Direct examination of Richard Rubin (part 3)

📄 Direct examination of Richard Rubin (part 3) — Wednesday, June 21, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\JUN\21\DIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-RICHARD-.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 100 of 167

◀ Sidebar: glove demonstration Voir dire of Richard Rubin ▶

Witness: Richard Rubin
Examiner: Christopher Darden
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Wednesday, June 21, 1995 • Utterances: 41

Darden continues direct examination of glove expert Richard Rubin, establishing that Rubin personally wore Aris leather light gloves over large (not extra large) latex gloves the previous evening and encountered difficulty. The segment ends with Darden formally requesting that Simpson try on the gloves marked as exhibit 401 — setting up the famous glove demonstration.

# 1 (Brief pause.)

# 2 MR. COCHRAN:

May we proceed, your Honor?

# 3 THE COURT:

I believe Mr. Darden wanted--

# 4 MR. DARDEN:

Mr. Rubin, you have your own pair of Aris letter lights; is that correct?

# 5 MR. RUBIN:

Yes, I do.

# 6 MR. DARDEN:

Do they fit you?

# 7 MR. RUBIN:

Yes, they do.

# 8 MR. DARDEN:

When you were here last night did you put on your pair of leather lights?

# 9 MR. RUBIN:

Yes, I did.

# 10 MR. DARDEN:

Did they fit?

# 11 MR. RUBIN:

Yes.

# 12 MR. DARDEN:

And did you put on latex gloves?

# 13 MR. RUBIN:

Yes.

# 14 MR. DARDEN:

Did you then attempt to put your leather gloves on?

# 15 MR. RUBIN:

Yes, I did.

# 16 MR. COCHRAN:

Your Honor, this is--

# 17 THE COURT:

Overruled.

# 18 MR. RUBIN:

Yes, I did.

# 19 MR. DARDEN:

Did you then attempt to put your gloves on? Did you put on a pair of latex gloves and then put your Aris--

# 20 MR. RUBIN:

Yes, I did.

# 21 MR. DARDEN:

--gloves on?

# 22 MR. RUBIN:

Yes, I did.

# 23 MR. DARDEN:

Did you encounter some difficulty in doing that?

# 24 MR. RUBIN:

Yes.

# 25 MR. COCHRAN:

Your Honor, I object. This is leading and suggestive and all covered last time.

# 26 THE COURT:

Overruled.

# 27 MR. RUBIN:

Yes, I did.

# 28 MR. DARDEN:

And you told us that Mr.--that Mr. Simpson has an extra large glove hand; is that correct?

# 29 MR. RUBIN:

That's correct.

# 30 MR. DARDEN:

Does this appear to be the box that you--from which you removed latex gloves last week?

# 31 MR. RUBIN:

Yes.

# 32 MR. DARDEN:

Okay. And looking at that box, does it indicate a size, as the size of the latex gloves contained in that box?

# 33 MR. RUBIN:

Size large.

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

# 35 MR. DARDEN:

Not extra large?

# 36 MR. RUBIN:

Correct.

# 37 MR. COCHRAN:

I object, your Honor.

# 38 MR. DARDEN:

May I have one moment, your Honor?

# 39 THE COURT:

Overruled.

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

# 41 MR. DARDEN:

Your Honor, if it pleases the Court, we would like to have Mr. Simpson try on the gloves marked 401 for identification.

Temperature

tense

Key Quotes (3)

Richard Rubin

Size large.

Rubin identifies the latex gloves used in his private demonstration as 'large,' not 'extra large' — undermining any claim that oversized latex gloves caused the poor fit during the earlier courtroom demonstration.

Christopher Darden

We would like to have Mr. Simpson try on the gloves marked 401 for identification.

The formal request that leads to the pivotal courtroom glove demonstration — one of the most consequential moments of the entire trial.

Richard Rubin

Yes, I did.

Rubin confirms he personally replicated Simpson's conditions — latex gloves underneath leather — and still encountered difficulty, lending expert credibility to the fit issue.

Evidence (2)

People's 401

The Aris leather light gloves at issue in the case

Darden requests Simpson try them on

Informal

Box of latex gloves used during Rubin's private demonstration the previous evening — identified as size large, not extra large

discussed, size confirmed

Notable Exchanges (2)

Christopher Darden•Richard Rubin

Rubin confirms he wore large latex gloves (not extra large) under his own Aris gloves and still encountered difficulty — directly addressing a potential defense argument about fit being caused by glove size mismatch.

strategic

Johnnie Cochran•Lance A. Ito

Cochran objects three times in rapid succession — 'leading and suggestive and all covered last time' — all overruled, suggesting the judge views this line of questioning as legitimate foundation-building.

frustrated

Objections

3 objections (0 sustained, 3 overruled)

Proceeding 6486 • 41 utterances • Prosecution witness

Criminal Trial

Department 103