📄 Direct examination of Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran (part 6) — Tuesday, June 13, 1995
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TRIAL
▲ Day 94 of 167

Direct examination of Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran (part 6)

Witness: Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran
Examiner: Brian Kelberg
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Tuesday, June 13, 1995 • Utterances: 645
Dr. Lakshmanan continues his direct examination, methodically walking through autopsy diagrams, protocol pages, and crime scene photographs to document Ron Goldman's fatal stab wounds. The testimony covers the two fatal chest wounds (injuring the right fourth rib, right lung, and right eighth intercostal space), the fatal abdominal aortic stab wound through the left flank, and several postmortem abrasions. Kelberg and Lakshmanan perform a live demonstration of how the perpetrator may have positioned themselves to inflict the aortic wound, and the doctor opines Goldman would have died within 2-5 minutes of the combined injuries.
1 (The following proceedings were held in open court, in the presence of the jury:)
2 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. Dr. Lakshmanan is again present before the Court. And, Mr. Kelberg, you may continue concluding your direct examination.

3 MR. KELBERG:

Thank you, your Honor.

4 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, again with the Court's permission, would you step back to the easel, and we'll go back on this 21 form and see if we can identify-- I want to be sure--I think actually we need the other--yes, I'm sorry. We need the other--the 7G board that has the skeletonized schematic. We've identified by marking in red in a designation of G-10, injury no. 1, two areas of this diagram, and then I think, doctor, you had pointed out another area in the lower right-hand corner of this form that refers to injury no. 1, but I want to be sure. So can we again slowly go through what additional entries if any on this form refer to that fatal stab wound, injury no. 1 of G-10?

5 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

We went over the portion of the seventh rib which was injured by the injury no. 1 as it entered the chest cavity. This part of the diagram on the left side on the--shows some markings with reference to the right fourth rib area wherein the stab wound ended (indicating), and the description of that injury to the right fourth rib is reflected in the lower partion of--lower portion of the diagram, posterior right fourth rib, 3/4 inch cut, and then--

6 MR. KELBERG:

Keep your voice up if you would, please, doctor. Is this some form of diagram by Dr. Golden concerning his observation in that area?

7 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It appears to be, yes.

8 MR. KELBERG:

And what do you interpret that to be a diagrammatic representation of?

9 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

He's trying to show a cut of the right posterior fourth rib.

10 MR. KELBERG:

And in general, doctor, is that a shape that you would find consistent with a single-edged knife such as you identified had to have been the source of that fatal stab wound?

11 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I cannot make that conclusion from a cut on the posterior surface of the rib.

12 MR. KELBERG:

Why not?

13 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Because it's just a cut on the posterior surface of the rib. You cannot make any determination from that. And then you have two wounds to the right lower lobe of lung, which indicates that those are entering portion and a exiting portion that is--it was a through and through type of wound to the right lung.

14 MR. KELBERG:

And does all of that still refer to this injury no. 1?

15 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. All of this up to this point (indicating).

16 MR. KELBERG:

All right. And you've just pointed, before you moved backwards, to another area, and I'm not sure you've interpreted that writing for us, if you can.

17 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It says plural superficial--I can't read this word here, but basically it refers to these defects in the right lower lobe of lung.

18 MR. KELBERG:

All right. Then for the record, I'll take the blue marker and mark this area of writing that the doctor has just outlined, circle it in the blue and write at the lower left-hand margin "G-10, inj. no. 1."

19 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. Also, this inscription here, the right lower part of the diagram, also reflects to the same injury.

20 MR. KELBERG:

And what is that description?

21 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It shows the direction right to left, back to front and the length of the wound track to be 4 inches.

22 MR. KELBERG:

And there's some other writing. Can you make that out, doctor?

23 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Striking chest wall, and I think this is--says posterior probably reflecting to the right fourth rib posterior aspect.

24 MR. KELBERG:

Again, all of this is still injury no. 1?

25 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

26 MR. KELBERG:

I'll circle that area in blue as well and write "G-10 inj. no. 1." What else, doctor?

27 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

This part of the diagram reflects the entry portion of injury no. 2 (indicating), goes to the right eighth space and back to front direction, and I can't read this particular inscription here, but basically this reflects the information pertaining to injury no. 2.

28 MR. KELBERG:

Has Dr. Golden made any kind of diagrammatic entry on the right form of the skeleton--skeletonized human form to represent that second stab wound, that fatal stab wound injury no. 2?

29 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. Here in the right rib space (indicating).

30 MR. KELBERG:

All right. Let me circle that area in blue and I'll write out at the side "G-10" or actually at the top "inj. no. 2." And the written description that the doctor just referred to a moment or so ago, I'll circle in blue and make a line connecting back up to where the actual wound is drawn in on that same diagram. All right, doctor. Have we covered all of the entries? It seems to me we have some information here.

31 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

32 MR. KELBERG:

What if anything does that refer to?

33 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

That refers to the stab wound to the left flank. It reflects stab wound going through skin "Subcu" and iliopsoas muscle and aorta. So that refers to the left flank wound.

34 MR. KELBERG:

I think you're going to have to, if you could, please, spell out the muscle that it went through.

35 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Iliopsoas, I-L-I-O-P-S-O-S--P-S-O-A-S.

36 MR. KELBERG:

And, doctor, is this the aortic wound that we saw briefly in photograph G-8?

37 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

38 MR. KELBERG:

So while we've got this up, let me circle this area in red, and I'll write "G-8." Is there any more than the one--I believe you described that as a fatal stab wound, did you?

39 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. G-8. You also have diagram--

40 MR. KELBERG:

Is there more than one injury? I just want to find out if there's any need to designate an injury--

41 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

There's only one injury there.

42 MR. KELBERG:

I think what I'll write is "Fatal aortic stab wound." Is that accurate, doctor?

43 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

44 MR. KELBERG:

Have we covered all of the written information then on this form?

45 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

46 MR. KELBERG:

Any other diagram concerning these two fatal stab wounds to the chest?

47 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

48 MR. KELBERG:

Is either of them addressed in the addendum?

49 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

50 MR. KELBERG:

Any need to in your opinion?

51 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

52 MR. KELBERG:

Now, you mentioned that there were other injuries or findings in the photograph G-10, and I believe one of them you indicated was a sharp force injury as well; is that correct?

53 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. I call it injury no. 3 and it's a 3/8 inch sharp force injury which is superficially located to the--mainly running superficially on the skin of the right flank.

54 MR. KELBERG:

Can you point it out first of all? This is on photo G-10?

55 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

(indicating).

56 MR. KELBERG:

For the record, it appears to be in the center of the body that's depicted in the photograph and about an inch or so above the top edge of the blue photographic identification card?

57 THE COURT:

Yes.

58 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, what kind of injury is that?

59 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It's a sharp force injury which superficially--it's a superficial injury. It's not deep. It did not penetrate the abdominal cavity.

60 MR. KELBERG:

Given its superficial nature, is this one of those sharp force injuries where you cannot by the form tell whether this is due to a single-edged knife or a double-edged knife?

61 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

That is correct.

62 MR. KELBERG:

But is it consistent again with this same hypothetical approximately 6-inch long single-edged knife blade tapering at the tip?

63 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

64 THE COURT:

Excuse me. Dr. Baden, could I ask you to--you're standing in front of the court reporter.

65 MR. KELBERG:

Is that superficial sharp force injury, doctor, described by Dr. Golden in the protocol?

66 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes, he has.

67 MR. KELBERG:

Diagrammed anywhere?

68 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

69 MR. KELBERG:

Addressed anywhere in the addendum?

70 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

71 MR. KELBERG:

Any need to?

72 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

73 MR. KELBERG:

Are you able to determine when in relationship to the time of death that injury was inflicted?

74 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It happened before that.

75 MR. KELBERG:

How are you able to tell?

76 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Because of the appearance of the description.

77 MR. KELBERG:

Is there anything of significance to the--to you--may I withdraw the question? Are you able to tell anything with respect to the relative positions of Mr. Goldman and the perpetrator from what you see in that particular sharp force injury?

78 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No, I will not be able to.

79 MR. KELBERG:

Is there anything else that you wish to bring to our attention regarding that sharp force injury?

80 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

81 MR. KELBERG:

Why don't we see where it is in the protocol and see where it is in the diagrams.

82 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It's on page 9, no. 3. It's located here (indicating), page 9, no. 3, stab wound to right flank. This whole description applies to that.

