📄 Motion: suppress Fuhrman evidence — Friday, September 1, 1995
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\SEP\1\MOTION-SUPPRESS-FUHRMAN-EVIDEN.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 146 of 167

Motion: suppress Fuhrman evidence

Date: Friday, September 1, 1995 • Utterances: 39
Defense attorney Gerald Uelmen argues the court should reopen the suppression motion regarding evidence seized at Rockingham, citing the Fuhrman tapes as newly discovered evidence that bears directly on Fuhrman's credibility when he testified about probable cause for entering Simpson's property. Marcia Clark concedes the tapes are newly discovered but questions their relevance to the probable cause determination, noting that Vannatter and Lange also testified on that issue. Judge Ito rules the Defense is entitled to make the motion and sets a Tuesday deadline for supplemental briefing.
1 MR. UELMEN:

Thank you. As your Honor is aware, the Defense first raised issues with respect to the suppression of evidence seized at the Rockingham residence in the preliminary hearing. We renewed that motion in the--in this court prior to trial. And as a result of the newly discovered evidence, which just came into the possession of the Defense essentially two weeks ago, we believe we have very credible and important new evidence that must be considered by the court with respect to the ruling on the suppression issues.

2 THE COURT:

When do you anticipate being able to present that?

3 MR. UELMEN:

Well, the evidence essentially is contained in our offer of proof and, your Honor, of course, has considered that offer of proof only in the context of the presentation of that evidence to a jury and the 352 implications of that. Of course, there are no 352 implications in the context of a suppression hearing. We believe that the court should reopen the suppression issue, it should consider all of the evidence contained in the Fuhrman tapes and it should give us an opportunity to confront and cross-examine Detective Fuhrman with this newly discovered evidence so the court can make an informed judgment with respect to his credibility.

4 THE COURT:

When do you anticipate being able to submit your points and authorities in writing with specific references to which parts of the tapes and transcripts you wish to consider as newly discovered evidence? When do you anticipate being able to do that?

5 MR. UELMEN:

I'm sure we could do that by Tuesday morning, your Honor. We also believe the recently made available evidence with respect to the contact prints may be highly relevant to determining the credibility of Detective Fuhrman on these issues. What we have filed today addresses the propriety of the court hearing a motion in the midst of trial on the basis of newly discovered evidence and a declaration establishing that indeed this evidence is newly discovered, was not available to the Defense prior to the release of the Fuhrman tapes.

6 THE COURT:

Well, let's assume that you'll probably prevail on that point.

KEY QUOTE
7 MR. UELMEN:

Well, then I think the court has to revisit not only the offer contained in our offer of proof, but the tapes as a whole in terms of the light that they shed on the credibility of Detective Fuhrman with respect to the manufacturing of probable cause. Here we're talking about his believability in terms of all of the circumstances leading up to the decision to go over the wall and enter Mr. Simpson's premises. That was a very close issue both at the preliminary hearing and I believe in the motion that was renewed in this court, and we believe that this newly discovered evidence is of such weight that the court will be compelled to come to a different conclusion with respect to the credibility of the explanation of the reason that the officers entered the premises and will be required to suppress all of the evidence found as a result.

8 THE COURT:

And you anticipate recalling Detective Fuhrman--

9 MR. UELMEN:

Yes, your Honor.

10 THE COURT:

--for that purpose?

11 MR. UELMEN:

Yes.

12 THE COURT:

All right. Mr. Hodgman, Miss Clark.

13 MR. UELMEN:

We'll be ready to proceed on that Tuesday morning.

14 THE COURT:

Any response to the Defense request to reopen based upon 1538.5--excuse me--newly discovered evidence?

15 MS. CLARK:

I would just urge the Defense to file their motion, but I would remind the court that--I'd like to see what the Defense has to argue in this regard. I would remind the court that the testimony regarding probable cause was elicited from Detective Vannatter and I believe Detective Lange as well in numerous motions, but Detective Fuhrman's testimony was cumulative to theirs. So how the tapes may impact on his credibility, it--I frankly fail to see how that's going to have any impact on the ultimate determination of probable cause, but if the Defense thinks they have an argument to make, of course, they'll make it and we'll--

16 THE COURT:

Well, you'll concede though that the Fuhrman tapes are newly discovered.

17 MS. CLARK:

I will concede that.

18 THE COURT:

Subsequent to the 1538.5 both at the preliminary hearing and in the superior court?

19 MS. CLARK:

Yes, your Honor. Yeah. There's no dispute about that. Whether they'll relevant or whether they have any impact on the determination of probable cause is another matter, but they are newly discovered.

20 THE COURT:

All right. So I think the Defense is entitled to make the motion.

21 MS. CLARK:

Yes.

22 THE COURT:

All right.

23 MS. CLARK:

I agree.

24 THE COURT:

Okay.

25 MR. SCHECK:

Your Honor--

26 THE COURT:

All right. Just for scheduling purposes then, Dean Uelmen, you'll probably have that filed by Tuesday?

