📄 Direct examination of Brenda Vemich — Thursday, June 15, 1995
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\JUN\15\DIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-BRENDA-V.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 96 of 167

Direct examination of Brenda Vemich

Witness: Brenda Vemich
Examiner: Christopher Darden
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Thursday, June 15, 1995 • Utterances: 282
Brenda Vemich, a Bloomingdales gloves buyer, testified that the two gloves recovered from the crime scenes (People's 164-A and People's 77) are Aris Isotoner leather light gloves exclusively sold at Bloomingdales, with only approximately 300 pairs sold in brown, extra-large during 1990. Darden then walked her through a Bloomingdales credit card receipt (People's 372) from December 18, 1990, showing the purchase of two pairs of matching Aris gloves — signed by Nicole Brown.
1 THE COURT:

All right.

Brenda Vemich, called as a witness by the People, was sworn and testified as follows:

2 THE COURT:

Miss Vemich, would you come forward, please. Stand right next to the court reporter, please. Raise your right hand and face the clerk.

3 MR. SHAPIRO:

Please raise your right hand. You do solemnly swear that the testimony you may give in the cause now pending before this court, shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God.

4 MS. VEMICH:

I do.

5 MR. SHAPIRO:

Please have a seat on the witness stand and state and spell your first and last names for the record.

6 MS. VEMICH:

Brenda Vemich.

7 MR. SHAPIRO:

May we have the spelling.

8 MS. VEMICH:

V-E-M-I-C-H.

9 THE COURT:

Mr. Darden.

10 MR. DARDEN:

Thank you, your Honor.

DIRECT EXAMINATION BY MR. DARDEN

11 MR. DARDEN:

Good afternoon, Miss Vemich. Miss Vemich, who are you employed by?

12 MS. VEMICH:

Bloomingdales.

13 MR. DARDEN:

What is your position with Bloomingdales?

14 MS. VEMICH:

I'm a buyer for men's dress shirts.

15 MR. DARDEN:

Men's dress shirts?

16 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

17 MR. DARDEN:

And were you employed by Bloomingdales on December 18, 1990?

18 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

19 MR. DARDEN:

What was your position then?

20 MS. VEMICH:

I was the men's gloves buyer.

21 MR. DARDEN:

You were the men's glove buyer. During December of 1990 did Bloomingdales have a relationship with Aris Isotoner?

22 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

23 MR. DARDEN:

Did Bloomingdales sell Aris Isotoner gloves?

24 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

25 MR. DARDEN:

Can you tell us whether or not there was a line of gloves sold exclusively by Bloomingdales, that is, gloves that were manufactured by Aris Isotoner?

26 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

27 MR. DARDEN:

And can you tell us the name or the style of those gloves?

28 MS. VEMICH:

Well, we bought many gloves from Aris, but there was one particular important glove and it was called an Aris leather--

29 MR. COCHRAN:

I move to strike this as nonresponsive.

30 THE COURT:

Sustained. Rephrase the question, please.

31 MR. DARDEN:

Did Bloomingdales sell more than one exclusive kind of Aris Isotoner glove?

32 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

33 MR. DARDEN:

Are you familiar with the glove called Aris Isotoner thin?

34 MS. VEMICH:

I don't understand the question.

35 MR. DARDEN:

Are you familiar with the glove that goes by the style number of 70263?

36 MS. VEMICH:

Yes. That is an Aris leather light glove that was an exclusive glove for Bloomingdales.

37 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. And this Aris leather glove--Aris leather light glove was manufactured by Aris Isotoner?

38 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

39 MR. DARDEN:

And you were in charge of purchasing gloves for the men's section?

40 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

41 MR. DARDEN:

Were you selling that particular type of glove on December 18, 1990?

42 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

43 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. And in which department in the store could those gloves be purchased?

44 MS. VEMICH:

In the seasonal glove department, seasonal accessories. Seasonal accessories.

45 MR. DARDEN:

And if you know, what was the retail price of those gloves?

46 MS. VEMICH:

Those particular gloves were $55.00.

47 MR. DARDEN:

And what was the selling price on December 18, 1990, if you know?

48 MS. VEMICH:

They were $55.00, but during December 18th they were marked down at thirty percent off.

49 MR. DARDEN:

Could you describe style no. 70263, the Aris Isotoner leather light glove?

50 MS. VEMICH:

Yes. This particular glove has many characteristics that are very distinctive to this type of glove. One of the first characteristics is the leather. The leather is extremely lightweight, almost paper thin, and that was one characteristic. The second was the stitching. The stitching of this glove was called a Brossier stitch which is a very refined whip stitch.