83 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, in your opinion, is this an accurate description of what you see in that photograph?

84 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

85 MR. KELBERG:

Let me just outline this in red on our protocol, page 9. This is "G-10 inj. no. 3," which I've written in the left margin.

86 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

87 MR. KELBERG:

Where is it diagrammed, doctor?

88 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It's diagrammed in 21-II.

89 MR. KELBERG:

And we'll put our board right over the protocol. This is 3G. Which form, doctor?

90 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

21-II (indicating).

91 MR. KELBERG:

And you're pointing to an area. Is there some kind of squiggly line slightly above and to the right of it as you look at the diagram?

92 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

93 MR. KELBERG:

I was actually looking--

94 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No, no. This one is the sharp force injury. This is just the first one, no. 3 next to it (indicating).

95 MR. KELBERG:

So this is what you've just identified as injury no. 3 of G-10, where I'm pointing?

96 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. Yes.

97 MR. KELBERG:

And this "3" is Dr. Golden's arbitrary designation of wound numbers?

98 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

99 MR. KELBERG:

All right. Let me circle that area in red, left side, and I'll write out to the side "G-10 inj. no. 3." Anything further with respect to that injury, doctor?

100 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Nothing else.

101 MR. KELBERG:

All right. You also testified that there were other findings you made reviewing this photograph G-10. What are those findings?

102 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

There are some postmortem abrasions between injury 1 and 2 and 3 here (indicating) and--

103 MR. KELBERG:

Do you have an opinion as to the cause for those postmortem abrasions?

104 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No. Non-specific postmortem abrasions.

105 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, in your opinion, can those postmortem abrasions be due to the manner in which the body was transported from the Bundy location to the Forensic Science Center, the Coroner's office?

106 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

As one--one possible scenario. The other possible scenario is him lying on the right side rubbing--with the clothing rubbing against the area. There are many possibilities for that postmortem abrasion.

107 MR. KELBERG:

If the body is not moving and Mr. Goldman for all intents and purposes is dead or actually is dead and his body is in that position that's shown in 43E, the photograph in our 362 collection, can you still have that kind of postmortem abrasion occurring even if the clothing is not moving against the body?

108 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No. Because of the clothing pressure itself, you can have sometimes abrasions on the skin surface.

109 MR. KELBERG:

Simply from the pressure?

110 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

From the right side. It's just a postmortem abrasion. It's difficult to specify how it was caused.

111 MR. KELBERG:

All right. Any other injuries-- first, let me ask, does Dr. Golden describe this in the protocol?

112 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

113 MR. KELBERG:

Diagram it anywhere?

114 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

He--he doesn't describe it in the protocol, but he diagrams it.

115 MR. KELBERG:

Where does he diagram it?

116 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It's right here (indicating), this line here you see here.

117 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, did you give an injury designation to this area, postmortem abrasion?

118 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I just called them collectively as injury no. 4.

119 MR. KELBERG:

And is there some writing that you associate with Dr. Golden's diagrammatic representation?

120 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. It says "Postmortem"--I can't read this, but basically I think refers to that marking there (indicating).

121 MR. KELBERG:

Then I'll circle this area in blue that you've just outlined, and I'll write below it "G-10, inj. no. 4." Anyplace else it's diagrammed?

122 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

123 MR. KELBERG:

And I'm sorry. It is not described in the protocol?

124 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

125 MR. KELBERG:

Is that a mistake?

126 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Well, it's a postmortem abrasion. Yes, it's a mistake.

127 MR. KELBERG:

Any significance?

128 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

129 MR. KELBERG:

Same reasons?

130 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

131 MR. KELBERG:

Anything further on injury no. 4?

132 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

133 MR. KELBERG:

Any other findings or injuries in this particular photograph?

134 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

There's also area of postmortem abrasions below the right--and below the injury no. 2 in the right chest.

135 MR. KELBERG:

Are you able to differentiate hypothetically the causes for that, such as transportation versus pressure from clothing?

136 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

137 MR. KELBERG:

Basically, would your answers be the same regarding that as they were for the injury no. 4 postmortem abrasions?

138 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

139 MR. KELBERG:

Did Dr. Golden describe that area in his protocol?

140 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

141 MR. KELBERG:

How about diagram it anywhere?

142 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

He--he has diagrammed some shading here (indicating) near the no. 2. And the line which reads "Postmortem" reflects both those areas. So I'm not sure whether he diagrammed that collectively with this other postmortem abrasion which we have here.

143 MR. KELBERG:

And is this area by you arbitrarily designated as no. 5?

144 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

145 MR. KELBERG:

Why don't we write "No. 4"--after no. 4, we'll write "No. 5" and put a question mark because of your uncertainty. Is that accurate, doctor?

146 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

147 MR. KELBERG:

Anything else in this photograph G-10?

148 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

149 MR. KELBERG:

Anything in the addendum regarding these last injuries?

150 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

151 MR. KELBERG:

All right. Let's go back then to G-8 and discuss in greater detail this fatal aortic stab wound.

152 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

G-8 shows the stab wound entering the left flank, and this wound measured in my measurement 5/8 inch by 3/8 inch in the gaping state, but it's part of the body which is--which has a curvature to the area. So the measurement in the protocol is 3/4 of an inch in length.

153 MR. KELBERG:

Is this one of the areas of the body where you obtained a measurement different than Dr. Golden's and where the difference in measurement from his may be attributable to the process of photographic measurement?

154 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

155 MR. SHAPIRO:

Objection. Calls for speculation.

156 THE COURT:

Overruled.

157 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

158 MR. KELBERG:

Now, doctor, what else can you tell us about this fatal stab wound?

159 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

This particular stab wound entered the abdominal cavity, went through the iliopsoas area, which is a muscle in the back of the abdominal wall.

160 MR. KELBERG:

Would you turn towards the ladies and gentlemen of the jury and point out where this wound is actually?

161 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Right here in this area I pointed out earlier in the left flank (indicating).

162 MR. KELBERG:

All right. And the record I think earlier was described.

163 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Went to the ilipsoas muscle, then struck the aorta one and a quarter inches above where it divides into two branches. And there were two defects in the aorta, two half-inch defects in the aorta and there was bleeding from this injury which resulted in accumulation of blood in what is called the retroperitoneal area, that is in the back side of the abdomen, and also there was some blood accumulation in the abdominal cavity.

164 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, first of all, why is this in your opinion a fatal stab wound?

165 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Because of the injury to the aorta, which is a large blood vessels--largest blood vessel in the body, and injury to this structure will result in bleeding and rapid loss of blood pressure and death.

166 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, in this position that Mr. Goldman's body is found as shown in photograph 43E of our collection 362, is this area of the body not a dependent part?

167 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

168 MR. KELBERG:

And is that of some significance to you-- let me rephrase the question. Would you expect--where would you expect the blood to go? You said the retroperitoneal cavity and the abdominal cavity; is that correct?

169 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

170 MR. KELBERG:

Retroperitoneal area and the abdominal cavity; is that correct?

171 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

172 MR. KELBERG:

Would you expect blood to come outside of the body from this fatal stab wound?

173 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Generally not because it will mainly bleed inside.

174 MR. KELBERG:

Would this be the kind of wound like the chest wounds which could drain out of the body if the wound was in a position where gravity could result in the blood flowing down out through the stab wound itself?

175 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

You would not expect this in the abdominal wound. And the only reason I said that in the chest wound also is because of the fractures of the--I mean the stab wound having gone to the rib which would have created a defect. But in this wound, I would not expect it. Usually in such wounds, the bleeding is more internal than external.

176 MR. KELBERG:

And Dr. Golden in his protocol, did he quantify the amount of blood he observed in the course of the autopsy in the areas where you believed bleeding would occur as a result of that fatal stab wound?

177 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. He said there was hundred cc blood in the abdominal cavity in addition to the bleeding he described in the retroperitoneal area, which was not quantitated.

178 MR. KELBERG:

Was not quantified?

179 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It's not quantifiable.

180 MR. KELBERG:

Can you give us some idea how big the retroperitoneal area is in a human body?

181 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It's a fairly--fairly large area, the area in the back of the abdomen. Actually, it extends all the way from the--above the kidney area down below including the pancreas and other structures in the back of the abdomen.

182 MR. KELBERG:

From Dr. Golden's description of the hemorrhage in that area and his quantification of the hemorrhage in the abdominal cavity, do you have an opinion when in relationship to the attack itself that abdominal aorta fatal stab wound was incurred?

