Detailed entries (61)
Series of photographs documenting the Los Angeles County Coroner's facility introduced during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony, covering the reception area, crypt body control cards, card rack for crypt assignments, intake photography area, decedent processing room, fingernail and hair kit storage, autopsy rooms, portable x-ray equipment, clothing drying rack, evidence storage, specimen collection containers, specimen labels, autopsy instrument tray, freezers, and the refrigerated crypt exterior.
Right- and left-hand fingernail scrapings and clippings collected from Nicole Brown Simpson at autopsy (LAPD Items 84-A and 84-B). EAP typing by Matheson initially returned a Type B result; subsequent PCR and D1S80 DNA testing by DOJ, Cellmark, and independent labs returned results consistent with Nicole Brown Simpson, excluding Simpson and Goldman. A smearing condition indicated blood was still damp at collection. The nail board (People's 220) combined photographs with the physical clippings; photographs of the kit envelope and clippings were introduced as People's 305, 306, 311, and 312.
Series of ten photographs documenting the forensic examination process of Ronald Goldman's stomach contents, including the container, emptied contents, spread material, and close-up images of separated vegetable fragments. Introduced and examined with Dr. Lakshmanan.
One-page handwritten toxicology specimen log recording blood, stomach contents, and bile received for Ronald Goldman, and blood and urine received for O.J. Simpson, in the toxicology laboratory. Introduced as People's 364-F with a blow-up enlargement as 364-FF.
Official coroner Form 1 documents recording liver temperatures taken at the Bundy crime scene at approximately 10:40 and 10:50 a.m. on June 13, 1994. Introduced as People's 298-A and 298-B and used extensively in time-of-death analysis testimony.
Series of defense exhibits comprising amended and supplemental coroner's reports and correspondence documenting procedural failures in the Goldman and Simpson autopsies — including destroyed stomach contents, mislabeled Goldman sample, improperly packaged clothing, delayed coroner access, missing fluoroscopic exam, and photography jurisdiction issues. Displayed to the jury via Mr. Harris and narrated by Cochran.
Dr. Lakshmanan's exhibits identifying every injury observed and every error found during his autopsy review. Cited by Kelberg in criminal day 131 to contrast with Dr. Baden and Dr. Wolf's failure to produce equivalent documentation.
Odontology consultation reports from Drs. Vale and Anselmo, and criminalist Dowell, dated September 9 and September 14, 1994. Discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 91.
A knife with a black handle inscribed 'Forschner No. 810-7,' introduced as a demonstrative exhibit. Used repeatedly to illustrate blade taper, thickness, and wound pattern comparisons; also retrieved from storage in criminal day 96 for Shapiro to demonstrate multiple knife-holding configurations and stabbing angles.
A knife with a brown wooden handle inscribed 'Forschner No. 405-6,' introduced as a demonstrative exhibit with a thicker blade than People's 333. Compared side-by-side to show blade thickness differences and wound pattern implications; also used in criminal day 110 to illustrate knife class characteristics over defense objection.
Videotape of a Primetime Live segment in which Sam Donaldson ambush-interviews Dr. Lakshmanan outside his office, also capturing footage of Dr. Golden. Introduced as People's 363 to impeach Lakshmanan's prior statements about Golden; the court ordered a redacted version (People's 363-A) excising a reference to a gun incident involving Dr. Golden, with a VHS copy substituted for jury deliberations.
Photographs of the front and back of Nicole Brown Simpson's hair kit envelope from the Coroner's office, introduced during Dr. Lakshmanan's facility walkthrough testimony in criminal day 89.
Photographs of the front and back of Ronald Goldman's hair kit envelope from the Coroner's office, introduced during Dr. Lakshmanan's facility walkthrough testimony in criminal day 89.
Autopsy form (Board 1-B, Form 16) with entries for brain weight, brain pathology, and stomach contents. Discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony; he noted Dr. Golden's failure to document a brain contusion on this form.