51 THE COURT:

How do you spell that Brossier?

52 MS. VEMICH:

I believe it is B-R-O-S-S-I-E-R.

53 THE COURT:

Thank you. Mr. Darden.

54 MS. VEMICH:

So the stitching was very unique as well.

55 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. Okay. Any other unique characteristics?

56 MS. VEMICH:

Yes. The vent palm was on the palm side of the glove. The "V" that is in the glove is in the palm side, so that was another characteristic.

57 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. Now, was there a lining to these gloves?

58 MS. VEMICH:

Yes. They were cashmere lined so all four of these characteristics combined together made this glove a very unique and special glove.

59 MR. DARDEN:

During the recess you were here in court this afternoon; is that correct?

60 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

61 MR. DARDEN:

And at that time were you asked to view two gloves in particular?

62 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

63 MR. DARDEN:

By the way, have you ever visited any factories where gloves are manufactured?

64 MS. VEMICH:

Yes, many times throughout my career in accessories.

65 MR. DARDEN:

Have you tried several pairs of gloves on?

66 MS. VEMICH:

Yes, many, many, many pair.

67 MR. DARDEN:

In your professional capacity?

68 (no audible response.)
69 MR. DARDEN:

And that was in your professional capacity?

70 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

71 (Brief pause.)
72 MR. DARDEN:

I would like to show you a pair of gloves that have already been marked. Where can we do this, your Honor?

73 THE COURT:

Where would you like to do it, Mr. Darden? Do you want to do it here on the shelf in front of the witness?

74 MR. DARDEN:

Okay.

75 THE COURT:

Mr. Wooden, do you want to pull off a sheet of paper and fold it up to that size, please.

76 MR. DARDEN:

Miss Vemich, given the description you have provided us of the Aris Isotoner leather light glove, are you able to identify that glove when you see it?

77 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

78 MR. DARDEN:

Let me show you the glove that has been marked People's 164-A. It is LAPD item no. 9, the Rockingham glove. Showing you People's 164-A, looking at that glove, can you tell us whether or not that glove is an Aris Isotoner leather light glove?

79 MS. VEMICH:

Can you turn it over?

80 (Mr. Darden complies.)
81 MS. VEMICH:

Yes. This is an Aris leather light glove.

82 MR. DARDEN:

Now, does this glove have the "V" indentation in the palm area that you described earlier?

83 MS. VEMICH:

Yes, the vent palm.

84 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. How about the stitching?

85 MS. VEMICH:

The stitching is the Brossier stitching, the lining is cashier.

86 MR. DARDEN:

And does the leather appear to be particularly light, as you described earlier?

87 MS. VEMICH:

Very thin for a glove, yes.

88 MR. DARDEN:

And this glove is a glove exclusive to Bloomingdales?

89 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

90 MR. DARDEN:

By the way, when you looked at these gloves during the recess, was Mr. Cochran present?

91 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

92 MR. DARDEN:

And Mr. Shapiro?

93 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

94 MR. DARDEN:

Myself and Mr. Wooden?

95 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

96 MR. DARDEN:

Is this 77?

97 (Discussion held off the record between the Deputy District Attorneys.)
98 MR. DARDEN:

And showing you the glove that has been marked exhibit 77, People's 77.

99 MS. VEMICH:

Yes, this is an Aris leather light glove.

100 MR. DARDEN:

Miss Vemich, if you know, how many pairs of these gloves did Bloomingdales purchase during 1990?

101 MS. VEMICH:

Bloomingdales purchased approximately a thousand dozen which would be about 12,000 pair.

KEY QUOTE
102 MR. DARDEN:

And what is the color of the two gloves you just saw?

103 MS. VEMICH:

The color is brown.

104 MR. DARDEN:

And what is the size?

105 MS. VEMICH:

The size is extra large.

106 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. During 1990 how many pairs of Aris Isotoner leather light gloves brown in color size extra large did Bloomingdales purchase?

107 MS. VEMICH:

Approximately 300.

108 MR. DARDEN:

300 pair?

109 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

110 MR. DARDEN:

Now, when you say that these gloves were exclusive to Bloomingdales, what exactly does that mean?

111 MS. VEMICH:

That means that these gloves were designed and developed--developed for only Bloomingdales, and were sold nowhere else.

KEY QUOTE
112 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. Have you ever seen those gloves sold anywhere else in the United States?