183 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

As I opined earlier, I think it occurred during the middle of assault, but it definitely occurred I would favor after the thigh wound which occurred earlier than the abdominal wound.

184 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, how rapid a response from the body would you expect from that fatal stab wound?

185 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Could you explain your question further? What do you mean by "Rapid response"?

186 MR. KELBERG:

In a mechanism as a result of that stab wound, what if anything does the body do to try and preserve life?

187 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Basically, as I told you, there is a part of your nervous system which is involuntary and it's called the sympathetic nervous system that comes to play so that-- because of the loss of blood, the body tries to maintain the blood pressure at any cost, and this involuntary nervous system is brought into play so that the vessels constrict in the other parts of the body so that--and also, the blood coming into the heart from the venous system is also increased so the blood pressure is maintained. So the body tries its best to maintain the blood pressure in this manner until you lose 2/5 the volume. That is the blood volume is five liters. Once you've lost approximately two liters, you will go into shock.

188 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, assuming that Mr. Goldman had sustained no injury prior to the fatal abdominal aorta stab wound, how rapidly would you have expected him to have died?

189 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

The abdominal aortic wound, you can die within a few minutes, but even less than a minute, depending on the amount of blood lost from those defects. These are big defects in the aortic wall described by Dr. Golden. He said half an inch defects in aortic wall.

KEY QUOTE
190 MR. KELBERG:

And, doctor, assuming that Mr. Goldman had received other stab wounds such as to the chest before that aortic stab wound--and is that your opinion; that he in fact had received those before the aortic stab wound?

191 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

He could have. I said he received the thigh wound before the aortic wound.

192 MR. KELBERG:

Assuming he received the chest wounds, the two fatal chest wounds and the neck wound, the left neck wound, which I believe is injury no. 3 of G-37, injury no. 1 of G-51, before that fatal aortic stab wound, what effect if any would those wounds have had on the length of time you would have expected Mr. Goldman to live once the aortic stab wound had been inflicted?

193 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It would definitely diminish the amount of time required to go into shock because you already lost so much of the blood volume. As I told you, the blood volume in the body is fixed. If you already lost blood from the neck wound, lost blood from the chest wound and also from the thigh wound--and I already told you if you lose two liters, you go into shock in a normal person. The aortic wound, when it was inflicted, you already lost blood from these other sites. So naturally, the time frame which it would take to go into shock is narrowed, not increased.

194 MR. KELBERG:

And, doctor, do you have an opinion as to a minimum period of time which must have passed from the time the aortic stab wound was inflicted, assuming these other wounds that I've described were inflicted before the aortic stab wound, for Mr. Goldman to have died?

195 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I--I think I opined this earlier. He would have died--I would expect him to die within five minutes after these injuries were inflicted and even earlier.

196 MR. KELBERG:

How much earlier?

197 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Two, three minutes, because you're talking about major injuries to the jugular vein, the lung, the aorta, and you'll bleed fast and go into shock rapidly. It doesn't take much time to lose two liters of blood from all these sites to go into shock.

KEY QUOTE
198 MR. KELBERG:

And, doctor, again, from the quantification that Dr. Golden provides in his protocol regarding the abdominal cavity blood that is found, does that give you some indication as to how long after the aortic wound was inflicted Mr. Goldman lived?

199 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It doesn't help that much because he--the quantity we have is only in the cavity. I do not have an estimate of how much blood is in the retroperitoneum. So you cannot really give an estimate on how much blood loss occurred from that particular wound.

200 MR. KELBERG:

Do you consider it a mistake on the part of Dr. Golden not to have attempted to quantify and report that effort on the retroperitoneal area where hemorrhage was found?

201 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It's difficult to quantify the retroperitoneal area, but he--it could have been--you could have described the extent of the retroperitoneal hemorrhage.

202 MR. KELBERG:

What effect if any does his failure to do that, if you describe it as a mistake, have on your ability to answer these big ticket questions?

203 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Even if you had given it measurement, it would be difficult to--to estimate the volume of blood clots in the retroperitoneum unless you take--if you have tissues which you can weigh without the blood clots. It's very difficult to estimate it.

204 MR. KELBERG:

And, doctor, other than--I gather this is of some importance to you in assessing how long Mr. Goldman may have lived from the time that aortic stab wound was inflicted; is that accurate?

205 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Well, I already told you it won't take much time to go into shock after the aortic wound. So it will help to better define a time, but really, the total time frame you're talking about is not long.

206 MR. KELBERG:

And other than that, would such a quantification have assisted you in identifying whether a single single-edged knife caused all of the sharp force injuries?

207 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

208 MR. KELBERG:

Or have assisted you in identifying the relative positions of the perpetrator and Mr. Goldman at the time that aortic sharp force injury was inflicted?

209 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

210 MR. KELBERG:

Or in identifying from the appearance of the wound the type of knife that inflicted such an injury?

211 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

From the appearance of the wound as I--I couldn't see the edges properly for this wound from the photographs very clearly, but the description of Dr. Golden is that the posterior edge is forked and the front end is sharp. And based on that, it could be a single edge if it's a straight penetration, which would support a thick edge, thick blunt edge because of the forking. The other possibility is, if it's a double edge, you cannot exclude some twisting.

212 MR. KELBERG:

To break this down a bit, doctor, from your review of the photograph, the photograph is insufficient to define with sufficient clarity for you the ends of the stab wound on the surface of the body?

213 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

214 MR. KELBERG:

So in this particular instance, you are referring to Dr. Golden's description of the ends of that sharp force injury, that stab wound in his report?

215 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

216 MR. SHAPIRO:

Objection. Hearsay.

217 THE COURT:

Overruled.

218 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

219 MR. KELBERG:

And based upon what Dr. Golden reports, then this is one of these forms where you cannot differentiate between a single-edged knife and a double-edged knife; is that correct?

220 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

221 MR. KELBERG:

Which of our alternatives if any from that board 1, 2 and 3, the wound pattern--

222 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

That would be no. 3.

223 MR. KELBERG:

And, doctor, you've already indicated that a single-edged knife could be consistent with this and all the other wounds; is that correct?

224 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

225 MR. KELBERG:

I lost my train of thought for just a moment. If I may have a moment, your Honor.

226 THE COURT:

Certainly.

227 (Brief pause.)
228 MR. KELBERG:

From Dr. Golden's description of the stab wound itself and the ends of it, are you however able to determine that it is consistent with a single-edged knife?

229 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

230 MR. KELBERG:

And from a description given by Dr. Golden, are you able to determine whether the length of the stab wound, that is the depth of the stab wound in the body is still consistent with an approximately 6-inch long tapering blade?

231 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

232 MR. KELBERG:

Is this diagrammed by Dr. Golden as well as described? You've indicated he described it I believe in the protocol?

233 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes, he did.

234 MR. KELBERG:

Is it diagrammed somewhere?

235 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes, he has.

236 MR. KELBERG:

Let's take the protocol first because you've indicated there's some quantification in the abdominal cavity and so forth. Where in the protocol, doctor?

237 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It's on page 10, no. 5. Page 10, no. 5, the whole five paragraphs under item 5 that reflects the description of the stab wound.

238 MR. KELBERG:

And let me box that in in red on page 10 of the protocol, 0G, and I'll write "G-8, abdominal aorta." Now, doctor, would you point out for us, please, where there is the quantification made by Dr. Golden?

239 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

We have to start with line 8 under paragraph 2 under item 5, page 10 (indicating). "Two perforating half an inch wounds are seen in the wall of the aorta with surrounding para-aortic hemorrhage. In addition to the retroperitoneal hemorrhage, including hemorrhage into the mesocolon, approximately hundred cc--hundred ml of liquid blood is found free within the peritoneal cavity."

240 MR. KELBERG:

Let me outline this--actually not outline, but let me underline "Approximately 100 ml of liquid blood is found free within the peritoneal cavity." Is "Peritoneal cavity" a fancy way of saying the abdominal cavity?

241 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

242 MR. KELBERG:

And, doctor, what if any significance is there to you in the observation by Dr. Golden that there are--and I'll underline this--"Two perforating 1/2 inch wounds seen in the wall of the aorta"?

243 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It could mean two things. You have the--the aortic--aorta is a tubulous structure. So the knife went through the tubulous structure. It could have gone in and out through the--both walls of the tube. So you could have two defects that way. The other possibility is that the knife could have been withdrawn and reentered in the same area of the aorta. I mean not in the same area. In a different area of the aorta in the same vicinity.

