🔍 Simpson Blood Vial
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C:\DEPT103\EVIDENCE\SIMPSON_BLOOD_VIAL

Simpson Blood Vial

40 items · 40 physical · 33 with detail pages

This group centers on Item 17, the purple-top reference-blood vial drawn from O.J. Simpson on June 13, 1994, together with its envelope, transport materials, laboratory records, photographs, and related demonstratives. Testimony and exhibits addressed custody, sealing, refrigeration, laboratory withdrawals, EDTA preservative, and disputed estimates of the vial’s original and remaining volume. Defense presentations raised contamination, planting, and accounting theories, while prosecution questioning challenged aspects of those presentations and offered alternative explanations for recorded or residual quantities.

Detailed entries (33)

Colored-water volume demonstration vials (People's 221-A and 221-B)
🔍 Physical

Paired vacutainer demonstratives displayed to illustrate volume-estimation difficulty: People's 221-A contained 3.8 mL of colored water, and People's 221-B contained 2 mL.

Defense 1124Defense 1135Deft's 1124Deft's 1125People's 221-APeople's 221-B
1 proc · 2 people
Photographs of Simpson's blood vial and microcentrifuge tube (Defense 1136-A, 1136-B)
🔍 Physical

Two photographs of Simpson's reference blood vial alongside the microcentrifuge tube, taken during a defense laboratory visit in January 1995. Introduced during Matheson's testimony and passed to the jury; showed blood smeared on the purple-topped cap of the reference vial.

1136-A1136-A, 1136-B1136-BDefense 1136-ADefense 1136-A and 1136-BDefense 1136-B
2 procs · 2 people
People's 163-H — Analyzed-Evidence Envelope Demonstrative
🔍 Physical

Compound demonstrative exhibit of analyzed-evidence envelopes identified as People's or Prosecution 163-H, including a gray refrigerated-evidence envelope and envelopes associated with different storage conditions. Witnesses used the exhibit and its subparts to discuss sealing instructions, physical configuration, storage markings, and size comparisons.

163-hPeople's 163-HPeople's 163-H (sub K)People's 163-hProsecution 163-H
10 procs · 9 people
Item 17 — O.J. Simpson Reference-Blood Vial
🔍 Physical 🔬 LAPD Item #17

Purple-top reference-blood vial drawn from O.J. Simpson by Thano Peratis and assigned Item 17, although some records initially numbered it Item 18. Testimony addressed its custody, laboratory use, EDTA preservative, and disputed estimates of its volume and handling.

Item 17Item No. 17OJ Simpson blood reference vial (informal)Rockingham glove
75 procs · 25 people
Gray Envelope Containing Simpson's Reference-Blood Vial
🔍 Physical

Gray analyzed-evidence envelope containing Simpson's reference-blood vial, received from Detective Vannatter and identified in testimony as Analyzed Evidence Envelope 163 and Defendants' 225. Testimony addressed its markings, transport, and laboratory handling, with aspects of its custody and placement in a plastic bag disputed or not independently recalled.

Analyzed evidence envelope 163Defendants' 225Defendants' 2251
11 procs · 9 people
Photograph of blood vial envelope front — Peratis affidavit (People's 183 / Defendants' 2252)
🔍 Physical

Photograph of the front face of the gray analyzed evidence envelope used for Simpson's reference blood, showing Nurse Thano Peratis's signature on the affidavit section and an erroneous date of May 19, 1994 (approximately one month before the actual June 13, 1994 blood draw). Used across both criminal and civil proceedings to challenge chain-of-custody documentation.

Defendants' 2252People's 183People's 183 and 184
6 procs · 10 people
Defense blood volume accounting chart (Defense Exhibit 1139)
🔍 Physical

Defense Exhibit 1139 was a blood-vial accounting chart that used a hypothetical starting volume of 8 mL to track withdrawals by Yamauchi and Matheson and support a defense claim that approximately 1.8 mL was unaccounted for. The prosecution challenged its accuracy and completeness and added approximation marks and a 0.5 mL loss entry during redirect.

Defense Exhibit 1139Defense blood vial chartDeft's 1139
4 procs · 3 people
People's 184/184-a — Blood-Vial Envelope Image and Telestrator Print
🔍 Physical

People's 184-a is a telestrator print of People's 184, an image of the gray blood-vial envelope showing “Received from Detective Vannatter,” the date June 13, 1994, a time appearing as 1720, and a signature Mazzola said looked like Fung's while noting that she was not very familiar with his handwriting.

