Cross-examination of Willie Ford (part 1)

📄 Cross-examination of Willie Ford (part 1) — Thursday, July 20, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\JUL\20\CROSS-EXAMINATION-OF-WILLIE-FO.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 119 of 167

◀ Direct examination of Willie Ford (part 3) Cross-examination of Willie Ford (part 2) ▶

Witness: Willie Ford
Examiner: Christopher Darden
Called by: Defense • Date: Thursday, July 20, 1995 • Utterances: 117

Darden cross-examines Willie Ford, an LAPD videographer who filmed OJ Simpson's Rockingham estate after the search. Darden methodically establishes that Ford was there purely for administrative purposes — to document valuables in case items were later reported missing — and that the tape was explicitly never intended as evidence. The examination culminates in Darden using Ford's own testimony to explain why the infamous socks don't appear in the video: Ford was instructed to film each room only after criminalists had already processed it.

# 1 MR. COCHRAN:

Very well. I have nothing further at this point, your Honor. I would ask leave of the Court to approach at the appropriate time on another matter.

# 2 THE COURT:

Mr. Darden.

# 3 MR. DARDEN:

Thank you, your Honor.

CROSS-EXAMINATION BY MR. DARDEN

# 4 MR. DARDEN:

Good morning, sir.

# 5 MR. FORD:

Good morning.

# 6 MR. DARDEN:

You were called to testify in this case by Mr. Cochran; is that right?

# 7 MR. FORD:

That's correct.

# 8 MR. DARDEN:

And the D.A.'s office assisted Mr. Cochran in getting you here to testify; is that right?

# 9 MR. FORD:

Yes, sir.

# 10 MR. DARDEN:

You are a Defense witness, do you understand that, Mr. Ford?

# 11 MR. FORD:

Yes, sir.

# 12 MR. COCHRAN:

Object. He is a witness by the Court, your Honor, not a Defense witness.

# 13 THE COURT:

That is not true. Proceed.

# 14 MR. DARDEN:

Do you understand, Mr. Ford, that it isn't my responsibility to tell you what to do or not to do?

# 15 MR. COCHRAN:

Object, your Honor.

# 16 THE COURT:

Rephrase the question.

# 17 MR. DARDEN:

Your only involvement in this case is the fact that you shot this video; is that correct?

# 18 MR. FORD:

That's correct.

# 19 MR. DARDEN:

You didn't go to Bundy, correct?

# 20 MR. FORD:

That's correct.

# 21 MR. DARDEN:

You didn't see the bodies at Bundy?

# 22 MR. FORD:

That's correct.

# 23 MR. DARDEN:

When you arrived at Rockingham you didn't collect any evidence, did you?

# 24 MR. FORD:

That's right.

# 25 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. You are not a criminalist, are you?

# 26 MR. FORD:

No, sir.

# 27 MR. DARDEN:

Dennis Fung isn't a personal friend of yours, is he?

# 28 MR. FORD:

No, sir.

# 29 MR. DARDEN:

Mazzola?

# 30 MR. FORD:

No.

# 31 MR. DARDEN:

All you did was go out to Rockingham and shoot this video?

# 32 MR. COCHRAN:

Object to the form of that question, your Honor, "All you did."

# 33 THE COURT:

Overruled.

# 34 MR. COCHRAN:

That is argumentative.

# 35 THE COURT:

Overruled.

# 36 MR. DARDEN:

Is that all you did, sir?

# 37 MR. FORD:

That is all I did.

# 38 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. Now, you didn't go to Rockingham to videotape evidence, did you?

# 39 MR. FORD:

This is correct.

# 40 MR. DARDEN:

You didn't go to Rockingham to videotape the collection process, did you?

# 41 MR. FORD:

That's right.

# 42 MR. DARDEN:

You didn't go to Rockingham to videotape Fung, right?

# 43 MR. FORD:

That's correct.

# 44 MR. DARDEN:

Or Mazzola?

# 45 MR. FORD:

That's right.

# 46 MR. DARDEN:

Or the detectives?

# 47 MR. FORD:

Right.

# 48 MR. DARDEN:

You didn't go to Rockingham to record conversations, did you?

# 49 MR. FORD:

That's right.

# 50 MR. DARDEN:

Tell the jury, Mr. Ford, why did you go out to Rockingham that day?

# 51 MR. FORD:

I was called by the request of the detectives at the Rockingham location to videotape all the personal effects of Mr. Simpson, just in case when they are getting ready to lock up--

# 52 MR. COCHRAN:

Object to the--

# 53 THE COURT:

Overruled.

# 54 MR. FORD:

--they are getting ready to lock up the location, just in case any of the items were reported missing, and the tape was never to be used as evidence; it was only a record to show what was there when LAPD finished their investigation, and to leave.

# 55 MR. DARDEN:

When Mr. Cochran asked you if you were there to shoot anything and everything, that was true, correct?

# 56 MR. FORD:

That was true.

# 57 MR. DARDEN:

You were there to shoot valuables, right?

# 58 MR. FORD:

Yes.

# 59 MR. DARDEN:

You were there to document the way the house looked after LAPD completed a search; is that correct?

# 60 MR. COCHRAN:

I object to the form of that question, your Honor.

# 61 THE COURT:

Overruled.

# 62 MR. DARDEN:

Is that correct?

# 63 MR. COCHRAN:

That assumes a fact not in evidence, your Honor.

# 64 THE COURT:

Overruled.

# 65 MR. FORD:

That's correct.

# 66 MR. DARDEN:

And that is something you've told us?

# 67 THE COURT:

Hold on.