244 MR. KELBERG:

If that had been the situation, doctor, would you have expected Dr. Golden to see separate wound paths at least for some distance to show that the knife had been withdrawn some distance and then replunged to create the second perforation in the aorta?

245 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It will be difficult to study two different tracks in the retroperitoneal soft tissues. It's not like going through a solid organ. So it would be very difficult to ascertain that in an area where's there so much soft tissues where you cannot really define a track because you have so much hemorrhage in the margins.

246 MR. KELBERG:

Now, according to this same paragraph, Dr. Golden described the path--referring to the path of the stab wound; is that correct, doctor?

247 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

248 MR. KELBERG:

--as from left to right and slightly back to front. What if any significance does that have--and I'll underline that for the record. What if any significance does that have to you in ascertaining, if you can, the relative positions of Mr. Goldman and the perpetrator at the time that abdominal aorta fatal stab wound was inflicted?

249 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It could have been--there are different possibilities again as I said earlier. One possibility is that the perpetrator was in the front of Mr. Goldman on his left, slightly to his left side, and with a knife in the right hand, plunged the knife straight in a left to right direction and in this manner (indicating).

250 MR. KELBERG:

All right. And for the record, Dr. Lakshmanan with his right hand appearing to hold a knife, made a thrusting kind of a sideways motion.

251 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, do you want to demonstrate, if you would, using me? What are the alternatives, right-handed and left-handed?

252 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Right-handed could be in this manner (demonstrating).

253 MR. KELBERG:

Let's turn so the jury can see.

254 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

In this manner here (demonstrating).

255 MR. KELBERG:

For the record, Dr. Lakshmanan and I are face-to-face. With his right hand, he's taken the ruler, and the ruler appears to be perpendicular to the side of my body where the stab wound would be located.

256 MR. KELBERG:

Is that correct, doctor?

257 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yeah. This is a straight penetration. But as I told you, you could have dynamics in this and it may not necessarily be that the plunge took place in this manner because the body of the victim could be turning this way and it could be just a straight plunge this way too (indicating).

258 MR. KELBERG:

All right. How about a left-handed situation?

259 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Left-handed situation, it would have to be--the perpetrator would have to be more on the left side like this, in this manner, being the back of the victim, or the perpetrator could also be on the side, on his side facing the--I mean the victim could be on--the victim's side could be facing the perpetrator's knife in this manner, but little more, the victim being turning so that he could have back to front, left to right direction (demonstrating).

260 MR. KELBERG:

In the first demonstration, Dr. Lakshmanan was directly behind me, shifted a little to the left of center of my body, and the second demonstration--if Dr. Lakshmanan could get back into position so I'll accurately describe the second demonstration you were just doing, doctor?

261 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

This way. I'm sorry. You have to be like this (demonstrating).

262 MR. KELBERG:

Dr. Lakshmanan is almost to the left of my left side of the body. He's holding the ruler to represent a knife in a manner in which the contacting portion of the ruler is forward of the back of the ruler which is in Dr. Lakshmanan's hand about a 45-degree angle to the horizontal.

263 THE COURT:

Noted. Thank you.

264 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, we've done this demonstration with the two of us standing. Is there anything from your review of the material which requires Mr. Goldman to have been standing at the time that fatal stab wound to the aorta was inflicted?

265 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No. The only thing I want to bring up is that when I examined the shirt of Mr. Goldman, there's no defect directly corresponding to that wound on the left side of the shirt. There were two defects in the back of the mid portion of the shirt. So if the shirt was not covering that area when this stab wound was inflicted, then he need not necessarily be standing up. He could be on the ground wen the stab wound was inflicted. But if there was the possibility that the defects in the back of the shirt, one or both of them correspond to this defect on the side of the abdomen, then it would reflect that there was movement of the shirt on the body surface if that penetration took place through the shirt.

266 MR. KELBERG:

Is there any way you can make that determination, doctor?

267 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I can't.

268 MR. KELBERG:

And, doctor, could those defects in the back of the shirt that you described--I gather you did not see a corresponding sharp force injury to the back where those wounds would be--where those defects would be in the shirt?

269 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

That's correct.

270 MR. KELBERG:

Would it be accurate to say that the knife could have penetrated the shirt to create the defects in a situation where there was movement by Mr. Goldman such that the knife never came in contact with Mr. Goldman's body?

271 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

That is another possibility.

272 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, do we see the area of the abdominal aorta stab wound in photograph 43E?

273 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes, we do. It's just--you don't see the wound itself, but it's in this area here (indicating).

274 MR. KELBERG:

And may I ask, Mr. Fairtlough, is there a marker that will mark on the photograph unobtrusively?

275 (Discussion held off the record between the Deputy District Attorneys.)
276 MR. KELBERG:

Mr. Fairtlough indicates to me that we have a gold marker that he can use.

277 MR. KELBERG:

And, doctor--

278 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I'm going to put an arrow in this area somewhere here this region (indicating).

279 THE COURT:

I have arrows.

280 MR. KELBERG:

Is it permanently a fixed one, your Honor? I'm just concerned if it might come off.

281 THE COURT:

Well, try it.

282 MR. KELBERG:

All right. May I approach? I'll let Mr. Fairtlough--

283 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, will you point out where Mr. Fairtlough should put the arrow?

284 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

This area here. That's where the stab wound is in the left flank. Little bit lower. Yeah, that's fine. Little bit lower (indicating). You can't see it because it's slightly on the posterior curvature of the torso.

285 MR. KELBERG:

And, doctor, does the point of the arrow touch the approximate area though?

286 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. And you can see it in G-5 where it is.

287 MR. KELBERG:

All right. And you've pointed now--

288 MR. KELBERG:

Thank you, Mr. Fairtlough. And I think we owe the Court back its--

289 THE COURT:

No. Keep them.

290 MR. KELBERG:

All right. You're a pessimist, your Honor.

KEY QUOTE
291 MR. KELBERG:

Does that, where you're pointing, doctor, then show the very same fatal abdominal stab wounds that you have identified in G-8?

292 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

293 MR. KELBERG:

Now, doctor, in looking at the area in 43E, is that area covered by Mr. Goldman's shirt if you can tell?

294 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

295 MR. KELBERG:

You can't tell or it's not?

296 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I mean--I'm sorry. You can tell, but it's not covered. That's what I meant.

297 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, is there anything inconsistent with Mr. Goldman having been in a position on the ground with his shirt not covering that area and the perpetrator reaching down with a right hand and inflicting that fatal stab wound to the abdominal aorta?

298 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I can't exclude that possibility. It's--it's--there's nothing inconsistent in that statement.

299 MR. KELBERG:

And if that was done, doctor, would it be accurate to say that you would still expect the bleeding to be internal rather than outside of the body?

300 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. And of course, the wound should have been inflicted when Mr. Goldman had blood pressure to cause all the bleeding which it caused.

301 MR. KELBERG:

And in your opinion, that was in fact the case, that he had a beating heart with sufficient blood pressure?

302 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

303 MR. KELBERG:

Before we go, doctor, to the--I think we've taken care of the protocol. Have we taken care of the diagrams that show that abdominal aorta?

304 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. No. Actually no. There's 20-II.

305 MR. KELBERG:

We'll get that up in just a moment. Before we do, doctor, is there anything further you wish to add concerning the wound itself as it appears in either photograph G-8 or in G-5?

306 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

307 MR. KELBERG:

All right. Let's see if we can then get the protocol. We can put it up right here. Doctor, is it also diagrammed in 21, one of the 21 boards?

308 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. 21-III.

309 MR. KELBERG:

Why don't we take care of that one while Mr. Lynch is going to put the other one up on the easel. Was going to put the other one up on the easel with the photo. I'll do that.

310 THE COURT:

That's 2G.

311 MR. KELBERG:

2G. Thank you, your Honor.

312 MR. KELBERG:

All right, doctor. Where is it on 21-III?

313 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Right here (indicating).

314 MR. KELBERG:

And what if any entry, handwritten entry is made by Dr. Golden?

315 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It says stab wound abdomen transfers--the length of the track is five and a half inches and went through the abdominal aorta one and a quarter inches proximal, P-R-O-X, to bifurcation.

316 MR. KELBERG:

What does that mean, "Proximal"?

317 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

That means one and a quarter inches above where the aorta divides.

318 MR. KELBERG:

And is there any writing below that that refers to that same area?

319 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Left to right and slightly back to front.