113 MS. VEMICH:

No, I have not, not these gloves.

114 MR. DARDEN:

Have you traveled abroad to Europe and to Asia?

115 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

116 MR. DARDEN:

Have you ever seen these gloves in Europe or Asia?

117 MS. VEMICH:

No, I have not.

118 MR. DARDEN:

Is there a Bloomingdales in Los Angeles?

119 MS. VEMICH:

No, sir.

120 MR. DARDEN:

Where is the Bloomingdales that is the one closest to Los Angeles?

121 MS. VEMICH:

The closest one I believe is in north Michigan area, the Chicago store. That is the closest.

122 MR. DARDEN:

Chicago store is the closest?

123 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

124 MR. DARDEN:

Now, did you purchase these same gloves for Bloomingdales during 1991?

125 MS. VEMICH:

No, I did not. I inherited this particular buy, the first buy.

126 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. Were pairs several pairs sold to Bloomingdales during 1990?

127 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

128 MR. DARDEN:

How about 1992?

129 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

130 MR. DARDEN:

`93?

131 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

132 MR. DARDEN:

You purchased the same gloves that I have just shown to you, or the same style, during 1993?

133 MS. VEMICH:

The manufacturer started changing some of the--

134 MR. COCHRAN:

Move to strike as nonresponsive, your Honor.

135 THE COURT:

Mr. Darden, ask the question.

136 MR. DARDEN:

At some point did the manufacturer start to change the style of glove that I have shown you here in court today?

137 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

138 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. What year was that?

139 MS. VEMICH:

1993.

140 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. Did they change the style number in 1993?

141 MS. VEMICH:

No, they did not. They only changed the stitching.

142 MR. DARDEN:

And so the 1993 model of the Aris Isotoner leather glove, how is it different from the gloves, if at all, that are here in court today?

143 MS. VEMICH:

The stitching, the Brossier stitching was changed. They changed to it what is called a picay stitch.

144 MR. DARDEN:

And the gloves I have shown you here in court today are not gloves having a "K" stitch?

145 MS. VEMICH:

No, that is a Brossier stitch.

146 MR. DARDEN:

Given your position as a buyer for Bloomingdales, are you in a management position?

147 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

148 MR. DARDEN:

Have you been trained on how to ring up credit card purchases?

149 MS. VEMICH:

I've been trained how to buy and merchandise and develop and occasionally I sell the merchandise myself.

150 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. So you have received cash register training then?

151 MS. VEMICH:

At one point in time we have received training, but that is not my primary function, but it is important for me to be on the floor to see what we sold. So I spent a great deal of time waiting on customers and working with them. And specifically one of the areas that I spend the most amount of time is in the glove area.

152 MR. DARDEN:

On December 18, 1990, was there merchandise in the men's department bar coded at all?

153 MS. VEMICH:

No.

154 MR. DARDEN:

So you couldn't just sweep it across a device and ring up the purchase automatically?

155 MS. VEMICH:

Know.

156 MR. DARDEN:

How was information, that is, the sales information, placed into the computer or sales register?

157 MS. VEMICH:

It was entered in manually.

158 MR. DARDEN:

Okay.

159 MR. DARDEN:

Your Honor, next in order is People's 372.

160 THE COURT:

People's 372.

161 MR. DARDEN:

I have shown Mr. Cochran--do you want to see the original--a copy of the exhibit next? It is entitled, "Bloomingdales glove purchases."

162 THE COURT:

All right.

163 (Peo's 372 for id = Bloomingdales receipt)
164 (Discussion held off the record between Deputy District Attorney and Defense counsel.)
165 MR. DARDEN:

Miss Vemich, there is a monitor there to your right. Looking at the item marked People's 372 for identification, can you tell us what that item is?

166 (no audible response.)
167 MR. DARDEN:

The item depicted there?

168 MS. VEMICH:

This is a Bloomingdales receipt, but it is a little bit blurred here.

169 MR. DARDEN:

Your Honor, I have a second item. It appears to be a microfiche copy of this same receipt. It can it be marked 372-B and the item on the elmo 372-A.

170 THE COURT:

All right. So marked.

171 (Peo's 372-A for id = Bloomingdales receipt)
172 (Peo's 372-B for id = Bloomingdales rcpt/microfiche)
173 MR. DARDEN:

Showing what you has been marked 372-B, is that a Bloomingdales credit card sales receipt?

174 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

175 MR. DARDEN:

And is that apparently a copy of what you see there on the monitor?