# 68 MR. DARDEN:

I'm sorry. I thought you said "Overruled."

# 69 THE COURT:

I did. Proceed.

# 70 MR. DARDEN:

And that is something you've told Mr. Cochran, isn't it?

# 71 MR. FORD:

That's correct.

# 72 MR. DARDEN:

And Mr. Cochran asked you that when you were up here on the witness stand?

# 73 MR. FORD:

Yes, sir.

# 74 MR. DARDEN:

You went there for administrative purposes only; is that correct?

# 75 MR. COCHRAN:

Object. Conclusionary, your Honor. Calls for a conclusion.

# 76 THE COURT:

Sustained.

# 77 MR. DARDEN:

Well, you didn't go there to assist in any criminal investigation, did you?

# 78 MR. FORD:

That's correct.

# 79 MR. DARDEN:

Or in any criminal prosecution, right?

# 80 MR. FORD:

That's correct.

# 81 MR. DARDEN:

You weren't there as an agent of the D.A.'s office were you, Mr. Ford?

# 82 MR. FORD:

That's correct.

# 83 MR. DARDEN:

Now, you told us a moment ago that you went there to videotape the property to show how it looked after LAPD completed a search?

# 84 MR. FORD:

Exactly.

# 85 MR. COCHRAN:

Your Honor, I object to the form of that question and move to strike.

# 86 THE COURT:

Overruled.

# 87 MR. DARDEN:

Is that what you did?

# 88 MR. FORD:

Yes, sir.

# 89 MR. DARDEN:

Did you videotape the property to show the way it looked after the search--

# 90 MR. COCHRAN:

Object, your Honor.

# 91 MR. DARDEN:

--was completed?

# 92 THE COURT:

Overruled.

# 93 MR. DARDEN:

After the search was completed, sir?

# 94 MR. FORD:

Yes, sir.

# 95 MR. DARDEN:

In response to Mr. Cochran's questions, you told us about the instructions you were given; is that right?

# 96 MR. FORD:

Repeat the question again.

# 97 MR. COCHRAN:

Object to the form of that question, your Honor, "Instructions given."

# 98 THE COURT:

Overruled. That was the word used.

# 99 MR. DARDEN:

In response to Mr. Cochran's questions you told us about the instructions you were given at the scene?

# 100 MR. FORD:

Yes.

# 101 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. You were instructed to only videotape a room after it had been searched; is that right?

# 102 MR. COCHRAN:

Object, your Honor. Calls for hearsay. Object to the form of the question.

# 103 THE COURT:

Overruled.

# 104 MR. FORD:

That's correct.

# 105 MR. DARDEN:

You were instructed to videotape a room only after it had been possessed by the criminalist, correct?

# 106 MR. COCHRAN:

Object, your Honor, to the form of that question.

# 107 THE COURT:

Overruled.

# 108 MR. FORD:

That was correct.

# 109 MR. DARDEN:

And that is why we don't see socks in these photographers; isn't that correct, Mr. Ford?

KEY QUOTE

# 110 MR. COCHRAN:

Object, your Honor. Object as hearsay.

# 111 THE COURT:

Overruled.

# 112 MR. COCHRAN:

May we approach, your Honor?

# 113 THE COURT:

No. Have a seat, counsel.

KEY QUOTE

# 114 MR. FORD:

That's correct, sir.

KEY QUOTE

# 115 MR. DARDEN:

You don't know what was in that room before you arrived that day, do you?

# 116 MR. COCHRAN:

Calls for speculation, your Honor.

# 117 MR. FORD:

That's right.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (4)

Willie Ford

the tape was never to be used as evidence; it was only a record to show what was there when LAPD finished their investigation, and to leave.

Ford's own words undercut the Defense's use of his video — it was never meant as an evidentiary record of the crime scene.

Christopher Darden

And that is why we don't see socks in these photographs; isn't that correct, Mr. Ford?

The payoff of the entire cross — Darden uses Ford to explain away the absence of the socks in the video, a key defense argument about planted evidence.

Willie Ford

That's correct, sir.

Ford confirms Darden's socks explanation, agreeing he was only allowed to film after criminalists had cleared each room.

Lance A. Ito

No. Have a seat, counsel.

Judge Ito sharply denies Cochran's request to approach the bench during the socks question — the most consequential moment of the cross.

Evidence (2)

Informal

Videotape shot by Ford at Rockingham estate documenting personal property

discussed — purpose and scope of filming established

Informal

Socks (the Rockingham bedroom socks, central to planted-evidence argument)

referenced informally — Darden argues their absence from the video is explained by Ford's filming protocol

Notable Exchanges (3)

Johnnie Cochran•Lance A. Ito

Cochran objects that Ford is 'a witness by the Court, your Honor, not a Defense witness' — Ito flatly responds 'That is not true. Proceed.'

sharp

Johnnie Cochran•Lance A. Ito

During the pivotal socks question, Cochran asks to approach the bench; Ito denies him with 'No. Have a seat, counsel,' allowing Darden's answer to stand.

strategic

Christopher Darden•Willie Ford

Darden walks Ford through the filming protocol step by step — only after rooms were cleared by criminalists — building methodically to the socks conclusion.

strategic

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ Defense's use of Ford's video

reframing witness purpose

Darden doesn't attack Ford personally but dismantles the Defense's implicit argument that the video proves evidence was planted — establishing the tape's purely administrative origin and post-search filming protocol.

Objections

15 objections (1 sustained, 11 overruled)

Proceeding 6971 • 117 utterances • Defense witness

Criminal Trial

Department 103