Recross-examination of Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran

📄 Recross-examination of Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran — Thursday, June 15, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\JUN\15\RECROSS-EXAMINATION-OF-LAKSHMA.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 96 of 167

Witness: Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran
Examiner: Robert Shapiro
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Thursday, June 15, 1995 • Utterances: 9

Shapiro's recross of Dr. Lakshmanan was brief and surgical: he introduced the 'Golden rule of homicide investigation' as a defense exhibit and got the coroner to agree with it on the record. The rule — never touch, move, or alter anything at a crime scene before it's documented — implicitly indicts the LAPD's handling of evidence in this case.

# 1 THE COURT:

And Mr. Shapiro, you may continue with your cross-examination.

# 2 MR. SHAPIRO:

Thank you. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

THE JURY: Good afternoon.

RECROSS-EXAMINATION BY MR. SHAPIRO

# 3 MR. SHAPIRO:

Good afternoon again, Dr. Lakshmanan.

# 4 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Good afternoon.

# 5 MR. SHAPIRO:

Thank you, your Honor. Dr. Lakshmanan, I would like to show you something on the elmo, please. Will you put that up, Mr. Harris. I would like to mark this Defense next.

# 6 (Deft's 1196 for id = Golden rule)

# 7 MR. SHAPIRO:

What I'm going to show you is something referred to as the Golden rule of homicide investigation. And I would like to ask you the following question regarding the Golden rule which states: "Never touch, change or alter anything until identified, measured and photographed. Remember that when a body or an article has been moved, it can never be restored to its original position." Do you agree with that rule, sir?

# 8 DR. LAKSHMANAN:

Yes.

# 9 MR. SHAPIRO:

Thank you. Nothing further.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (2)

Robert Shapiro

Never touch, change or alter anything until identified, measured and photographed. Remember that when a body or an article has been moved, it can never be restored to its original position.

Shapiro reads the Golden rule aloud for the jury, making the standard of care explicit before getting the coroner to affirm it — a quiet but pointed indictment of LAPD crime scene procedures.

Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran

Yes.

A single word that commits the prosecution's own expert to a standard the defense argues was violated.

Evidence (1)

Defense 1196

Document titled 'Golden rule of homicide investigation' — a standard of care statement requiring that nothing at a crime scene be touched, changed, or altered before it is identified, measured, and photographed.

Introduced and read into the record; witness agreed with its contents.

Notable Exchanges (1)

Robert Shapiro•Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran

Shapiro introduced the Golden rule of homicide investigation and secured the coroner's agreement in a single question, then immediately passed the witness. A precision strike — no followup, no elaboration, just a clean concession on the record.

strategic

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ LAPD (institutional)

Establishing a professional standard of care via the witness's own agreement, implying it was violated

Shapiro used Dr. Lakshmanan — a prosecution expert — to validate a rule that the defense contends the LAPD broke when handling the crime scene and evidence.

Objections

None recorded

Proceeding 6408 • 9 utterances • Prosecution witness

Criminal Trial

Department 103