Mark Partridge, a lawyer who sat next to OJ Simpson on a flight from Chicago to Los Angeles on the morning of June 13, 1994, testified about Simpson's emotional state during the four-hour flight. Partridge described Simpson as consistently distressed and distraught throughout, making phone calls and sighing heavily, and said he appeared sincere rather than acting. Partridge also described his subsequent attempts to contact LAPD, which resulted in only a brief 10-15 minute phone call months later, and confirmed he voluntarily shared detailed notes with both the defense and prosecution without selling his story to the media.
# 1 MR. COCHRAN: Let me see if I can rephrase it. You made a statement to Mr. Simpson?
# 2 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes, I did.
# 3 MR. COCHRAN: And without telling us what you said to him, did he respond? And you can answer that yes or no.
# 4 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes, he did.
# 5 MR. COCHRAN: And in his response, did that give you some idea what had happened in his life or information he just received?
# 7 MR. COCHRAN: All right. So you then had an idea of what was going on in Mr. Simpson's life at that point; is that right?
# 9 MR. COCHRAN: And with regard to his state of being upset or distressed, did that condition continue on as you moved westward towards Los Angeles?
# 11 MR. COCHRAN: Did you have further conversations with Mr. Simpson?
# 12 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes, I did.
# 13 MR. COCHRAN: And did the subject matter of those conversations relate to someone who was very near and dear to him who had been killed or murdered?
# 14 MS. CLARK: Objection, your Honor. This is hearsay.
# 16 MS. CLARK: Counsel is testifying for the witness.
# 17 THE COURT: Sustained. Answer is stricken. Proceed.
# 18 MR. COCHRAN: All right. The subject matter of these conversations dealt with what was troubling with Mr. Simpson; is that right?
# 19 MS. CLARK: Same objection.
# 20 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes. That's right.
# 21 THE COURT: Overruled.
# 22 MR. COCHRAN: Did that continue to occupy much of the conversation that you had with him on your flight west?
# 23 MS. CLARK: Objection. Leading.
# 24 THE COURT: Overruled.
# 25 MR. COCHRAN: You can answer that.
# 26 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes, it did.
# 27 MR. COCHRAN: And how long was that flight coming west?
# 28 MR. PARTRIDGE: Four hours approximately.
# 29 MR. COCHRAN: And during this period of time, did you see whether or not Mr. Simpson drank any of the water he was given at the outset, any additional water?
# 30 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes. He drank water throughout the flight.
# 31 MR. COCHRAN: And do you have an estimate of how much water he drank?
# 32 MR. PARTRIDGE: Probably a small avian bottle and he may have had a second.
# 33 MR. COCHRAN: Possibly two?
# 35 MR. COCHRAN: Did you see him go to the rest room during any of this time frame?
# 36 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes. He went to the rest room two or three times.
# 37 MR. COCHRAN: Did the subject matter of any children that Mr. Simpson--
# 38 MS. CLARK: Objection, your Honor.
# 39 MR. COCHRAN: Let me finish the question.
# 41 THE COURT: Sustained.
# 42 MR. COCHRAN: Can I finish it?
# 43 THE COURT: Sustained.
# 44 MR. COCHRAN: All right. Did Mr. Simpson continue to appear distressed and distraught as you described?
# 45 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes, he did.
# 46 MR. COCHRAN: And can you describe or give the jury a word picture as you watched him, sitting next to him, of how he appeared to you to be without giving us any conversation?
# 47 MR. PARTRIDGE: Well, as I said, he sighed heavily several times. He made a number of phone calls as I said. It seemed to me that he was trying to get information about--
# 48 MS. CLARK: Objection. Hearsay and speculation.
# 49 THE COURT: Sustained. Next question.
# 50 MR. COCHRAN: Well, in the course of these phone calls, you could hear at least his side of the conversation; could you not?
# 51 MR. PARTRIDGE: I could hear some of what he said, yes.
# 52 MR. COCHRAN: All right. And after these phone conversations, did you get an impression that additional information was coming to him based upon what you heard him say without telling us what he said?
# 53 MS. CLARK: Objection. Hearsay.
# 54 THE COURT: Sustained.
# 55 MR. COCHRAN: All right. In the course of your conversation with Mr. Simpson, did he tend to discuss with you greater details after these phone conversations?