320 MR. KELBERG:

And, doctor, just--there appears to be some waving line around the circled area to the left of what I thought you pointed out as the diagrammatic representation of the aortic stab wound. Am I correct that this area is the diagrammatic representation of the aortic stab wound (indicating)?

321 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

322 MR. KELBERG:

Let me circle that in red. And what if anything is represented by the area to the left that has that waving black line?

323 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Well, I think that's just a deletion of something he drew and it doesn't reflect this injury.

324 MR. KELBERG:

All right. Then let me circle the description in the two areas that are covered by that, and I'll make a line out to the side of the lower right-hand area of G-8 and G-5, and I'll write "Abdominal aorta." Is that accurate, doctor?

325 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

326 MR. KELBERG:

Now, you said it's diagrammed also in another form; is that correct?

327 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. 20-II.

328 MR. KELBERG:

Where on 20-II is that diagram?

329 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Here (indicating). This particular area here reflects and it says, "Stab wound to the abdomen, left to right, retroperitoneal iliopsoas area."

330 MR. KELBERG:

Keep your voice up, please, doctor.

331 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

332 MR. KELBERG:

Is all of this writing here to refer to that abdominal aorta stab wound?

333 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. And actually, it continues here also (indicating). It reflects the 3/4 inch length of the stab wound of the skin surface, the direction left to right, back to front. And again, it reflects that the injury to the aorta took place proximal, one and a quarter inches proximal to the bifurcation, and you have hundred cc blood in the peritoneal cavity.

334 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, what if anything is this, where I'm pointing, to represent?

335 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Well, he describes the stab wound itself, and I think he's trying to point out the--that one end of the wound is sharp and one end of the wound is forked.

336 MR. KELBERG:

And what does this--and I'll have the record hopefully corrected to indicate what I've been pointing to. What is this where I'm pointing to, which is just above what you were just describing? What does that refer to?

337 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I--I--he's got some kind of diagrammatic notation here, but mainly he says it's a transversely oriented wound, which means it's horizontal, horizontally oriented, which we already saw in the photograph.

338 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, I believe--

339 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It runs from a front to back direction, the stab wound.

340 MR. KELBERG:

I believe you indicated Dr. Golden described one end of the stab wound as being forked?

341 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

342 MR. KELBERG:

Is that accurate?

343 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

344 MR. KELBERG:

Would this appear to be a representation of a forked end of a stab wound?

345 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No. It's just some notation there. I can't really make that diagnosis from that notation.

346 MR. KELBERG:

All right. So all of this area here, all of this area here (indicating) all relates back to that stab wound, the aortic stab wound; is that correct?

347 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

348 MR. KELBERG:

All right. Let me circle all of that. Does the no. 5 go along with that information?

349 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. See, this no. 5 corresponds to the 5 description of the protocol.

350 MR. KELBERG:

All right. So I've circled that area in red and I'll write "G-8, G-5, abdominal aorta." Doctor, as long as we have this form up, 20, there is something written in, several things that appear to be written in on the corresponding left side of the form. What are those representations?

351 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

This would reflect the site of liver temperature puncture (indicating). They puncture the abdomen to get the liver temperature. And "PM" means it was done postmortem. And this is the liver temperature procedure conducted by Miss Ratcliffe, which Dr. Golden is reflecting as he saw as a mark on the body when he examined the body.

352 MR. KELBERG:

Let me circle that area, and I'll just write in "Liver temp probe." Would that be accurate?

353 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. And this "45H" means that this stab wound to the abdomen was 45 inches above the heel. So this also should be included with this discussion (indicating).

354 MR. KELBERG:

All right, doctor. Is this, where I'm pointing to right how, the location of that abdominal aortic stab wound?

355 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. Yes.

356 MR. KELBERG:

So I will circle this additional information you just indicated and I will draw red lines to the actual wound itself that's diagrammatically represented, circle that in blue, and out at the side, write "G-8, G-5, abdominal a wound." Doctor, why would doctor--let me withdraw that. Is it a common practice at your office that more than one diagram form would be used to include information for the very same injury such as we have here, 21-III and 20 being used for the abdominal aorta?

357 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Well, Dr. Golden could have--I mean, to answer that question, sometimes more than one diagram is used to reflect the same injury because we have diagrams which show the anatomical location better.

358 MR. KELBERG:

Is there anything in your opinion which is inappropriate for Dr. Golden to have selected these two forms to include for the information of the abdominal aorta fatal stab wound?

359 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No. Nothing inappropriate.

360 MR. KELBERG:

Anything further on the diagram?

361 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

362 MR. KELBERG:

Anything in the form of the addendum?

363 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

364 MR. KELBERG:

Anything further with respect to this injury?

365 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

366 MR. KELBERG:

All right. Let's-- now, doctor I think you indicated that the abdominal aorta stab wound was the only injury which you discussed from photograph G-8; is that correct?

367 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

368 MR. KELBERG:

And just for orientation, is this Mr. Goldman's left hand that is laying alongside the area of the body in G-8?

369 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

370 MR. KELBERG:

Now, we have one photograph left, doctor, and that's G-5; is that correct?

371 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

372 MR. KELBERG:

And you've already indicated where the abdominal aorta wound on the body is located. What other findings have you made from reviewing this photograph? And, by the way, this is a cropped photograph; is that correct?

373 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

374 MR. KELBERG:

And you saw the full photograph?

375 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

376 MR. KELBERG:

Is this one of the photographs that was not made into a life-size photograph?

377 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

378 MR. KELBERG:

And is that because in essence, you would need a full five foot, nine inch photograph to accurately represent a life-size depiction of this area of Mr. Goldman's body?

379 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

That is correct. Nearly five feet nine inches because the photograph would view portions of the body, not the whole body.

380 MR. KELBERG:

I'm sorry. Portions of the body?

381 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

But not the whole body.

382 MR. KELBERG:

All right. Now, would you tell us what your findings are that are seen in that photograph?

383 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I already described the flank wound which is seen, which is seen in G-8. You also have an abrasion in the left shoulder blade area and you have an abrasion in the radial aspect of the left wrist.

384 MR. KELBERG:

Have we seen either of those injuries in any of the other photographs?

385 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

386 MR. KELBERG:

Let's start then with this abrasion you say the left shoulder area.

387 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Left shoulder blade area.

388 MR. KELBERG:

All right. From your observation in this photograph, is this an antemortem abrasion?

389 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

390 MR. KELBERG:

Do you have an opinion as to any potential source or sources for that?

391 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Nonspecific blunt force trauma.

392 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, from your review of the environmental surroundings that we saw in the earlier photographs, are any of those surroundings a potential source for that abrasion?

393 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

There are several sources which could cause it. Any rough surface could cause it.

394 MR. KELBERG:

And does that include the ground?

395 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

396 MR. KELBERG:

Does it include any of the trees?

397 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It could. But remember that we also have the shirt interspersed between the skin and the inflicting object.

398 MR. KELBERG:

And what effect if any does the shirt interposing between the object and Mr. Goldman's skin have on how that abrasion can be created?

399 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

You cannot--you don't see a pattern. So it would be very difficult to say which object did that particular blunt force.

400 MR. KELBERG:

Is this abrasion discussed by Dr. Golden in the original protocol?

401 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

402 MR. KELBERG:

Is it diagrammed?

403 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

404 MR. KELBERG:

Is it addressed in the addendum?

405 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

406 MR. KELBERG:

All mistakes?

407 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

408 MR. KELBERG:

Collectively and individually, any significance on any of the big ticket questions you've been reviewing and testifying about?

409 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

410 MR. KELBERG:

For the same reasons that you've already described?

411 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

412 MR. KELBERG:

Now, let's talk about this injury--you said something about the radial aspect of the left hand; is that correct?

413 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. It's right here. You can see an abrasion there (indicating).

414 MR. KELBERG:

And where--perhaps you could point on your right hand where it is--

415 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

You mean my left--my left hand.

416 MR. KELBERG:

I'm sorry. Your left hand. Excuse me.

417 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Somewhere in this region next to, near my watch area (indicating).

418 MR. KELBERG:

Your Honor, below the base of the thumb at the wrist level the doctor is pointing.

419 THE COURT:

Slightly above the wrist level, yes.

420 MR. KELBERG:

Is this discussed by Dr. Golden in the protocol?

421 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

422 MR. KELBERG:

Diagrammed anywhere?

423 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

424 MR. KELBERG:

Addressed in the addendum?