176 MS. VEMICH:

Yes, it is.

177 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. Now, looking at that receipt, there are several numbers on it; is that correct?

178 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

179 MR. DARDEN:

Can you interpret those numbers for us?

180 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

181 MR. DARDEN:

Okay.

182 MS. VEMICH:

The "517" represents the department number, seasonal accessories.

183 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. Let me stop you there. That is to the left of the sales receipt; is that correct?

184 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

185 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. "517" indicates men's accessories seasonal department?

186 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

187 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. Now, do you see the no. "222034" at the top upper left?

188 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

189 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. What is that number?

190 MS. VEMICH:

That is the employee's I.D. number.

191 MR. DARDEN:

Whose employee I.D. number is that, if you know?

192 MS. VEMICH:

It is Holina Phipps.

193 MR. DARDEN:

Is Holina Phipps here in the courthouse this afternoon?

194 MS. VEMICH:

No. She is here, but not in this courtroom.

195 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. She is in the building?

196 MS. VEMICH:

Courthouse, yes.

197 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. Thank you. Okay. And to go down to the right of the "515," we see the numbers "55."

198 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

199 MR. DARDEN:

What do those numbers indicate?

200 MS. VEMICH:

That is the classification number and "55" represents a glove classification.

201 MR. DARDEN:

So that indicates that gloves were purchased?

202 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

203 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. And to the right of the "55" is the no. "953"?

204 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

205 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. What does that number indicate?

206 MS. VEMICH:

That is the vendor number and in this case it is Aris Isotoner.

207 MR. DARDEN:

And so based on those three numbers then you can tell that you say there was a purchase in the men's accessories department, seasonal?

208 MS. VEMICH:

Seasonal.

209 MR. DARDEN:

Gloves were purchased?

210 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

211 MR. DARDEN:

And that they were Aris gloves?

212 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

213 MR. DARDEN:

To the right of the "953" we see the no. 70268. What is that number?

214 MS. VEMICH:

That is the style number of the glove.

215 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. And we will come back to that. And to the right of the "70268" you see the no. "2." What does that indicate?

216 MS. VEMICH:

Quantity that were purchased is two, two gloves.

217 MR. DARDEN:

Two pairs of Aris gloves?

218 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

219 MR. DARDEN:

And to the right of the "2" we see the number "$77.00"?

220 MS. VEMICH:

Yes. That is the retail for the two pair of gloves.

221 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. And to the right of the "$77.00" we see the no. "30"; is that correct?

222 MS. VEMICH:

Yes. And that is thirty percent off.

223 MR. DARDEN:

So that means in the two pairs of gloves were purchased for thirty percent off at $77.00?

224 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

225 MR. DARDEN:

Can you tell us what the regular price of the gloves was?

226 MS. VEMICH:

The regular price of gloves of this style is $55.00.

227 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. How many pairs of gloves or types of gloves did you sell at $55.00 during December of 1990?

228 MS. VEMICH:

From this vendor, Aris--

229 MR. COCHRAN:

Your Honor, she appears to be reading from something. Can we have a foundation?

230 THE COURT:

Overruled. She is holding the exhibit.

231 MR. COCHRAN:

Holding the exhibit?

232 THE COURT:

She is holding the exhibit.

233 MR. COCHRAN:

Very well, your Honor.

234 THE COURT:

Proceed. Mr. Darden.

235 MR. DARDEN:

How many different types of Aris gloves did you sell at $55.00 during December?

236 MS. VEMICH:

There was only one Aris glove that I sold at $55.00.

KEY QUOTE
237 MR. DARDEN:

Was style number was that?

238 MS. VEMICH:

70263.

239 MR. DARDEN:

And which glove the style number is 70263?

240 MS. VEMICH:

Aris leather light glove.

241 MR. DARDEN:

So the gloves I showed you in court today then fit the descriptions given on this sales receipt?

242 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

243 MR. DARDEN:

Now, the style number on the sales receipt indicates 70268; is that correct?

244 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

245 MR. DARDEN:

Did Bloomingdales ever sell an Aris glove style no. 70268?

246 MS. VEMICH:

No, they did not.

247 MR. DARDEN:

To borrow a phrase, is that a mistake?

248 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

249 MR. DARDEN:

Does that mistake--strike that. The mistake is that the "8" should have been a "3"?

250 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

251 MR. COCHRAN:

Your Honor, misleading.

252 THE COURT:

Sustained. The answer is stricken. Rephrase the question.