# 56 MS. CLARK: Objection. Hearsay.
# 57 THE COURT: Overruled.
# 58 MR. PARTRIDGE: As the flight went on, I learned more details from the things he told me, yes.
# 59 MR. COCHRAN: All right. So after a while, without telling us what it was, you had an impression of what had taken place in this man's life--
# 61 MR. COCHRAN: --at that time?
# 62 MS. CLARK: Objection. Leading.
# 63 THE COURT: Overruled.
# 64 MR. COCHRAN: Now, did the subject matter--did you at some point tell him what your occupation was?
# 65 MR. PARTRIDGE: No, I did not. Well, let me correct that. He asked me, and I confirmed that I was a lawyer.
# 66 MR. COCHRAN: All right. Were you acting like a lawyer, looking like a lawyer?
# 67 MR. PARTRIDGE: Perhaps. I had legal documents with me that I was working on.
# 68 MR. COCHRAN: And at some point, did you have occasion to give or loan Mr. Simpson a pen, fountain pen?
# 69 MR. PARTRIDGE: I did, yes. He asked to borrow my pen.
# 70 MR. COCHRAN: Did he during this flight--strike that. Did the condition of his being upset and distressed continue during the flight?
# 71 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes, it did.
# 72 MR. COCHRAN: Now, you had never met Mr. Simpson before that time, had you?
# 73 MR. PARTRIDGE: No, I had not.
# 74 MR. COCHRAN: You know that one of his occupations, professions has been, he's an actor. Do you understand that?
# 75 MR. PARTRIDGE: I understand that, yes.
# 76 MR. COCHRAN: Did he appear to you to be acting as you observed him there?
# 77 MS. CLARK: Objection. Calls for speculation.
# 78 THE COURT: Overruled.
# 79 MR. COCHRAN: You may answer?
# 80 MR. PARTRIDGE: No. I thought the way he was behaving was very sincere.
KEY QUOTE # 81 MR. COCHRAN: Now, even though he appeared to be very distressed and upset, did someone approach him and ask him for an autograph that you observed?
# 82 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes. During the flight, someone passed him a note asking for an autograph.
# 83 MR. COCHRAN: And did he respond to that?
# 84 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes. He took the paper and gave the gentleman an autograph.
# 85 MR. COCHRAN: What was the paper that it came on?
# 86 MR. PARTRIDGE: I believe it was an airplane cocktail napkin.
# 87 MR. COCHRAN: As he did that, did he still appear to you to be upset and distraught?
# 88 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes. That was consistent throughout.
# 89 MR. COCHRAN: And did that trigger some sort of a thought in your mind when this happened?
# 90 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes, it did. I thought what a nice man this was to be doing this, having heard what I had heard about the tragedy that was affecting his life.
KEY QUOTE # 91 MR. COCHRAN: At some point, you reached Los Angeles International Airport?
# 93 MR. COCHRAN: Had the state of distress and distraughtness that you talked to us about, had that remained throughout the entire flight?
# 94 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes. It was consistent through the flight as I said.
# 95 MR. COCHRAN: Did it come time for you all to get off of that flight?
# 97 MR. COCHRAN: And do you recall whether or not who--which of you got up first to leave that particular flight, 1691?
# 98 MR. PARTRIDGE: He was up first and got ahead of--ahead of me in the "U" leading out of the plane.
# 99 MR. COCHRAN: From the "U" leading out of the plane, did he at some point turn around and say something to you?
# 100 MR. PARTRIDGE: Well, there were several people--
# 101 MS. CLARK: Objection. Hearsay.
# 102 MR. COCHRAN: You can answer that yes or no.
# 103 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes.
# 104 MR. COCHRAN: Could you see his lips as he was in front of you?
# 105 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes.
# 106 MR. COCHRAN: And did he thank you at this point for your help?
# 107 MR. PARTRIDGE: He turned back, and what I could see him saying was thank you.
# 108 MR. COCHRAN: Did he then leave the plane?
# 109 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes, he did.
# 110 MR. COCHRAN: And as he left that plane, did you see him anymore that day?
# 111 MR. PARTRIDGE: No, I did not.
# 112 MR. COCHRAN: I presume you went on about your business that day, did you?
# 113 MR. PARTRIDGE: I did, yes.
# 114 MR. COCHRAN: And you didn't see him when he left at that point, right?
# 115 MR. PARTRIDGE: No. As I said, he was ahead of me in the line leading out of the plane and I didn't see him when I was off the plane.
