📄 Direct examination of Danny Mandel (part 2) — Tuesday, July 11, 1995
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\JUL\11\DIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-DANNY-MA.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 112 of 167

Direct examination of Danny Mandel (part 2)

Witness: Danny Mandel
Examiner: Robert Shapiro
Called by: Defense • Date: Tuesday, July 11, 1995 • Utterances: 70
Robert Shapiro conducts a brief direct examination of Danny Mandel, a neighbor who walked past 875 South Bundy at approximately 10:30 PM on June 12, 1994. Mandel testifies he saw no blood, no body, no bloody paw prints, and heard no barking dogs — critical defense testimony pushing back on the prosecution's murder timeline. The proceeding concludes with a brief logistics pause while waiting for a diagram exhibit to arrive.
1 MR. SHAPIRO:

I want you to look at the monitor now and can you describe to the jury whether or not that is a location that you have seen before?

2 MR. MANDEL:

Yes, it is.

3 MR. SHAPIRO:

And what location is that?

4 MR. MANDEL:

That is 875 Bundy, the--

5 MR. SHAPIRO:

When you walked by that location on the 12th, did you see any blood in the area that is depicted in the photograph?

6 MR. MANDEL:

No, I did not.

7 MR. SHAPIRO:

Did you see the shape or silhouette of the body of a person when you walked by?

8 MR. MANDEL:

No, I did not.

9 MR. SHAPIRO:

And you have told us you heard no barking dogs?

10 MR. MANDEL:

Correct.

11 MR. SHAPIRO:

Do you have any way of relating to this jury what time you walked by that condominium?

12 MR. MANDEL:

Yes.

13 MR. SHAPIRO:

How can you relate what time it was?

14 MR. MANDEL:

Well, both by knowing the credit card time and having approximation of how long I sat before I left, and then also when I was on Darlington a few houses down from Ellen's apartment I happened to glance at my watch and--

15 MR. SHAPIRO:

What time was it when you glanced at your watch?

16 MR. MANDEL:

It was at the bottom of the hour, approximately 10:30. It could be a minute or two before or after.

KEY QUOTE
17 MR. SHAPIRO:

And how far was that location from 875 south Bundy when you looked at your watch?

18 MR. MANDEL:

In time it is probably about three--three-minute walk, three or four-minute walk.

19 MR. SHAPIRO:

Have you walked that since that night?

20 MR. MANDEL:

Yes, I have.

21 MR. SHAPIRO:

And were you able to mark the amount of time it took?

22 MR. MANDEL:

Yes, I did.

23 MR. SHAPIRO:

And is that how you have come up with this estimate?

24 MR. MANDEL:

Yeah.

25 MR. SHAPIRO:

Was there anything unusual whatsoever, at approximately 10:30 on June the 12th, that you recall when you walked by the condominium of Nicole Brown Simpson?

26 MR. MANDEL:

No.

27 MR. SHAPIRO:

May I just have a moment, your Honor?

28 THE COURT:

Mr. Shapiro, which exhibit was that that you used on the elmo?

29 MR. SHAPIRO:

That is People's 42, your Honor, for the record.

30 THE COURT:

All right.

31 MR. COCHRAN:

May I have a second, your Honor?

32 (Discussion held off the record between Defense counsel.)
33 MR. SHAPIRO:

Now, you have discussed the areas of your testimony with the jury with me prior to your testimony; is that correct?

34 MR. MANDEL:

With the jury?

35 MR. SHAPIRO:

What you've talked about today, did you discuss that with me?

36 MR. MANDEL:

Correct, yes.

37 MR. SHAPIRO:

That was a couple weeks ago?

38 MR. MANDEL:

Yes.

39 MR. SHAPIRO:

Did you also have the opportunity of talking to anybody from the District Attorney's office?

40 MR. MANDEL:

Yes, I did.

41 MR. SHAPIRO:

With whom did you talk to at the District Attorney's office?

