Recross-examination of Richard Walsh

📄 Recross-examination of Richard Walsh — Wednesday, July 19, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\JUL\19\RECROSS-EXAMINATION-OF-RICHARD.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 118 of 167

◀ Redirect examination of Richard Walsh Further redirect examination of Richard Walsh ▶

Witness: Richard Walsh
Examiner: Christopher Darden
Called by: Defense • Date: Wednesday, July 19, 1995 • Utterances: 13

Darden briefly recrosses Richard Walsh on the Playboy exercise video, establishing two key points: that Walsh cannot know whether OJ's near-fall during filming was genuine or staged, and that OJ performed far better in the video than Walsh had expected. Both concessions serve the prosecution's theory that OJ was physically capable of committing the murders.

# 1 MR. DARDEN:

You know, Mr. Cochran never played in the NFL. But, Mr. Walsh, when the Defendant almost fell over, as you described it, you don't know whether or not he was just faking that, do you?

KEY QUOTE

# 2 MR. COCHRAN:

I object, your Honor. Calls for speculation.

# 3 THE COURT:

Overruled.

# 4 MR. WALSH:

No, I don't.

# 5 MR. DARDEN:

You don't know if he was just putting on an act?

KEY QUOTE

# 6 MR. WALSH:

No, I don't.

# 7 MR. DARDEN:

And you say that you thought Playboy made a mistake when they picked OJ Simpson to co-star with you in this exercise video?

# 8 MR. WALSH:

Yes, I did.

# 9 MR. DARDEN:

But he surprised you, didn't he?

# 10 MR. WALSH:

Yes, he did.

# 11 MR. DARDEN:

He was a lot better at this than you ever thought he would be, correct?

KEY QUOTE

# 12 MR. WALSH:

That's correct.

# 13 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. That's all.

FURTHER REDIRECT EXAMINATION BY MR. COCHRAN

Temperature

tense

Key Quotes (3)

Christopher Darden

You know, Mr. Cochran never played in the NFL.

Sharp opening dig at Cochran, framing Walsh's NFL-adjacent credibility as superior to Cochran's — sets a confident, aggressive tone before the substantive questions.

Christopher Darden

You don't know if he was just putting on an act?

Directly attacks the defense's use of the near-fall as evidence of physical limitation — plants the seed that OJ may have been performing.

Richard Walsh

He was a lot better at this than you ever thought he would be, correct? That's correct.

Walsh's concession that OJ exceeded expectations in a physical fitness video undercuts the defense's narrative of a physically diminished defendant.

Evidence (1)

Informal

Playboy exercise video featuring OJ Simpson and Richard Walsh

discussed — OJ's performance and physical capability revisited

Notable Exchanges (2)

Christopher Darden•Richard Walsh

Darden extracts the admission that OJ's near-fall could have been faked, then pivots to get Walsh to confirm OJ was surprisingly athletic and capable during filming.

strategic

Christopher Darden•Johnnie Cochran

Darden opens with a jab that Cochran never played in the NFL, a rhetorical shot before questioning Walsh on physical capability.

pointed

Light Moments (1)

Christopher Darden

Darden opens with 'You know, Mr. Cochran never played in the NFL' — a sly dig at Cochran's credibility to speak about physical performance, drawing a contrast with Walsh's expertise.

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ OJ Simpson (conduct, not witness)

impeachment of defense narrative

Darden uses Walsh's own testimony to suggest OJ's apparent physical struggle during the video could have been staged, and that OJ was demonstrably more capable than the defense implied.

Objections

1 objections (0 sustained, 1 overruled)

Proceeding 6919 • 13 utterances • Defense witness

Criminal Trial

Department 103