27 MR. UELMEN:

Yes, your Honor.

28 MS. CLARK:

I'm going to need time to examine it and respond, your Honor. Obviously, if they file it Tuesday morning, I'm not going to be able to respond Tuesday morning.

29 THE COURT:

I understand. When they file it, you can take a look at it, see how much time you need to respond. But since the issues have already been framed and since we have significant testimony already in the record and that the subsequent hearing would likely involve the recalling of Detective Fuhrman--I mean it's a pretty precise issue since the newly discovered evidence deals only with Detective Fuhrman.

30 MS. CLARK:

Well, we would urge the court to urge the Defense to give us some points and authorities as to why they feel they would need to recall Detective Fuhrman for that purpose. They have the tapes. On what--no, I'm serious, your Honor. To the extent that have impeaching material on them, they are 10 years prior to the events of the night of June the 12th, 1994. So--

31 THE COURT:

Well, let's not--Miss Clark, let's not argue the merits of it now.

32 MS. CLARK:

I'm not even attempting to. I just don't know why we have to elicit further testimony from him.

33 THE COURT:

Well, I mean it might be interesting to know if some--if there's a factual basis for some of those matters.

KEY QUOTE
34 MR. UELMEN:

The motion--

35 MS. CLARK:

Excuse me.

36 MR. UELMEN:

I'm sorry. The motion was filed this morning. The only thing we still need to file at your Honor's request is a specific identification of portions of the Fuhrman tapes that we believe are relevant to this determination. We believe we're entitled to reopen the motion and re-examine Detective Fuhrman prior to calling and cross-examining him as a witness at the trial. So we'd like to proceed with that as expeditiously as possible so we can then proceed to concluding our case for the trial.

37 THE COURT:

All right. Mr. Uelmen, let me direct you then to fax to the Prosecution and to the court any additional--any supplemental memorandum points and authorities if you work on it over the weekend, and so hopefully we can get this up and running because I'm concerned that our jury is sitting here again.

38 MR. UELMEN:

Yes. We are too.

39 THE COURT:

All right.

Temperature

tense

Key Quotes (4)

Gerald Uelmen
we believe that this newly discovered evidence is of such weight that the court will be compelled to come to a different conclusion with respect to the credibility of the explanation of the reason that the officers entered the premises and will be required to suppress all of the evidence found as a result.
States the ultimate stakes of the motion — suppression of all Rockingham evidence, which includes the glove and other key physical evidence.
Lance A. Ito
Well, let's assume that you'll probably prevail on that point.
Judge essentially concedes the threshold question — that newly discovered evidence can reopen a suppression motion mid-trial — before Defense even argues it.
Marcia Clark
Detective Fuhrman's testimony was cumulative to theirs. So how the tapes may impact on his credibility, it--I frankly fail to see how that's going to have any impact on the ultimate determination of probable cause.
Prosecution's core counter-argument: Fuhrman wasn't the only probable cause witness, so impeaching him doesn't unravel the suppression ruling.
Lance A. Ito
Well, I mean it might be interesting to know if there's a factual basis for some of those matters.
Judge signals openness to the merits of the motion, implicitly suggesting the tapes' contents may warrant factual inquiry — cutting off Clark's objection.

Evidence (3)

Informal
Fuhrman tapes — recorded conversations between Fuhrman and screenwriter Laura McKinny containing racial slurs and statements about evidence planting
cited as basis for reopening suppression motion; specific relevant portions to be identified in supplemental briefing
Informal
Contact prints — recently made available, referenced as potentially relevant to Fuhrman's credibility
mentioned by Uelmen as additional newly available evidence
Informal
Defense offer of proof regarding Fuhrman tapes (previously filed)
referenced as containing the substance of the newly discovered evidence

Notable Exchanges (2)

Gerald UelmenLance A. Ito
Uelmen argues the court must revisit Fuhrman's credibility regarding 'manufacturing probable cause' — specifically the decision to go over the wall at Rockingham. Ito quickly signals the Defense will likely prevail on the threshold question of whether the motion can be reopened.
strategic
Marcia ClarkLance A. Ito
Clark begins arguing the merits — that the tapes are 10 years old and Fuhrman's testimony was cumulative — and Ito cuts her off, saying 'let's not argue the merits of it now,' then adds that it 'might be interesting to know if there's a factual basis' for the tape contents.
revealing

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ Mark Fuhrman
impeachment via prior recorded statements
Defense seeks to use the Fuhrman tapes to attack his credibility as the officer who testified about the circumstances justifying entry onto Simpson's property, arguing the tapes reveal a pattern of misconduct bearing on his believability regarding the probable cause narrative.

Objections

None recorded
Proceeding 7479 • 39 utterances
Criminal Trial
Department 103
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📂 SEP 1, 1995 📄 Motion: suppress Fuhrman evide
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