Brain diagram schematic (form 29) with handwritten annotations by Kelberg summarizing morning testimony on brain structures. Discussed and annotated in court with a blue marker during criminal day 90.
Freehand drawing of the heart and circulatory system created by Dr. Spitz in the courtroom during civil trial testimony to explain the difference between arterial and venous pressure. Marked as Plaintiffs' exhibit 2161.
A double-edged knife or dagger with a black handle and sheath, inscribed 'Black Panther Solingen,' introduced as a demonstrative exhibit in criminal day 89. Used to demonstrate double-edged wound characteristics versus single-edged, and cited in criminal day 110 over defense objection on foundation grounds.
Cassette tape of Dr. Irwin Golden's original autopsy dictation, authenticated by Dr. Lakshmanan as Golden's voice and as a business record. Played in court during criminal day 95; the tape was accidentally played on the wrong side initially. The portion relevant to gastrointestinal contents was played and discussed.
Toxicology report dated June 21, 1994, showing a blood alcohol level of .02% (ethanol) and 'ND' (not detected) for methamphetamine, cocaine, narcotics, and PCP. Results for both Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson were referenced; results were blocked from admission through Det. Lange on hearsay grounds.
Chart entitled 'Wound characteristics and possible sources,' correlating wound end appearance with blade type and used to explain single- vs. double-edged knife analysis during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal days 89 and 90.
Posterboard diagram, drawn from a forensic pathology text (page 142), depicting wound characteristics, blade types, compressibility, and the relationship between blade width and surface wound length in simple stab wounds. Served as a central reference exhibit for wound classification testimony in criminal day 89.
Chart titled 'Algor mortis continued,' introduced during Dr. Lakshmanan's time-of-death testimony in criminal day 95.
Chart covering algor mortis factors that affect the rate of temperature loss after death. Introduced and discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 95.
Chart entitled 'Blunt force trauma' depicting a skin cross-section and abrasion types. Introduced at the end of criminal day 89 to begin the blunt force trauma portion of Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony.
Chart summarizing the body cooling rate graph, introduced and discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 95.
Diagram or image referenced in Baker's question during civil trial testimony regarding the assailant's position behind the victim and the need to torque the knife to inflict the aortic wound. Marked as Exhibit 2167.
Dr. Michael Baden's handwritten autopsy examination notes from the civil trial, including the notation 'Aorta with laceration and hemorrhage in surrounding soft tissue (almost transection).' Introduced and authenticated by Dr. Baden as Defense exhibit 001004.
Pages 5-6 of Dr. Golden's autopsy report, reviewed by Dr. Baden and Shapiro, containing descriptions of the sharp and blunt ends of each neck stab wound. Used by Kelberg to establish wound orientation during cross-examination of Dr. Baden in criminal day 134.
Nine-page curriculum vitae of Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran. Marked for identification and shown to the witness for authentication during criminal day 87.
Board titled 'Gastric Stomach Contents Continued,' covering variability in reported stomach emptying times across the forensic literature. Introduced and discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 95.
Chart on gastric and stomach contents as a postmortem time-of-death indicator, introduced and discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 95.
A knife with a sheath, inscribed 'Grand Chief Sabatier,' introduced as a demonstrative exhibit in criminal day 89. Used to illustrate blade thickness and width differences when compared side-by-side with the Forschner knife (People's 333).
Nomogram from Henssge's postmortem interval textbook for use at ambient temperatures up to 23°C, introduced and discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 95.
Computer image of a graph from page 30 of Henssge's postmortem interval textbook, showing temperature drop curves for the liver, rectum, and brain over the postmortem interval. Annotated in court with L/R/B labels by Mr. Fairtlough.
Two-page investigator's report addressing lividity findings on both victims at the Bundy crime scene. Used during Cochran's examination of Det. Lange in an attempt to refresh Lange's recollection about lividity; Lange stated it did not refresh his recollection.