People's 184People's 184 / 184-aPeople's 184-a
2 procs · 4 people
Photograph of reference vial with L.M.F. initials (Defense 1137)
🔍 Physical

Photograph of the reference vial showing the initials “L.M.F.,” identified in the source as Lisa Flaherty of toxicology, and a number. The foundation and discovery objection to its introduction was sustained; the exhibit was later discussed alongside photographs.

1137Defense 1137
2 procs · 2 people
Photographs of Nicole Brown Simpson reference blood vial (Defense 1130, 1131)
🔍 Physical

Two photographs of item 59, Nicole Brown Simpson's reference blood vial, showing blood visible on the exterior of the vial. Introduced during Matheson's testimony in the criminal trial.

Defense 1130Defense 1131
1 proc · 2 people
Photographs of Ron Goldman reference blood vial (Defense 1128, 1129)
🔍 Physical

Two photographs of item 60, Ronald Goldman's reference blood vial, showing blood visible on the exterior of the vial. Introduced during Matheson's testimony in the criminal trial.

Defense 1128Defense 1129
1 proc · 2 people
Physical comparison vial (Defendant's 1112 / Defense 1112)
🔍 Physical

Physical test tube identified as Defendant's 1112 or Defense 1112 and used for size-and-shape comparison with reference-blood vials. Fung said it matched the size and configuration of the vial he received; Mazzola could not confirm identical size without a direct comparison.

Defendant's 1112Defense 1112
2 procs · 4 people
Black plastic bag associated with Simpson blood-vial transport
🔍 Physical

Black plastic bag that Fung and Mazzola associated with transporting Simpson's reference blood vial or its envelope from Rockingham. Testimony challenged their recollections and whether the bag was used as described.

Analyzed evidence envelope 163
7 procs · 5 people
Ten-cc syringe demonstrative (Defendants' 2254)
🔍 Physical

Ten-cc calibrated syringe introduced in the civil trial as Defendants' 2254 and described as the same type used for Simpson's blood draw. It was used to demonstrate technique and discuss calibration visibility and bevel orientation.

Defendants' 2254
3 procs · 3 people
Defendants' 2251 — Blank Blood Reference-Sample Envelope
🔍 Physical

Blank analyzed-evidence envelope introduced as Defendants' 2251 and displayed to illustrate its printed procedures for drawing, packaging, sealing, and refrigerating a blood reference sample, including its affidavit provision.

Defendants' 2251
2 procs · 4 people
Purple-top comparison vial (Defense 1124)
🔍 Physical

Monoject or purple-top reference-blood vial identified as Defense 1124 and used for size comparison with vacutainer vials and item 17.

Defense 1124
2 procs · 2 people
Blood-tube photograph (Defense 1124)
🔍 Physical

Photograph identified as Defense 1124 and described as likely depicting an LAPD blood-collection tube or container.

Deft's 1124
1 proc · 2 people
Blood-tube photograph (Defense 1125)
🔍 Physical

Additional photograph identified as Defense 1125 and described as likely related to a blood tube.

Deft's 1125
1 proc · 2 people
Cranberry-juice vacutainer demonstrative (Defense 1135)
🔍 Physical

Vacutainer containing cranberry juice, introduced as Defense 1135 to demonstrate vacuum draw and measure its contents; approximately 7.5 mL was poured off with some remaining.

Defense 1135
1 proc · 2 people
Document described as blood-vial envelope printing (Defendants' 1112)
🔍 Physical

Defendants' 1112 was a document Blasier described as a copy of printing on the front of a blood-vial envelope. It was displayed during Yamauchi's cross-examination in a challenge concerning sealing, but Yamauchi could not identify it.

Defendants' 1112
1 proc · 2 people
EDTA purple-top vacutainer demonstrative (Defendants' 2255)
🔍 Physical

EDTA purple-top vacutainer demonstrated by Peratis to show the immediate transfer of drawn blood from a syringe into a preservative tube. The demonstration also addressed discarding the syringe without rereading its calibration.

Defendants' 2255
1 proc · 2 people
LAPD sealed evidence sticker on blood vial envelope (People's 163-i)
🔍 Physical

LAPD sealed evidence sticker affixed to the blood vial envelope, showing a date and time notation partially covered by the seal. Introduced during Fung's cross-examination to examine the envelope's sealing timeline.

People's 163-i
1 proc · 2 people
Matheson's record of vial initials and dates (Defense 1138)
🔍 Physical

Matheson's handwritten record of all initials and dates on the reference vial and its envelope. It was marked and introduced over a foundation objection.

Defense 1138
1 proc · 2 people
People's 163-L — Fitzco Blood Swatch Card
🔍 Physical

An example Fitzco blood swatch card with an outer envelope and four filter-paper circles for blood preservation, displayed to and passed through the jury box.