425 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

426 MR. KELBERG:

Answers the same regarding these mistakes as they just were to the mistakes regarding the shoulder blade abrasion?

427 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

That is correct.

428 MR. KELBERG:

And again, no significance to you on the big ticket questions?

429 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

430 MR. KELBERG:

Are you able to determine from that photograph a source or sources for that abrasion?

431 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

432 MR. KELBERG:

Is any of the environmental surroundings--are any of the environmental surroundings seen in the photographs from Bundy potential sources for those--for that abrasion?

433 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

It could be any rough surface which the hand rubbed against or the surface rubbed against the hand to cause that injury.

434 MR. KELBERG:

Is there anything else in the form of injuries seen in that photograph G-5?

435 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

436 MR. KELBERG:

Now, I want to ask you, doctor, briefly about, in the photograph, you'll notice in the title of the document of the board the word "Lividity" appears at the end. Is there something that you see in photograph G-5 that represents to you lividity?

437 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. You can see it actually in G-10 also. You see it in the right shoulder area, distinct discoloration, and also in the right flank area, you can see distinct coloration. And if you look at the lower part of G-10, you can see this pink discoloration, which is related to the same right side, and that all would be consistent with lividity.

438 MR. KELBERG:

And, doctor, again, we'll talk about this in much greater detail with the time of death discussion. But in general terms, "Lividity" is?

439 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Is a postmortem draining of blood to the dependent parts of the body due to gravity and causing discoloration of the skin surface.

440 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, assuming Mr. Goldman's body was found in the position it is seen in photograph 43E and that the body remained in that position more or less until around 10:30 in the morning of June 13th, 1994, is that position one which is consistent with the location, this area, the pinkish discoloration that you just identified in both photos G-5 and G-10?

441 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

442 MR. KELBERG:

Would you point out where it is in the photograph 43E?

443 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

If you look at the thigh here and the arrows going towards the waist area here, and actually you can't see the right side of the body very well because you have the fern plant in front of the body. But basically, the right side of the flank is in contact with the ground. And that's a different part of the body in that position (indicating).

444 MR. KELBERG:

And is a consistent position to having the draining show up at the time of autopsy by the pinkish discoloration you've identified in these two photos?

445 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

446 MR. KELBERG:

Anything else about these photos, doctor?

447 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

448 MR. KELBERG:

Have we completed your discussion of all of the photographs of Mr. Goldman's autopsy that we are using in this presentation?

449 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

450 MR. KELBERG:

Have we discussed with respect to those photographs all of the entries in the protocol?

451 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

452 MR. KELBERG:

All of the entries in the diagrams?

453 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

454 MR. KELBERG:

And all of the entries in the addendum?

455 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

456 MR. KELBERG:

Now, doctor, there are some other records which were produced in the course of the Goldman autopsy, and I want to begin by putting up our board which is 11G. And we'll take down the protocol. And I'm also going to put up in just a moment--should have started at the other end--the form 15, 16 which is our board 1G. And let me get the corresponding identifying paper documents. Our form 15 is a part of exhibit 356-B. There are two of those form 15's, and the--what appears to be the toxicology report is our exhibit 356-P as in Paul. Doctor, again, are these two documents, the toxicology report, and there are several pages I believe, and the form 15, forms which are produced in the ordinary course of the Coroner's office operation?

457 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes, they are.

458 MR. KELBERG:

And is each of them completed by an employee of the Coroner's office?

459 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

460 MR. KELBERG:

And is each of such employees under an obligation to complete these records at or about the time of the events which are recorded in each of the documents?

461 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

462 MR. KELBERG:

Now, let me invite your attention--and I'm going to see if we have some pins still left. I don't know if we have them. I don't think we do. Let me hold this back. On the form--

463 THE COURT:

Do you have some? Mrs. Robertson can get you some if you need them.

464 MR. KELBERG:

I think we can proceed without them, but thank you for the offer, your Honor.

465 THE COURT:

All right.

466 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, this form, is this completed by Dr. Golden in the course of performing the autopsy of Mr. Goldman?

467 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

468 MR. KELBERG:

And there appears to be an entry at the top concerning time and listed as 10:30. What does that reflect?

469 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

That is the time he started the autopsy.

470 MR. KELBERG:

And with respect to witnesses, again, like the Nicole Brown Simpson form 15, has Dr. Golden indicated that there were two witnesses, Detectives Vannatter and Lange?

471 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

472 MR. KELBERG:

On the right side of the document again in this area preprinted of toxicological specimens collected, did Dr. Golden indicate that such specimens were in fact collected?

473 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

474 MR. KELBERG:

What does he indicate?

475 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

He said he collected blood from the right chest and bile, and there's nothing else reflected in the--this particular 15, but he had collected stomach contents.

476 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, would you like a sip of water?

477 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. Thank you.

478 (Brief pause.)
479 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, I think you testified last week that according to Dr. Golden's records, there was insufficient heart blood to collect as a result of which the alternative of using blood in the chest was collected?

480 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

481 MR. KELBERG:

Now, you say stomach contents were saved. This was something you asked Dr. Golden to do after you learned he had not saved the stomach contents of Nicole Brown Simpson; is that correct?

482 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

That is correct.

483 MR. KELBERG:

And yet on this first page of the form 15, that box for stomach contents does not appear to be checked; is that correct?

484 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

485 MR. KELBERG:

This is a form I think you testified last week also, it's a multi-page form; is that correct?

486 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

487 MR. KELBERG:

Let me flip the page just briefly to go to what appears to be a second form 15. Is this identical in all respects with respect to--with the exception of the box for stomach contents?

488 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

489 MR. KELBERG:

And can you give us some idea of how this document got generated to have a change by having an "X" in the box to mark stomach contents?

490 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

As I told you, there are four copies to this document. The white copy is the file copy and then there's a canary color, yellow copy which goes to the laboratory. The laboratory is where they receive all the specimens. When the canary copy did not reflect the box marked for the stomach contents and they received the stomach contents, the lab marked off the box for that, and you can see the difference in the marking. There's a check done by Dr. Golden, but the "X" is made by the laboratory on the canary copy.

491 MR. KELBERG:

Let me see if I can flip back to the original page to show the difference.

492 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

493 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, this mistake is one of Dr. Golden's for not marking the box?

494 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

495 MR. KELBERG:

Is it of any significance to you on any of these issues?

496 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

497 MR. KELBERG:

Why not?

498 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Because it's just an omitting the mark of box. We know he collected the specimen. It has been received in the lab. The lab has documented that it has received the specimen. So it's sort of significance in that manner.

499 MR. KELBERG:

Now, doctor, again, under toxicological analyses ordered, there appears to be a check mark in a particular box. What is that all about?

500 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

That is the box marked for "H" and that reflects that we ordered a--he ordered a homicide screen, a drug screen, which we do on homicide cases.

501 MR. KELBERG:

And in this particular document now off of our board, 11G, do we see the product of the toxicological screen of the blood?

502 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

503 MR. KELBERG:

What are we looking at on this--the first page is one that is dated June 21, 1994?

504 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

505 MR. KELBERG:

What are we looking at?

506 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

The blood which was submitted was tested for alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine, narcotics, which includes codeine, narcotics, morphine and phencyclidine.

507 MR. KELBERG:

I believe you have already identified from the toxicological records of Nicole Brown Simpson, Mr. Park and Mr. Mahanay. So they are your toxicologists performing these tests?

508 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

509 MR. KELBERG:

And what are the results that are found?

510 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Alcohol was negative and none of those drugs were detected. "ND" means none detected, not detected.

511 MR. KELBERG:

And there appears to be a second page to this particular toxicological board, this one dated August 11, 1994. What does this represent, doctor?

512 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

This is some additional testing which was requested at a later time to complete the "C" screen, which is a comprehensive screen, and this reflects that.

513 MR. KELBERG:

Is there some reason why Dr. Golden has only requested an "H" screen and ultimately a "C" screen was done?

514 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I requested--

515 MR. SHAPIRO:

Objection. Calls for speculation.

516 THE COURT:

Sustained. Rephrase the question.

517 MR. KELBERG:

If you know, doctor, is there a reason why a "C" screen was performed?

518 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yeah. I ordered the "C" screen to get it completed.

519 MR. KELBERG:

Why did you order that?

520 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Just to complete the screen to make sure that we don't have any other drugs in the system.

521 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, would it normally have been the case in a low publicity homicide where the circumstances are all the same with the exception of the identities of the victims and the person arrested for only an "H" screen to have been done?

