📄 Exhibit review and jury preparation — Tuesday, September 26, 1995
📅 Sep 26 — Day 161
⚖️ Lance A. Ito🛡️ Johnnie Cochran
chain_of_custodyclosing_argumentjury
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\SEP\26\EXHIBIT-REVIEW-AND-JURY-PREPAR.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 161 of 167

Exhibit review and jury preparation

Date: Tuesday, September 26, 1995 • Utterances: 19
Judge Ito and counsel reviewed prosecution slides and graphics before the jury was brought in. Cochran had not finished previewing the materials and lodged a sweeping general objection, calling the slides 'totally misleading' and an act of 'desperation.' Darden separately objected to a defense graphic on the reasonable doubt standard, and the jurors were then summoned.
1 THE COURT:

Back on the record in the Simpson matter. Have you had an opportunity to preview?

2 MR. COCHRAN:

We are still doing it, your Honor.

3 (Brief pause.)
4 MR. COCHRAN:

Your Honor, could I just have you take a look at this one?

5 THE COURT:

Have you finished looking at them? That is my question.

6 MR. COCHRAN:

No, I have not. I have not.

7 (Brief pause.)
8 THE COURT:

Zip through that one, Mr. Harris.

9 (The slides were displayed to court and counsel.)
10 THE COURT:

All right. Mr. Cochran, any specific objections?

11 MR. COCHRAN:

Well, your Honor, in view of the court's earlier ruling about argument, from just looking at them, I would just like to make a general objection if I might. These slides are totally misleading. We have--there is a whole list of things. I won't even bother the court's time. They are totally misleading. And to allow this jury to hear this just shows the Prosecution's desperation, but we could point out chapter and verse, but it is not going to do any good, so I thought that I would just register a general objection because I think it is totally outrageous. The other thing I would like to point out to the court is that we have some graphics which are not precluded and of course we have evidence that--items that are evidence which we can still show during the course of the trial. Because of the fact that they weren't ready this morning, they have not seen ours, so I'm going to ask to do that before we start our case, plus we will obviously now be responding to these lies on the board and tell this jury some measure of truth. Am I correct that we can do that?

12 THE COURT:

As I noted, one uses these things at one's peril.

KEY QUOTE
13 MR. COCHRAN:

You did say that, your Honor, and I would like before counsel--before we begin our case to--if the court wants us to preview it or not, but we are ready. If they want to deal with this now--you have noted my objection. Let's get it on.

14 THE COURT:

Noted.

15 MR. COCHRAN:

Thank you, your Honor.

16 THE COURT:

All right.

17 MR. DARDEN:

If I could just indicate that they have shown us one board, the thermometer involving reasonable doubt, that standard. I just want to lodge that objection now. We can argue that before the Defense gets to argument.

18 THE COURT:

We will get there. All right. Deputy Trower, let's have the jurors, please.

19 (Brief pause.)

Temperature

tense

Key Quotes (3)

Johnnie Cochran
These slides are totally misleading...they are totally outrageous. The other thing I would like to point out...we are going to...tell this jury some measure of truth.
Cochran frames the prosecution's demonstrative exhibits as deliberate deception, signaling aggressive pushback in the defense case to come.
Lance A. Ito
As I noted, one uses these things at one's peril.
Ito's dry, measured warning that demonstrative exhibits cut both ways — a subtle rebuke to both sides.
Johnnie Cochran
You have noted my objection. Let's get it on.
Cochran signals combative readiness for the defense case, accepting the court's ruling and moving forward.

Evidence (3)

Informal
Prosecution slides/graphics displayed to court and counsel prior to jury entry
previewed, general objection lodged by Cochran
Informal
Defense graphics and evidence items not yet previewed by prosecution
referenced by Cochran as forthcoming before defense case begins
Informal
Defense 'thermometer' board illustrating the reasonable doubt standard
objected to by Darden

Notable Exchanges (2)

Johnnie CochranLance A. Ito
Cochran makes an extended, impassioned general objection to prosecution slides, calling them 'totally misleading' and referring to them as 'lies.' Ito responds with a single dry sentence and simply notes the objection.
heated on Cochran's side, coolly dismissive from the bench
Christopher DardenLance A. Ito
Darden preemptively objects to a defense reasonable-doubt graphic, requesting to argue the point before the defense reaches argument. Ito defers it.
strategic

Light Moments (1)

Lance A. Ito
Ito tells Darden's colleague to 'Zip through that one' — casual shorthand in an otherwise formal proceeding.

Objections

2 objections (0 sustained, 0 overruled)
Proceeding 7826 • 19 utterances
Criminal Trial
Department 103
⚖️ Start
📂 SEP 26, 1995 📄 Exhibit review and jury prepar
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