Letter dated July 28, 1994, from Coroner criminalist Gary Siglar to prosecutor Hodgman listing nine procedural errors and issues from the Goldman and Simpson autopsies, including unsaved stomach contents, a clothing packaging error, a reporter present in the facility, and recommendations for improvement.
A generated picture showing knife measurements at different penetration depths, introduced as a photographic record of knife-to-wound comparison in criminal day 89 during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony.
Chart titled 'Some limitations to the preciseness of estimating postmortem interval, PMI, from body temperature measurements,' showing the normal temperature range and plateau phase. Introduced and used for demonstrative testimony by Dr. Lakshmanan.
Chart on livor mortis, hypostasis, and blood settling as a postmortem time-of-death indicator, introduced and discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 95.
Chart continuing the livor mortis discussion with a literature review, introduced and discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 95.
Photograph of Dr. Lakshmanan's in-court demonstration of how the fatal neck wound was inflicted. Introduced and discussed during criminal day 90.
Chart titled 'Relationship between postmortem interval, PMI, and body cooling,' illustrating rectilinear versus sigmoidal cooling curves and the plateau phase. Introduced and used for demonstrative testimony by Dr. Lakshmanan.
Posterboard diagram showing the correlation between a single-edged knife's dimensions — blade length, width, and thickness — and the resulting wound characteristics on a body. Introduced and explained by Dr. Lakshmanan in criminal day 89.
Chart continuing the rigor mortis discussion with a legend of literature sources, introduced and discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 95.
Chart showing rigor mortis persistence and disappearance ranges drawn from the forensic pathology literature, introduced and discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 95.
Chart on rigor mortis and body stiffening, introduced and discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's time-of-death testimony in criminal day 95.
Certified U.S. Department of Commerce weather observation records for Santa Monica for June 12-13, 1994. Introduced with no objection; judicial notice was stipulated for the Fahrenheit conversion. Used to establish ambient temperature conditions for time-of-death calculation.
Temperature-time-of-death nomogram for use at ambient temperatures above 23°C, introduced during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 95.
Temperature-time-of-death nomogram for use at ambient temperatures up to 23°C, introduced during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 95.
Board titled 'Factors commonly used to estimate range for time of death' listing algor mortis, rigor mortis, livor mortis, vitreous humor potassium, stomach contents, and last-seen evidence as recognized indicators. Introduced and displayed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony.
A toxicology specimen log similar to People's 364-F but containing more writing and excluding a May 10 date in the upper left corner. Marked for identification during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony.
Chart covering vitreous humor potassium formulas and reliability factors, introduced and discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 95.
Chart on vitreous humor potassium level as a postmortem time-of-death indicator, introduced and discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 95.
Printout of wound approximation photographs showing the measurement technique used by forensic pathologists to approximate wound dimensions, introduced in criminal day 89 to illustrate Dr. Lakshmanan's methodology.
Transcript of Dr. Irwin Golden's preliminary hearing testimony, cited across multiple pages and topics: gastric contents placing death 3-4 hours after last meal (page 12); rigor mortis fully fixed beyond 9-12 hours before 10:50 a.m. measurement (page 13); time-of-death range of 9 p.m.–midnight (page 16); incorrect wound dimensions carried over from the erroneous original protocol (page 70); and Goldman's knuckle bruises and possible multiple weapons.
Bolandi 1985 study using ultrasound to measure gastric emptying with a pasta test meal. Found an average full emptying time of approximately four hours (248 minutes) plus or minus 30 minutes for normal subjects. Cited by both prosecution and defense in arguments about Nicole Brown Simpson's time of death relative to her Mezzaluna dinner.
Henssge, Knight et al., 'The estimation of the time since death in the early postmortem period' (1995) — the first English-language book devoted entirely to postmortem interval estimation. Contains nomograms and cooling curve graphs; notably contains no reference to using stomach contents for time-of-death estimation. Passages and nomograms read into the record during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony.