People's 163-L
1 proc · 2 people
Photograph of blood vial showing blood on stopper (Defendants' 992)
🔍 Physical

Photograph of Simpson's reference blood vial showing blood visibly present on the purple stopper. Introduced in civil proceedings during Matheson's testimony; defense raised the absence of any pre-June-14 photograph to confirm the vial's original state.

Defendants' 992
1 proc · 2 people
Photograph of blood vial standing upright (People's 229)
🔍 Physical

Photograph of Simpson's reference blood vial (item 17) standing upright with a finger on top, introduced to show blood clinging to the interior walls above the settled volume level. Used during Matheson's testimony to address unmeasured blood adhering to the interior surfaces of the vial.

People's 229
1 proc · 2 people
Photograph of upright microcentrifuge tube (People's 230)
🔍 Physical

Photograph of a microcentrifuge tube standing upright, introduced and discussed with Matheson regarding unmeasured blood adhering to interior surfaces.

People's 230
1 proc · 2 people
Prosecution 163-E — Plastic Blood-Swatch Collection Bags
🔍 Physical

Plastic bags used by criminalist Andrea Mazzola to collect blood swatches, shown to the witness and jury to demonstrate moisture retention when the bag surfaces lay flat against each other.

Prosecution 163-e
1 proc · 2 people
Siglar memo on refrigeration of blood vials (1032-C)
🔍 Physical

Memo authored by Siglar noting that both EDTA typing blood vials were refrigerated before release to Detective Vannatter. It was discussed during Siglar's deposition.

1032-C
1 proc · 1 person
Yamauchi serology notes on June 25 withdrawal (Defendant's 1189-A)
🔍 Physical

Serology item description notes recording Yamauchi's withdrawal of three-quarters of a milliliter from Simpson's blood vial on June 25. Introduced during Yamauchi's cross-examination to establish the amount removed.

Defendant's 1189-A
1 proc · 2 people
Fitzco card made from Simpson's reference blood
🔍 Physical

Fitzco reference card made by Collin Yamauchi from Simpson's reference sample using approximately 1 cc of blood. Sources describe it as processed last after coin envelopes and a glove; questioning addressed its timing and proximity to other evidence in contamination-related testimony.

6 procs · 6 people
Peratis blood-draw syringe
🔍 Physical

Syringe described in criminal-trial proceedings as used by Thano Peratis to draw blood, referenced in connection with his volume estimate, stipulated into evidence, and discussed in closing argument.

3 procs
Toxicology record showing 5.5 mL remaining on June 20
🔍 Physical

Toxicology record bearing initials consistent with Lisa Flaherty's and indicating that 5.5 mL remained as of June 20. It was used in questioning and a hypothetical accounting calculation; an initial hearsay and business-record objection was sustained, while a later foundation objection was overruled before Matheson described what the form indicated.

2 procs · 2 people

Additional references (7)

Brief references from transcripts that don't warrant an individual page. Each has a single source or is mentioned only in passing.

  • Bundy and Rockingham Blood Evidence and Simpson Reference-Draw Timing — Blood evidence handled by Dennis Fung and Andrea Mazzola at Bundy and Rockingham. In opening statement, Petrocelli said he would establish that its collection preceded Simpson's reference draw, while describing overlapping collection and draw times.
  • Microcentrifuge tube containing residual blood from reference vial — Small microcentrifuge tube containing residual blood that was returned to Simpson's reference vial, used to account for the approximately 0.75 mL of remaining volume in blood accounting calculations during Matheson's testimony.
  • OJ Simpson signed consent form for blood draw — OJ Simpson's signed consent form documenting the date and time of his blood draw. It was referenced during Vannatter's testimony.
  • Simpson Reference Blood — Incomplete Quantity Reference — Blood collected from Simpson, referenced in an incomplete question concerning a quantity of 1.9 milliliters or one quarter.
  • Three reference vials allegedly handled by Vannatter (civil) — Three reference vials alleged to have been handled by Phil Vannatter. During Popovich's re-redirect examination, they were challenged as a possible contamination source for the 1,300-ng finding on the sock.
  • Water-filled purple-top Monoject demonstration tube — Water-filled purple-top Monoject tube used by Neufeld as an unlabeled live courtroom demonstration prop.
  • Yamauchi laboratory report listing OJ Simpson's blood vial as item 18 — Collin Yamauchi's laboratory report listing OJ Simpson's blood vial as item 18, discussed during Dennis Fung's redirect examination.
40 items in bucket
The Simpson Matter
Department 103
🔬 Simpson Blood Vial
EVIDENCE