huh. And who were you discussing the changes--strike that.
# 142 MS. CLARK: May I have a moment, your Honor?
# 143 (Discussion held off the record between the Deputy District Attorneys.) # 144 MS. CLARK: The person that signed the retainer check, Taft, do you know who that is?
# 145 MS. COLLINS: Yes, I do.
# 146 MS. CLARK: Who's that?
# 147 MS. COLLINS: Skip Taft, O.J.'s attorney.
# 148 MS. CLARK: Are you acquainted with him?
# 149 MS. COLLINS: Pardon?
# 150 MS. CLARK: Are you acquainted with him?
# 151 MS. COLLINS: Yes, I am.
# 152 MS. CLARK: I have here a letter, your Honor, that's been marked as People's 25. I would like to show it to the witness.
# 153 MR. COCHRAN: Your Honor, may I see it?
# 155 (Discussion held off the record between the Deputy District Attorney and Defense counsel.) # 156 MR. COCHRAN: May we approach, your Honor?
# 158 MR. COCHRAN: Scope. I have a scope objection.
# 159 THE COURT: All right. Sustained. Sustained.
# 160 MR. COCHRAN: Thank you.
# 161 MS. CLARK: You know, don't you?
# 163 MS. CLARK: May I ask if you saw the Defendant on June the 12th, ma'am?
# 164 MS. COLLINS: No, I did not see the Defendant on June the 12th.
# 165 MS. CLARK: Okay. So you don't know in what mood he was in on June the 12th, do you?
# 166 MR. COCHRAN: Objection, your Honor. That's irrelevant, beyond the scope.
# 167 THE COURT: Overruled.
# 168 MS. COLLINS: I have no idea.
# 169 MS. CLARK: You don't know what he was wearing on June the 12th, 1994?
# 170 MR. COCHRAN: Beyond the scope.
# 171 THE COURT: That is.
# 173 MR. COCHRAN: Sustained. I'm sorry.
# 174 THE COURT: Anything else?
# 175 MS. CLARK: No. Thank you, your Honor. Thank you, ma'am.