Spitz and Fisher's Medical Legal Investigation of Death, Third Edition — a standard forensic pathology reference text. Page 29 addresses ideal postmortem gastric emptying protocol; page 31 states that identifiable stomach contents 'usually ingested within a two-hour period.' Cited by both sides in arguments about stomach contents and time of death.
Dr. Boger's radiology consultation report dated November 14, 1994, addressing x-ray examination of the excised cervical spine specimen from Nicole Brown Simpson. Found no metallic or radiopaque foreign body, and identified a bone fragment displaced at the C-3 vertebra by sharp force with smooth, straight edges consistent with a knife.
Dr. Lakshmanan's log sheets and meeting notes recording dates of key events in the case, including his February 8 first meeting with Kelberg, June 22 visit by Baden and Wolf, and June 30 addendum work. Used to establish timelines and the scope of his case involvement.
A collection of four demonstration knives of varying blade lengths, widths, and edge types (single vs. double) offered to show class characteristics of knife wounds, not to identify a specific murder weapon. Conditionally admitted pending court inspection; also referenced as a series Kelberg attempted to introduce before individual exhibit numbers were assigned.
Additional references (41)
Brief references from transcripts that don't warrant an individual page. Each has a single source or is mentioned only in passing.
- 16 microscopic slides from wound tissue (defense-paid) — Sixteen microscopic slides prepared from wound tissue, charged at more than $80 per slide. Established during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony as having been requested and paid for entirely by the defense team.
- Abernathy case materials (brain preservation — unrelated case) — Case materials from the Abernathy case including brain preservation records and a neuropathologist's examination, referenced during criminal day 90 in the review of Dr. Golden's prior work.
- Anatomical chart of knife penetrating aorta and retroperitoneal space (civil trial) — Anatomical chart showing knife penetration of the aorta and retroperitoneal space, used during civil trial testimony. Challenged as 'exceedingly misleading' because no actual space exists between the aorta and retroperitoneal sac.
- Aorta tissue photograph (Elmo display, civil trial) — A small tissue picture of the aorta displayed on the Elmo projector during civil trial testimony. Challenged as the only evidence Dr. Spitz relied upon for the claim of massive retroperitoneal bleeding.
- Aortic wound form 20-II diagram with wound track and temperature notation — Form 20-II diagram showing the aortic wound with direction, track length, liver temperature probe notation, and a body measurement of 45 inches above the heel. Discussed and annotated during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 94.
- August 12 Newsday article on Dr. Golden elevator incident — August 12 Newsday article (retrieved via Lexis) reporting that Dr. Golden cursed Shapiro in an elevator after cross-examination and a subsequent gun incident. Introduced by Shapiro to support a renewed admissibility argument; not accepted into evidence.
- Blood drops on Nicole Brown Simpson's back — Blood drops observed on Nicole Brown Simpson's back at the Bundy crime scene. Discussed by the defense as potentially the perpetrator's blood, possibly wiped or washed when the body was moved, and noted as never having been preserved.
- Blood on Nicole Brown Simpson's thigh (Type B) — Blood detected on Nicole Brown Simpson's thigh at the Bundy crime scene, characterized as Type B during preliminary proceedings. Discussed by the defense as potentially indicating an unidentified third-party perpetrator.
- Blue case autopsy records (single gunshot wound — unrelated case) — Autopsy records and x-rays/photographs from an unrelated 'blue case' involving a single gunshot wound, referenced during criminal day 90 in connection with the assessment of Dr. Golden's competence.
- California Government Code sections on Coroner jurisdiction (§§ 27491, 27491.2, 27491.3) — California Government Code sections 27491, 27491.2, and 27491.3, establishing statutory notification and custody requirements for the Coroner. Read into the record during criminal day 95 to establish LAPD's duty to notify and the Coroner's jurisdiction over the bodies.
- Circulatory system diagram displayed on monitor (civil trial) — Circulatory system diagram displayed on a courtroom monitor during civil trial testimony by Dr. Spitz, used by Baker to illustrate blood pressure and aortic blood flow.