# 116 MR. COCHRAN: Did you at some point--
# 117 MR. COCHRAN: Can I have just one second, your Honor?
# 118 (Discussion held off the record between Defense counsel.) # 119 MR. COCHRAN: Now, you described for us how the conversation went while you were on the plane and the information that you gathered over the period of the flight, and you've told us that you're a lawyer?
# 120 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes.
# 121 MR. COCHRAN: And based upon those kinds of things, did you at some point feel that you should give Mr. Simpson some advice? You can answer that yes or no.
# 122 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes.
# 123 MR. COCHRAN: And did you at some point give him some advice?
# 124 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes.
# 125 MR. COCHRAN: And what advice if any did you give him?
# 126 MS. CLARK: Objection. Hearsay.
# 127 THE COURT: Sustained.
# 128 MR. COCHRAN: I would like to be heard on that, your Honor. I think I can phrase it another way, but I would like the Court to hear a brief offer regarding that.
# 129 THE COURT: All right. We are going to take a 10-minute recess at this point in any event. I'll hear you over at sidebar. Mr. Partridge, you can step down. Come back in 10 minutes. Ladies and gentlemen, we're just going to take a brief comfort break, 10 minutes, and then be back in session. Let me see counsel.
# 130 (A conference was held at the bench, not reported.) # 131 (The following proceedings were held in open court, out of the presence of the jury:) # 132 THE COURT: All right. Back on the record in the Simpson matter. Let's have the jury, please. And counsel, we'll go up to 5:45.
# 133 MR. COCHRAN: Okay, your Honor. When I finish this next witness, I want to approach the bench with counsel for just a second, when she finishes her cross-examination.
# 134 THE COURT: All right.
# 135 (The following proceedings were held in open court, in the presence of the jury:) # 136 THE COURT: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Please be seated. Let the record reflect we've been rejoined by all the members of our jury panel. Mr. Partridge, would you resume the witness stand, please. Mr. Cochran.
# 137 MR. COCHRAN: Thank you very kindly, your Honor.
# 138 MR. COCHRAN: Now, Mr. Partridge, sir, when Mr. Simpson came on the plane, do you have a recollection of any of the bags, if he was carrying more than one bag, that he had with him at that time?
# 139 MR. PARTRIDGE: I remember that he brought back to the seat with him a black duffel or athletic bag, a leather bag.
# 140 MR. COCHRAN: All right.
# 141 MR. PARTRIDGE: And I also recall that he had a Louis Vuitton garment bag.
# 142 MR. COCHRAN: All right. And you recall the Louis Vuitton bag was--what happened to the Louis Vuitton bag on that flight if you know?
# 143 MR. PARTRIDGE: I don't remember the Louis Vuitton bag very well. It was left in the first class section.
# 144 MR. COCHRAN: Like in one of those storage closets, something like that?
# 145 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes.
# 146 MR. COCHRAN: All right. Now, sir--do you recall any other bags at this point?
# 148 MR. COCHRAN: All right.
# 149 MR. PARTRIDGE: The only one he brought back to the seat as I remember was the black leather bag.
# 150 MR. COCHRAN: All right. And did I ask you if you had any recollection of how he was dressed on that occasion?
# 151 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes. I said he was wearing a blue jean shirt and pants.
# 152 MR. COCHRAN: I see the Court is shaking his head yes. All right. Now, after this was all over and you were in Los Angeles, did you at any point after the 13th of June make an attempt to contact a police agency here in Los Angeles?
# 153 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes, I did.
# 154 MR. COCHRAN: Will you tell us what you did?
# 155 MR. PARTRIDGE: On the Friday after the flight, I called the Santa Monica Police, I was staying in Santa Monica, and I was referred to another phone number which I understood to be the LAPD number, and I called that number.
# 156 MR. COCHRAN: And did you--did you--you called the LAPD number, and were you able to make contact with any police officers at that point from LAPD?