522 MR. SHAPIRO:

Objection. Irrelevant.

523 THE COURT:

Overruled.

524 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

That is correct.

525 MR. KELBERG:

Is this another instance where you were covering your backside?

526 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

If you want to put it that way, yes.

527 MR. KELBERG:

It's not a question of whether I want to put it that way, doctor. Is that why you ordered it?

528 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I ordered it to complete the screen so we can get the screen completed.

529 MR. KELBERG:

If you don't do it in other low publicity cases, then why did you do it in this case?

530 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I just wanted to make sure there was no other drugs which we can test for which was present in the system.

531 MR. KELBERG:

Why don't you do it in the low publicity cases?

532 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I just did it as I told you already. I don't have a reason for it. I just did it as a judgment call.

533 MR. KELBERG:

And the results?

534 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Negative.

535 MR. KELBERG:

For any of these additional drugs?

536 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Both basic--the basic drugs and barbiturates.

537 MR. KELBERG:

Anything further with respect to these two documents on the toxicological analysis?

538 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

539 MR. KELBERG:

I want to--for safety sake, let me move this, the first easel, and I just want to get the exhibit identification number. This is going to be--this is 340--I'm sorry. Wrong one. 356-C. Mr. Lynch helps me out. Thank you.

540 MR. KELBERG:

Our form 16 in this case situation, doctor. First of all, does this form show the actual hours indicated by Dr. Golden in which he performed the autopsy, the gross autopsy and dissection of Mr. Goldman?

541 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. In the lower part, you can see that he performed the autopsy between 10:30 and 1300, which is 1:00 o'clock in the afternoon.

542 MR. KELBERG:

And I think you testified last week that in your opinion, this autopsy should have taken somewhat longer than two and a half hours as indicated by Dr. Golden?

543 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

544 MR. KELBERG:

How long would you have expected this autopsy to take?

545 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I said four to five hours.

546 MR. KELBERG:

Now, doctor, in this particular form, does Dr. Golden indicate the contents of the stomach which he saved at your request?

547 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

548 MR. KELBERG:

What does he indicate?

549 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

He says that 200 cc of partially digested material with pieces of spinach--spinach.

550 MR. KELBERG:

Let me ask Mr. Lynch if he could just circle that area with one of the markers at the witness stand, and let me, while he's doing that, put up the protocol. Doctor, is there a description provided in the protocol for the stomach contents of Mr. Goldman?

551 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. It will be under "Digestive system."

552 MR. KELBERG:

And looking at page 15 of the exhibit board 0G, at the bottom where it starts with "Gastrointestinal system," if we flip the page now, does Dr. Golden describe his findings of the stomach contents?

553 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. It's on paragraph 1 of page 16-93, "200 ml of partially digested semi-solid food found in the stomach with the presence of fragments of green leafy vegetable material compatible with spinach."

554 MR. KELBERG:

Let me circle that area. Does Dr. Golden on the form 16 make any reference to the fatal stab wounds he identified in the course of the autopsy?

555 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes, he does.

556 MR. KELBERG:

Where?

557 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

He describes the two stab wounds to the right lung and says to the right lower lobe and he also addresses the hundred cc blood present in the chest cavity of liquid blood.

558 MR. KELBERG:

Keep your voice up, please, doctor.

559 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Liquid blood. And he also addresses the presence of hundred cc blood in the abdominal cavity in addition to the retroperitoneal hemorrhage here (indicating). And that's from the flank wound.

560 MR. KELBERG:

And does he also record the height and weight of Mr. Goldman?

561 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes, he does. The weight is 171 pounds and the height is 69 inches, which is five feet, nine inches.

562 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, let me show you another board. It's 12G which is in the paper form. It is 356-Q. You testified last week about examination made by Drs. Vale and Enselmo on photographs of the back of Nicole Brown Simpson. Did you also obtain a consultation report from the two of them regarding Mr. Goldman?

563 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. They reviewed photographs on Mr. Goldman.

564 MR. KELBERG:

And is this form 13 part of the official records of the Coroner's office by these two consultants?

565 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

566 MR. KELBERG:

And in summary, what was the result of Dr. Vale and Dr. Enselmo's examination of the photographs?

567 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

We do not find evidence of bite marks in the photographs.

568 MR. KELBERG:

And flipping the page of this board, do we see in essence the handwritten version of the same report you just described, only that report was on a form 13 and the handwritten part is on a form 42?

569 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

That's correct.

570 MR. KELBERG:

Anything else in the way of Dr. Vale and Dr. Enselmo on the Goldman autopsy?

571 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

No.

572 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, if you would like to retake the stand for just a moment.

573 (The witness complies.)
574 (Brief pause.)
575 MR. KELBERG:

I'm just trying to get the designation. I apologize, your Honor, for-- 356-M as in Mary.

576 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, let me show you the blow-up, which is our board 8G of the exhibit, the paper exhibit 356-M. And I'm sorry. You'll have to get up again, if you would, please. Are you familiar with this document?

577 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

578 MR. KELBERG:

What is this?

579 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

This is a summary of the various sharp force injuries on Mr. Goldman, and Dr. Golden did the summary, and basically the document reflects the summary.

580 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, can you just in general terms indicate what is described by Dr. Golden with this document?

581 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. He has divided the document in various columns. He has given the numbering which he used for his description of the various sharp force injuries, the site where it's located, orientation, whether the stab wound or the sharp force injury was vertically oriented, diagonally oriented or transversely oriented. Vertically oriented means the long axis of the wound was in a head-toe direction. Diagonally means was diagonal to that axis and transverse is an axis which is perpendicular to the head-toe axis, that is this horizontal axis. So that's what he means by orientation. And then this is--"L" refers to the location. The--for the chest wounds, it's the location below the head. For the abdominal and thigh wounds, it's the location above the heel.

582 MR. KELBERG:

I'm sorry. You can obviously understand how that refers to location. But could you explain it to us, why in number 22 refers to some location?

583 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Because it's from the top of the head to the location of the wound on the body where it's located. For example, let's take--let's go across one wound so that it will be better understood. Let's take no. 1, first degree stab wound to the right chest. It's vertically oriented. It's 22 inches below the top of the head, and this is the--from the back, it's--it's situated five inches from the back. That is when the body is laying to the back here, five inches to the front (indicating). The length of the wound is 5/8 of an inch. And this is with reference to the edges. The lower end was the blunt end for that front stab wound if you'll recall, and that's the sharpened, and this refers to the depth of the wound. I can't read it clearly here. And then you have the track which goes to the lung, angle is right to left, and hemothorax. Then the second--

584 MR. KELBERG:

Hemothorax was, again, blood in the cavity?

585 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. Then the no. 2 is the right chest. It was diagonally oriented 21 inches below the head, two inches from the back, one and a half inches long, and the blunt end was in the back and the sharp end was in the front, same right to left. That diagram goes on.

586 MR. KELBERG:

Now, doctor, was each of the fatal stab wounds that you've identified, that is the two fatal stab wounds to the right chest, the fatal stab wound to the abdominal aorta and the fatal stab wound to the left area of the neck, is each of those fatal stab wounds described on this chart?

587 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

The neck is not. You have the two right chest, the nonfatal right flank, the left thigh, which is not fatal, but significant bleeding, left abdomen, which is to the aorta. And here he has given the orientation of the forking in the back and the pointing to the front as far as the characteristics of the edges. I mean characteristics of the ends of the wound.

588 MR. KELBERG:

That's of the abdominal aorta stab wound?

589 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

590 MR. KELBERG:

And that's the one that you saw in photograph G-8 and also in G-5?

591 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

592 MR. KELBERG:

All right.

593 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

And here is a direction here, left to right, slightly back to front, hundred cc of blood in the abdominal cavity, 5 DAPI, which is depth. So it's basically a summary of all the wounds.

594 MR. KELBERG:

Would you have expected Dr. Golden to have included this fatal stab wound to the left side of the neck in this chart review?

595 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

He did not. I guess--

596 MR. KELBERG:

I don't want you to guess, doctor.

597 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I don't know--I'm not saying--he did not.

598 MR. SHAPIRO:

Objection. Motion to strike. Nonresponsive.

599 THE COURT:

Overruled. Proceed.

600 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, again, is this a document that is created in the ordinary course of the business of the Coroner's office?

601 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

602 MR. KELBERG:

And is it to reflect at a time of or near the observations that are recorded in the document by Dr. Golden?