- Coroner's protocol page 1 (rigor mortis documentation) — Page 1 of the Coroner's protocol, referenced within Dr. Golden's testimony regarding rigor mortis being fully fixed. Cited by Dr. Lakshmanan to contextualize the stomach contents analysis.
- Demonstrative charts on time-of-death factors (unspecified series, criminal d87) — A series of demonstrative charts presented in criminal trial day 87 covering wound characteristics, knife dimensions, anatomical terms, and time-of-death factors including algor mortis, livor mortis, rigor mortis, and vitreous humor potassium levels. Rulings on admissibility were deferred to Monday.
- Dr. Golden's autopsy form notation of Nicole's stomach contents — Dr. Irwin Golden's contemporaneous autopsy form entry documenting approximately 500cc of rigatoni in Nicole Brown Simpson's stomach. Referenced as evidence of Golden's competence and as a timeline anchor for time-of-death calculation.
- Dr. Golden's Grand Jury testimony (June 20, 1994) — Transcript of Dr. Irwin Golden's Grand Jury testimony on June 20, 1994, pages 114-116. Read into the record by Dr. Lakshmanan; Lakshmanan opined that Golden's interpretation of wounds as one connected six-inch stab wound was erroneous.
- Dr. Golden's personnel evaluation file (in camera review) — Personnel evaluation file of Dr. Irwin Golden, placed under in camera review by Judge Ito during criminal day 90. Parties were invited to review the file.
- Dr. Henion's report from the Sconce matter — Dr. Henion's forensic report from the Sconce case, specifically the introductory paragraph stating that his findings had no bearing on what was present at time of death. Blasier attempted to have Dr. Rieders read from it; Clark objected on hearsay grounds and the reading was blocked.
- Dr. Lakshmanan's knife examination report (four LAPD-submitted knives) — Report prepared by Dr. Lakshmanan examining four knives submitted by LAPD, described as the only independent report he filed in the case. Referenced during his testimony in criminal day 95.
- Dr. Michael Baden — defense pathologist preview (Belushi case reference) — Reference to Dr. Michael Baden as the defense pathologist previewed for afternoon testimony, noted in the context of his expertise in pinpointing time of death in the John Belushi case.
- Dr. Michael Baden's 1988 testimony on stomach contents and time of death — Dr. Michael Baden's 1988 testimony in a separate prosecution case regarding stomach contents and time-of-death estimation. Cited by Kelberg during criminal trial cross-examination to use the defense's own expert against the defense timeline argument.
- Forensic pathology publication (pages 30-31, 34, 39) on death indicators — Forensic publication covering immediate signs of death, lividity, and stomach contents as time-of-death indicators, cited at pages 30-31, 34, and 39. Used by Clark in criminal day 34 to rehabilitate Lange's methodology after Cochran's cross-examination.
- Gaye and Phillips 1990 gunshot cases — Golden competence examples — Two 1990 gunshot cases (Gaye and Phillips) discussed during criminal day 94 as examples of prior errors by Dr. Golden: in one, he mischaracterized entrance and exit wounds; in the other, he failed to identify close-range firing.
- Knight's forensic pathology textbook (page 82 — gastric emptying) — Knight's forensic pathology textbook, page 82, containing a passage on gastric emptying times and a criticism of the two-hour standard, including an Adelson citation distinguishing light, medium, and heavy meal emptying times. Read aloud during cross-examination of Dr. Baden.
- Lange's follow-up murder report — Det. Lange's follow-up murder report incorporating the liver temperature recording of 82 degrees at 10:50 a.m. with an ambient temperature of 70 degrees, along with a description of the Bronco. Baker directed Lange to read from the document aloud during civil trial testimony.
- Lange's handwritten notes from Bundy scene (page 0548) — Det. Lange's original handwritten notes from the Bundy crime scene, recorded on page 0548, including entries for liver temperatures. The sequence of temperature readings was examined during cross-examination by Cochran.