# 157 MR. PARTRIDGE: I spoke to someone. I don't know the name of the person, I didn't get the name, and I explained that I had been on the flight, sat next to Mr. Simpson.
# 158 MR. COCHRAN: All right. And without going any further, did they send somebody out right away to take a statement from you?
# 159 MR. PARTRIDGE: No, they did not.
# 160 MR. COCHRAN: Did anybody take a statement from you at all based upon that conversation, that conversation that you made on Friday?
# 161 MR. PARTRIDGE: Based on that conversation, I don't believe so, no.
KEY QUOTE # 162 MR. COCHRAN: Now, at some point, you had occasion and you did in fact make some contact with the Defense; is that correct?
# 163 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes. That's right.
# 164 MR. COCHRAN: And at some point--in fact, you had a meeting in Chicago with Mr. F. Lee Bailey, the gentleman to my immediate left here; is that right?
# 165 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes, I did.
# 166 MR. COCHRAN: And did you at some point have occasion to speak with a Detective Croxley of the LAPD?
# 167 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes. In October of `94, I was called by someone who identified himself as Officer Croxley.
# 168 MR. COCHRAN: And he never saw you personally. It was a telephonic interview?
# 169 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes. It was by telephone.
# 170 MR. COCHRAN: How long did that conversation last if you know approximately?
# 171 MR. PARTRIDGE: It was fairly brief. 10 to 15 minutes.
# 172 MR. COCHRAN: Did he ever send you a copy of that statement at all?
# 173 MR. PARTRIDGE: No. I never saw a statement based on that.
# 174 MR. COCHRAN: Now, in connection with the--your conversation with Mr. OJ Simpson on the morning of June 13th, 1994, beginning at about 9:15 in the morning, did you have occasion to write any notes with regard to the things that the two of you talked about?
# 175 MR. PARTRIDGE: Two days later, on the 15th, I made notes of what I could recall from the flight.
# 176 MR. COCHRAN: And are they fairly lengthy notes?
# 177 MR. PARTRIDGE: They're fairly lengthy. They're a bit sketchy, but they're fairly long.
# 178 MR. COCHRAN: How many pages did those notes turn out to be?
# 179 MR. PARTRIDGE: I think the typed notes are six pages.
# 180 MR. COCHRAN: And the handwritten notes are about eight pages?
# 181 MR. PARTRIDGE: That sounds about right.
# 182 MR. COCHRAN: Did you at some point share those notes with both sides in this lawsuit, both sides in this case?
# 183 MR. PARTRIDGE: Yes. After I reached the Defense, someone at Mr. Shapiro's office, I was called by an investigator, Mr. Pavelic as I recall, and I sent him a copy of my notes.
# 184 MR. COCHRAN: All right. And did you also--
# 185 MR. PARTRIDGE: And then after I spoke with Mr. Croxley, I offered him the same notes and eventually sent him those notes as well.
# 186 MR. COCHRAN: So both sides were provided with these notes; is that right?
# 187 MR. PARTRIDGE: I did that, yes.
# 188 MR. COCHRAN: Okay. Now, in your testimony here today and in your willingness to come out pursuant to a subpoena, you tried to share with us what happened on that particular morning?
# 189 MR. PARTRIDGE: I've tried to, yes.
# 190 MR. COCHRAN: And have you sold your story to any kind of publication prior to testifying here today?
# 192 MR. COCHRAN: Have you shared your published notes with anybody prior to your testimony here?
# 193 MR. PARTRIDGE: The only person--people I've provided my notes to have been the Defense and the Prosecution.
# 194 MR. COCHRAN: All right. Is there a particular reason why you--
# 195 MR. PARTRIDGE: And my father.
# 196 MR. COCHRAN: Well, that's a definite exception. We understand that. Is there any reason why you have not sold your testimony or sold your statement to anyone prior to your testimony?
# 197 MR. PARTRIDGE: It's my feeling that the details of the flight should come out in court rather than coming out in the media.
KEY QUOTE # 198 MR. COCHRAN: Is that what you've done here today for the ladies and gentlemen of the jury?
# 199 MR. PARTRIDGE: That's what I've tried to do.
# 200 MR. COCHRAN: Thank you very kindly.
# 201 THE COURT: Miss Clark.