603 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. And I'd like to point out also that he has given to the forked end, can vary from 1/16 inch to 1/8 inch in width.

604 MR. KELBERG:

The forked end of what, doctor?

605 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

The stab wound here (indicating).

606 MR. KELBERG:

The abdominal aorta stab wound?

607 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

608 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, is a chart like this of any existence to you in forming an opinion such as you indicated you did of general dimensions of a knife that's single edged which would have been consistent with all of the sharp force injuries received by Mr. Goldman?

609 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

610 MR. KELBERG:

And in fact, have you reviewed from this chart and all of the other information to form such an opinion?

611 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

612 MR. KELBERG:

What is the opinion as to the approximate dimensions?

613 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

As I mentioned earlier, in knife wounds, you can only approximate. You need a suspect weapon to compare to the wounds. But given all the measurements I have done in both the cases and the measurements given by Dr. Golden and appearances and the description, I said all the wounds could have been caused by a single-edged knife, but a thick blunt edge up to 1/8 inch in width with a tapering tip and 6 inches long, 3/4 inch wide.

614 MR. KELBERG:

3/4 inch wide at its widest point?

615 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

616 MR. KELBERG:

And getting narrower as one gets to the tip of the knife blade?

617 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes. This is just an approximate estimation because normally knife wounds, as I said earlier, you like to compare a suspect weapon to a wound.

618 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, before I get into chain of custody documents that refer to both the Goldman and the Nicole Brown Simpson autopsies, is there anything that you want to bring to our attention with respect to the actual findings or conclusions from the Goldman autopsy that we have not discussed?

619 MR. SHAPIRO:

Objection. Calls for a narrative.

620 THE COURT:

Rephrase the question.

621 MR. KELBERG:

May I have just a moment then, your Honor?

622 THE COURT:

Certainly.

623 (Brief pause.)
624 MR. KELBERG:

The one thing I did not show you, doctor, would be the blow-ups of the form 1 and 2 that is on our board 13G. We saw the form 1, I believe it's exhibit 298-B, the redacted version to leave out any home address that might be observed. Those documents, are they also created in the ordinary course of the Coroner's office operation?

625 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes, they are.

626 MR. KELBERG:

And are the entries made made by employees at or about the time of the events which are reported in those documents?

627 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

628 MR. KELBERG:

Now, doctor, before I go to the chain of custody documents, I want to ask you about something that Mr. Cochran mentioned I believe several times in opening statement and in some examination of witnesses, in particular, Detective Lange.

629 MR. SHAPIRO:

Objection to the form of that statement.

630 THE COURT:

Sustained.

631 MR. SHAPIRO:

Motion to strike, admonish the jury.

632 THE COURT:

Stricken. The jury is to disregard. Proceed.

633 MR. KELBERG:

I'm sorry, your Honor.

634 THE COURT:

Proceed.

635 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, have you ever heard the term before I may have mentioned it to you "Colombian necktie"?

636 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I heard the term.

637 MR. KELBERG:

From whom?

638 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

That's used to describe a type of neck injury wherein you have a slash wound to the neck and tongue is interspersed there.

639 MR. KELBERG:

When is the first time you heard such a term?

640 MR. SHAPIRO:

Objection. Irrelevant.

641 THE COURT:

Overruled.

642 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

I've heard it mentioned by different--by different pathologists.

643 MR. KELBERG:

Doctor, have you--

644 THE COURT:

Excuse me, Mr. Kelberg. I hate to break it up. I have a note from the jurors that we need to take a comfort break. All right. So let's take five minutes. All right.

645 (Recess.)

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (4)

Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran
Two, three minutes, because you're talking about major injuries to the jugular vein, the lung, the aorta, and you'll bleed fast and go into shock rapidly. It doesn't take much time to lose two liters of blood from all these sites to go into shock.
Prosecution's key time-of-death opinion — establishes Goldman could not have survived more than a few minutes, constraining the timeline of the attack.
Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran
The abdominal aortic wound, you can die within a few minutes, but even less than a minute, depending on the amount of blood lost from those defects. These are big defects in the aortic wall described by Dr. Golden. He said half an inch defects in aortic wall.
Establishes the severity and lethality of the aortic wound as a standalone fatal injury.
Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran
When I examined the shirt of Mr. Goldman, there's no defect directly corresponding to that wound on the left side of the shirt. There were two defects in the back of the mid portion of the shirt.
Introduces a physical inconsistency between the wound location and the shirt defects — suggests Goldman's shirt may have shifted, or he may have been on the ground when the aortic wound was inflicted.
Brian Kelberg
You're a pessimist, your Honor.
Rare light moment — Kelberg's quip to Judge Ito after the judge told him to keep the adhesive arrows rather than returning them.

Evidence (10)

G-10
Autopsy photograph showing posterior torso with fatal chest wounds (injury no. 1: right 4th rib/right lung; injury no. 2: right 8th intercostal space), superficial right flank stab wound (injury no. 3), and postmortem abrasions (injuries no. 4 and 5)
discussed, annotated in red and blue marker
G-8
Autopsy photograph showing the fatal aortic stab wound to the left flank
discussed in detail; wound track, direction, and aortic perforations analyzed
G-5
Cropped crime scene photograph of Goldman's posterior torso showing aortic wound location, left shoulder blade abrasion, and left wrist abrasion
discussed; additional injuries identified that were absent from other photographs
People's 7G board (skeletonized schematic)
Diagram board with Dr. Golden's skeletal form annotations for Goldman's wounds
annotated in court with red and blue marker by Kelberg to cross-reference injury designations
People's 3G
Diagram board (21-II form) showing Dr. Golden's diagrammatic representations of wounds including injury no. 3 (right flank) and postmortem abrasions
annotated and discussed
People's 2G
Diagram board (21-III form) showing aortic stab wound diagram with handwritten notation: track length 5.5 inches, aorta struck 1.25 inches proximal to bifurcation, left to right/back to front direction
discussed, circled in red
+ 4 more

Notable Exchanges (4)

Brian KelbergDr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran
Live physical demonstration where Kelberg stood as the 'victim' and Lakshmanan used a ruler as a stand-in knife to show possible right-handed and left-handed perpetrator positions for inflicting the left-flank aortic wound. Multiple orientations demonstrated including face-to-face, behind-and-left, and side-angle approaches.
strategic
Brian KelbergDr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran
Exchange about the two defects in the aortic wall — Lakshmanan explains these could represent a through-and-through wound of the tubular aorta OR a withdrawal and re-entry of the knife, but that soft tissue makes it impossible to determine which track was followed.
revealing
Brian KelbergDr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran
Discussion of Goldman's shirt: no defect on left side corresponding to the aortic wound, but two defects in the back mid-portion — raising the possibility Goldman was on the ground with his shirt shifted when the wound was inflicted, consistent with prosecution's narrative of a sustained struggle.
strategic
Brian KelbergLance A. Ito
Brief exchange about borrowing the court's adhesive arrows to mark photograph 43E; Ito tells Kelberg to keep them, prompting Kelberg's 'pessimist' quip.
light

Light Moments (2)

Brian Kelberg
After Judge Ito told Kelberg to keep the court's adhesive arrows rather than return them, Kelberg quipped: 'You're a pessimist, your Honor.'
Lance A. Ito
Ito interrupted to ask Dr. Baden (present in the courtroom, apparently observing) to move because he was standing in front of the court reporter.

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ Dr. Irwin Golden
Omission/protocol deficiency
Kelberg elicited from Lakshmanan that Golden failed to describe the postmortem abrasions in the written protocol (only diagrammed them) — Lakshmanan called it 'a mistake.' Golden also failed to quantify retroperitoneal hemorrhage, which Lakshmanan said 'could have been described' even if not precisely measured. These admissions were framed as isolated errors without significance to major conclusions.

Witness Demeanor

Methodical and precise in walking through diagram annotations; occasionally had difficulty reading Dr. Golden's handwriting ('I can't read this word here')
Corrected himself mid-sentence when describing the shirt covering the wound: 'No. I mean--I'm sorry. You can tell, but it's not covered.'
Engaged physically in the demonstration, moving around Kelberg to show perpetrator positions

Objections

2 objections (0 sustained, 2 overruled)
Proceeding 6350 • 645 utterances • Prosecution witness
Criminal Trial
Department 103
⚖️ Start
📂 JUN 13, 1995 📄 Direct examination of Dr. Laks
JUN 13, 1995 KRT DvH TD