42 MR. MANDEL:

With Marcia Clark and with Bill Hodgman.

KEY QUOTE
43 MR. SHAPIRO:

And did you tell them what you have told the jury here?

44 MR. MANDEL:

Yes, I did.

45 MR. SHAPIRO:

Your Honor, we would, with the Court's permission, like to show a diagram of the area. It is on its way, and perhaps we might want to ask the Court to--

46 THE COURT:

I think we already have several diagrams, and if you recollect, part of the crime scene view with the jury was to give them the relationship of the Mezzaluna restaurant and its proximity to Bundy add perhaps Mrs. Robertson can assist us with this.

47 MR. SHAPIRO:

Thank you. We would appreciate that.

48 MR. SHAPIRO:

Did you tell the members of the District Attorney's office about the receipt from the Mezzaluna restaurant?

49 MR. MANDEL:

Yes, I did.

50 MR. SHAPIRO:

And did you tell them how you were able to gauge the time?

51 MR. MANDEL:

Yes, I did.

52 MR. SHAPIRO:

Did you see any footprints that looked like bloody paw prints in the area as you were walking on 875 south Bundy?

53 MR. MANDEL:

No, I didn't.

54 MR. SHAPIRO:

Do you recall how long you spent with members of the District Attorney's office?

55 MR. MANDEL:

I was in the office probably approximately an hour.

56 MR. SHAPIRO:

And do you recall when you talked to them?

57 MR. MANDEL:

What month?

58 MR. SHAPIRO:

Yes.

59 MR. MANDEL:

Back in I believe it was September.

60 MR. SHAPIRO:

Of 1994?

61 MR. MANDEL:

Yes.

62 MR. SHAPIRO:

May I just have a moment, please?

63 (Discussion held off the record between Defense counsel.)
64 MR. SHAPIRO:

We understand it is downstairs, your Honor.

65 (Discussion held off the record between Defense counsel.)
66 THE COURT:

All right. What is your ETA for your exhibit?

67 MR. COCHRAN:

Within five minutes.

68 MR. DOUGLAS:

Their board and our board.

69 THE COURT:

All right. Then Mr. Shapiro, how about if we start with the cross-examination. I will allow you to reopen as to the diagram.

70 MR. SHAPIRO:

Thank you very much, your Honor.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (3)

Danny Mandel
It was at the bottom of the hour, approximately 10:30. It could be a minute or two before or after.
Establishes Mandel's precise time estimate as he passed near the crime scene, anchored by his watch and a Mezzaluna restaurant credit card receipt — directly challenges the prosecution's murder timeline.
Danny Mandel
No, I did not.
Repeated denial of seeing blood, a body, or hearing dogs — the cumulative effect of these negatives is the entire point of calling this witness.
Danny Mandel
With Marcia Clark and with Bill Hodgman.
Establishes the prosecution knew about this witness since September 1994 — undermining any suggestion the defense manufactured or coached his account.

Evidence (3)

People's 42
Photograph of 875 South Bundy displayed on the Elmo projector
shown to witness for identification
Informal
Mezzaluna restaurant credit card receipt used by Mandel to anchor his timeline
referenced verbally to establish time of walk
Informal
Area diagram showing relationship between Mezzaluna restaurant and Bundy
requested but not yet introduced — still being retrieved at close of examination

Notable Exchanges (2)

Judge ItoRobert Shapiro
Judge identifies that the diagram is redundant given prior crime scene visit with jury and suggests using existing exhibits; Shapiro defers gracefully.
routine/collegial
Judge ItoJohnnie CochranRobert Shapiro
Examination paused mid-stream while waiting for the diagram exhibit to arrive from downstairs; judge pivots to suggest starting cross-examination with permission to reopen for the diagram.
logistical

Objections

None recorded
Proceeding 6740 • 70 utterances • Defense witness
Criminal Trial
Department 103
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📂 JUL 11, 1995 📄 Direct examination of Danny Ma
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