Redirect examination of Brenda Vemich (part 2)

📄 Redirect examination of Brenda Vemich (part 2) — Thursday, June 15, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\JUN\15\REDIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-BRENDA.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 96 of 167

◀ Recross-examination of Brenda Vemich Afternoon recess ▶

Witness: Brenda Vemich
Examiner: Christopher Darden
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Thursday, June 15, 1995 • Utterances: 19

Darden conducts a brief redirect of Bloomingdale's glove buyer Brenda Vemich, clarifying that 200 pairs of extra-large brown Aris Isotoner gloves were sold that Christmas season and confirming the gloves were exclusive to Bloomingdale's. The exchange produced a notable moment when Judge Ito questioned whether Darden's inquiry about men exaggerating hand size was a serious question.

# 1 MR. DARDEN:

So I that the record is clear, 200 pairs of extra large brown Aris Isotoner--

# 2 MS. VEMICH:

Were sold.

# 3 MR. DARDEN:

--were sold during that Christmas season. And when men buy gloves do they tend to exaggerate the size of their hands?

# 4 MR. COCHRAN:

Just a moment. Object to the form of that question.

# 5 THE COURT:

Overruled.

# 6 MR. DARDEN:

Do they tend to exaggerate the size of their hands when they purchase gloves?

# 7 MR. COCHRAN:

Your Honor, that--no foundation, your Honor.

# 8 THE COURT:

She is an expert in glove sales.

KEY QUOTE

# 9 MS. VEMICH:

Usually women buy gloves for men.

KEY QUOTE

# 10 MR. DARDEN:

And do they exaggerate size?

# 11 MR. COCHRAN:

Objection, speculative, your Honor.

# 12 THE COURT:

Is that a serious question, Mr. Darden?

KEY QUOTE

# 13 MR. DARDEN:

Yeah, that is a serious question.

# 14 MR. DARDEN:

Do you have many returns from customers with gloves for resizing?

# 15 MS. VEMICH:

A few. Not an inordinate amount; a few

# 16 (Discussion held off the record between the Deputy District Attorneys.)

# 17 MR. DARDEN:

And the gloves we showed you today, they are definitely exclusive to Bloomingdales, correct?

# 18 MS. VEMICH:

They are exclusive to Bloomingdales, yes.

KEY QUOTE

# 19 MR. DARDEN:

Thank you.

Temperature

light

Key Quotes (4)

Lance A. Ito

Is that a serious question, Mr. Darden?

The judge openly expressed skepticism about the relevance or seriousness of Darden's question about men exaggerating hand size, a rare moment of judicial editorializing.

Lance A. Ito

She is an expert in glove sales.

The judge defended the witness's qualifications to answer questions about glove purchasing behavior while overruling Cochran's foundation objection.

Brenda Vemich

Usually women buy gloves for men.

This answer undercut the premise of Darden's question — if women buy gloves for men, the question of whether men exaggerate hand size is less relevant.

Brenda Vemich

They are exclusive to Bloomingdales, yes.

Confirms the key prosecution point that this glove style was sold only at Bloomingdale's, tying Nicole Brown Simpson's purchase to the gloves found at the crime scene and Rockingham.

Evidence (2)

Informal

200 pairs of extra-large brown Aris Isotoner gloves sold at Bloomingdale's during the Christmas season

discussed, quantity confirmed

Informal

The gloves shown to the witness during testimony

confirmed exclusive to Bloomingdale's

Notable Exchanges (2)

Christopher Darden•Lance A. Ito

Ito asked whether Darden's question about men exaggerating hand size was 'a serious question,' and Darden confirmed it was, revealing some tension between the judge and prosecutor over the utility of the line of inquiry.

skeptical

Johnnie Cochran•Lance A. Ito

Cochran objected on foundation grounds; Ito overruled by affirming Vemich's status as a glove sales expert.

procedural

Light Moments (1)

Lance A. Ito

Judge Ito asked 'Is that a serious question, Mr. Darden?' in response to his inquiry about whether men exaggerate their hand size when buying gloves, producing an awkward moment for the prosecutor.

Objections

3 objections (0 sustained, 1 overruled)

Proceeding 6415 • 19 utterances • Prosecution witness

Criminal Trial

Department 103