253 MR. DARDEN:

Thank you, your Honor.

254 MR. DARDEN:

What is the mistake?

255 MS. VEMICH:

The last digit should be a "3," not an "8."

256 MR. DARDEN:

Has Bloomingdales ever purchased Aris glove style no. 702268?

257 MS. VEMICH:

No.

258 MR. DARDEN:

Do you know whether or not Aris style no. 70268 has ever been sold in the United States?

259 MS. VEMICH:

Not that I--I don't know.

260 MR. DARDEN:

May I have one moment, your Honor?

261 THE COURT:

Certainly.

262 (Brief pause.)
263 MR. DARDEN:

Now, does the sales receipt indicate the size of the glove?

264 MS. VEMICH:

No, it does not.

265 MR. DARDEN:

Does it indicate the color of the glove?

266 MS. VEMICH:

No, it does not.

267 MR. DARDEN:

Is there way for you to tell us that the two gloves I showed you here in court were purchased during the transaction shown here in People's 372-A?

268 MS. VEMICH:

No.

269 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. Is there a date on that transaction record?

270 MS. VEMICH:

Yes. The date is December 18.

271 MR. DARDEN:

If we could go down to the bottom of the document, Mr. Fairtlough.

272 (Brief pause.)
273 MR. DARDEN:

Now, at the bottom to the right of the document do you see some numbers beginning with "3713"?

274 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

275 MR. DARDEN:

And what are those numbers?

276 MS. VEMICH:

It appears to be an American Express number.

277 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. And is there a signature on the credit card receipt?

278 MS. VEMICH:

Yes.

279 MR. DARDEN:

Can you read that signature to us?

280 MS. VEMICH:

Nicole Brown.

281 MR. DARDEN:

Thank you. That is all I have.

282

THE COURT: Mr. Cochran. (Discussion held off the record between Defense counsel.)

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (4)

Brenda Vemich
That means that these gloves were designed and developed--developed for only Bloomingdales, and were sold nowhere else.
Establishes the gloves' exclusivity — narrows the universe of possible owners dramatically.
Brenda Vemich
Bloomingdales purchased approximately a thousand dozen which would be about 12,000 pair.
Total production run; combined with the 300 brown XL pairs, prosecution is narrowing provenance.
Brenda Vemich
Nicole Brown.
The signature on the December 18, 1990 credit card receipt — the payoff of the entire examination, placing the gloves in Nicole Brown Simpson's hands.
Brenda Vemich
There was only one Aris glove that I sold at $55.00... 70263... Aris leather light glove.
Closes the loop between the receipt's price point and the specific glove style identified as the murder gloves.

Evidence (3)

People's 164-A
Rockingham glove, LAPD item no. 9 — brown extra-large Aris Isotoner leather light glove
identified by witness as authentic Aris leather light glove exclusive to Bloomingdales
People's 77
Second glove (Bundy) — brown extra-large Aris Isotoner leather light glove
identified by witness as authentic Aris leather light glove exclusive to Bloomingdales
People's 372 / 372-A / 372-B
Bloomingdales credit card sales receipt (original and microfiche copy) dated December 18, 1990, signed Nicole Brown, showing purchase of 2 pairs of Aris gloves at $55 with 30% off
introduced and interpreted by witness; signature read into record

Notable Exchanges (3)

Christopher DardenBrenda Vemich
Systematic decoding of the receipt's department (517), classification (55 = gloves), vendor (953 = Aris Isotoner), style (70268, corrected to 70263), quantity (2), price ($77 = 2x$55 at 30% off) — culminating in the Nicole Brown signature.
strategic
Christopher DardenBrenda Vemich
Vemich confirms the style number on the receipt (70268) is a data-entry error — the last digit should be '3' not '8' — and that Bloomingdales never sold style 70268.
strategic
Johnnie CochranLance A. Ito
Cochran objected that Darden's question ('the mistake is that the 8 should have been a 3?') was misleading; Ito sustained and struck the answer, forcing Darden to elicit the correction through the witness's own words.
procedural

Witness Demeanor

(Brief pause.) — before gloves were presented
(no audible response.) — twice, once on professional capacity question, once viewing receipt on monitor

Objections

4 objections (2 sustained, 1 overruled)
Proceeding 6411 • 282 utterances • Prosecution witness
Criminal Trial
Department 103
⚖️ Start
📂 JUN 15, 1995 📄 Direct examination of Brenda V
JUN 15, 1995 KRT DvH TD