- Lemoyne Snyder forensic pathology publication — Forensic pathology publication authored by Lemoyne Snyder, containing a passage on stomach contents and time-of-death estimation. Read aloud by Clark during examination of Det. Lange in criminal trial day 34 to establish foundational principles.
- Manley Hall case — Golden thyroid misidentification — The Manley Hall case, discussed during criminal day 94 as an example of a prior error by Dr. Golden: he incorrectly noted the presence of a thyroid gland in a patient who had undergone a thyroidectomy 40 years earlier.
- Nicole Brown Simpson's brain tissue sample — Brain tissue sample from Nicole Brown Simpson, first examined on June 22 at Dr. Baden's request, at which time a contusion was discovered. The 16 microscopic slides from wound tissue were charged at $80+ per slide and paid for entirely by the defense team.
- Nicole Brown Simpson's spinal specimen (x-rayed for metallic fragments) — Spinal specimen from Nicole Brown Simpson that was x-rayed at a later date to exclude the presence of metallic foreign body fragments. Discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 89.
- Nicole Brown Simpson's stomach contents (rigatoni; subsequently discarded) — Nicole Brown Simpson's physical stomach contents, described by Dr. Golden as containing recognizable rigatoni pasta. The contents were subsequently discarded and not preserved, making the autopsy form notation the only lasting record. The defense argued that rigatoni's rapid digestion indicated she ate again after di…
- Notes by Dr. Baden and Dr. Wolf during Lakshmanan's testimony — Notes taken by Dr. Baden and Dr. Wolf during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony at the criminal trial. Their production was disputed — the prosecution demanded disclosure while the defense claimed work product privilege; Judge Ito ordered disclosure.
- Photograph of liver temperature probe and dial — Photograph of the actual temperature probe and dial used to measure liver temperatures of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman at the Bundy crime scene. Identified by Dr. Lakshmanan as part of the first temperature chart during criminal day 95.
- Photographs of victims' hands (existence disputed at trial) — Photographs of the victims' hands referenced in connection with fingerprint powder and clipped nails. Dr. Lakshmanan stated during criminal day 96 that he had not seen such photographs.
- Plastic bag used to demonstrate peritoneal sac (Dr. Baden, civil trial) — A plastic bag used by Dr. Baden during civil trial testimony to demonstrate the thin, cellophane-like nature of the peritoneal sac.
- Rape kit — swabs and examination of decedents — Rape kit consisting of swabs and visual examination of the genital and pubic areas of the decedents for trace evidence. Discussed conceptually during examination of Det. Lange to establish what evidence the Coroner's office could have collected.
- Ronald Goldman's stomach contents jar (examined June 22, 1994) — Physical jar containing Ronald Goldman's stomach contents, examined on June 22, 1994. Referenced during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony as he was asked to refresh his memory regarding the contents before further questioning.
- Ruler used as knife proxy in courtroom wound demonstration — A ruler used by Dr. Lakshmanan as a knife proxy during a live courtroom demonstration of wound characteristics in criminal day 94.
- Spitz anatomical drawings of aorta and retroperitoneal area (civil trial) — Dr. Werner Spitz's pre-existing anatomical drawings of the aorta and retroperitoneal area, used during his direct examination in the civil trial and reused during cross-examination to discuss blood flow dynamics.
- Steve Dowell forensic analysis report on laryngeal and vertebral specimens — Forensic analysis report by senior criminalist Steve Dowell on laryngeal and vertebral specimens from Nicole Brown Simpson, finding a dark-colored fiber and light gray metallic material on the cut margin of the epiglottis. Discussed during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 91.
- Videotape from Dr. Lakshmanan received by court (criminal day 105) — A videotape received from Dr. Lakshmanan by the court, noted on the record during criminal day 105. Parties were invited to review it.
- Wound pattern schematic illustration no. 3 — Schematic illustration no. 3, referenced as having been shown in a prior session, depicting wound patterns used to identify whether wounds were inflicted by single- or double-edged knives. Referenced during Dr. Lakshmanan's testimony in criminal day 91 to contextualize complex wound morphology.