Direct examination of Wayne Stanfield (part 2)

📄 Direct examination of Wayne Stanfield (part 2) — Wednesday, July 12, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\JUL\12\DIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-WAYNE-ST.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 113 of 167

◀ Direct examination of Wayne Stanfield (part 1) Cross-examination of Wayne Stanfield ▶

Witness: Wayne Stanfield
Examiner: F. Lee Bailey
Called by: Defense • Date: Wednesday, July 12, 1995 • Utterances: 26

F. Lee Bailey conducts a brief direct examination of Captain Wayne Stanfield, a pilot who interacted with OJ Simpson on a flight and obtained his autograph. The testimony is designed to establish that Simpson appeared calm, relaxed, and alert, and that Stanfield observed no cuts, bandages, or injuries on his hands.

# 1 MR. BAILEY:

Would you raise the paper, please.

# 2 MR. BAILEY:

Is that the signature that was inscribed that night by Mr. Simpson in your presence?

# 3 MR. STANFIELD:

Yes, sir, it is.

# 4 MR. BAILEY:

And the word, "Peace to you," is that in his handwriting?

# 5 MR. STANFIELD:

Yes, it is.

# 6 MR. BAILEY:

All right. Now, Captain, you said that you have seen Mr. Simpson from time to time through the media?

# 7 MR. STANFIELD:

Yes.

# 8 MR. BAILEY:

Could you compare the demeanor you observed that night in your conversation with Mr. Simpson, the way he acted, the way he reacted to you to the way you've seen him in other circumstances?

# 9 MR. STANFIELD:

It was the same.

# 10 MR. BAILEY:

All right. Did he appear to be relaxed?

# 11 MR. STANFIELD:

Yes, he did.

# 12 MR. BAILEY:

Did he appear to respond to your questions in an alert fashion?

# 13 MR. STANFIELD:

Yes, he did.

# 14 MR. BAILEY:

Did you see anything at all unusual about him that night?

# 15 MR. STANFIELD:

No, sir.

# 16 MR. BAILEY:

When you went back to the cockpit, without going into anything that was said, did you have a conversation with Mr. Simpson--about Mr. Simpson with your co-pilot or a remark?

# 17 MR. STANFIELD:

Yes, sir.

# 18 (Discussion between the Defense attorneys and the Defendant was had.)

# 19 MR. BAILEY:

Okay. When you were seated next to Mr. Simpson that night, Captain, and he was writing in your book, did you see both of his hands?

# 20 MR. STANFIELD:

Yes.

# 21 MR. BAILEY:

Did you see any bandages or injuries that caught your attention?

# 22 MR. STANFIELD:

No, sir. I didn't register on that at all.

KEY QUOTE

# 23 MR. BAILEY:

Was there anything about the hands you saw that night or Mr. Simpson's appearance otherwise?

# 24 MR. STANFIELD:

My only observation is that he has a much larger hand than I would have expected, but nothing as far as cuts or anything.

KEY QUOTE

# 25 MR. BAILEY:

Thank you. Your witness.

# 26 THE COURT:

Mr. Darden.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (3)

Wayne Stanfield

It was the same.

Stanfield affirms Simpson's demeanor on the flight matched how he normally appeared in media — undermining prosecution narratives of agitation or guilt.

Wayne Stanfield

My only observation is that he has a much larger hand than I would have expected, but nothing as far as cuts or anything.

Direct eyewitness testimony that Simpson's hands showed no visible injuries the night in question, relevant to the glove and cut-hand evidence threads.

Wayne Stanfield

No, sir. I didn't register on that at all.

Stanfield's failure to notice any bandages or injuries on Simpson's hands supports the defense timeline challenge.

Evidence (1)

Informal

Autograph book containing OJ Simpson's signature and the inscription 'Peace to you,' signed in Stanfield's presence on the night in question

displayed and confirmed

Notable Exchanges (1)

F. Lee Bailey•Wayne Stanfield

Bailey walks Stanfield through a systematic checklist of Simpson's appearance and demeanor — relaxed, alert, no injuries, same as always — building a picture of normalcy on the night in question.

strategic

Light Moments (1)

Wayne Stanfield

Stanfield notes Simpson 'has a much larger hand than I would have expected' — an offhand observation that inadvertently undercuts glove-fit arguments while adding a human, almost bemused note to the testimony.

Witness Demeanor

(Discussion between the Defense attorneys and the Defendant was had.)

Objections

None recorded

Proceeding 6787 • 26 utterances • Defense witness

Criminal Trial

Department 103