Cross-examination of Stewart Tanner

📄 Cross-examination of Stewart Tanner — Friday, July 1, 1994

Address:

C:\DEPT103\PRELIMINARY\1994\JUL\1\CROSS-EXAMINATION-OF-STEWART-T.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 2 of 6

◀ Direct examination of Stewart Tanner Redirect examination of Stewart Tanner ▶

Witness: Stewart Tanner
Examiner: Robert Shapiro
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Friday, July 1, 1994 • Lines: 30

Robert Shapiro briefly cross-examined Stewart Tanner about a police report stating that Ron Goldman volunteered to take Nicole Brown Simpson's glasses to her home. Tanner said he did not recall making that statement and suggested police may have mistakenly recorded another person's words under his name because several people were speaking at once.

# 1 THE COURT:

Mr. Shapiro.

# 2 MR. SHAPIRO:

Thank you very much, your Honor.

# 3

CROSS-EXAMINATION

# 4

BY MR. SHAPIRO:

# 5 Q:

Mr. Tanner, did you give a statement to the police regarding incidents relative to your testimony today?

# 6 A:

I don't understand the question.

# 7 Q:

Were you interviewed by anybody from the police department regarding what you saw on this night?

# 8 A:

Yes, sir.

# 9 Q:

Did you give a statement to them?

# 10 A:

I believe so.

# 11 Q:

Did they write that down while you were talking?

# 12 A:

What they wrote, I don't know.

# 13 Q:

Were they writing something down while you were talking?

# 14 A:

Yes, they were.

# 15 Q:

Did you ever tell the police that Ron volunteered to take the glasses to Nicole at her house?

# 16 A:

Not to my recollection.

KEY QUOTE

# 17 Q:

May I show you a statement form dated 6-13-94?

# 18 A:

Sure.

# 19 Q:

i'd Like you to read this statement form, please.

# 20 A:

(WITNESS COMPLIES) Okay.

# 21 Q:

Do you recall making the statement to the police the afternoon after this incident, at about 5:00 o'clock, that Ron volunteered to take the glasses to her house?

# 22 A:

This statement is in the report, but Ron never told me that he had volunteered to take the glasses.

KEY QUOTE

# 23 Q:

So, the report by the Los Angeles Police Department, as far as you're concerned, is incorrect?

# 24 A:

I wouldn't say that it's incorrect, I'd just say that there were a lot of people speaking at that time, and that this may have been written down in my name.

KEY QUOTE

# 25 Q:

If it was written down, it was something that you didn't say?

# 26 A:

Quite possibly.

# 27 Q:

Quite possibly you didn't say it, or quite possibly you did say it?

# 28 A:

Quite possibly I didn't say it.

KEY QUOTE

# 29 Q:

Thank you.

# 30 MR. SHAPIRO:

Nothing further, your Honor.

Temperature

routine

Key Quotes (4)

Stewart Tanner

Not to my recollection.

Tanner denied remembering that he told police Ron volunteered to return the glasses, creating a conflict with the police report.

Stewart Tanner

This statement is in the report, but Ron never told me that he had volunteered to take the glasses.

Tanner expressly disputed the report's attribution and the underlying claim about Ron's intentions.

Stewart Tanner

I wouldn't say that it's incorrect, I'd just say that there were a lot of people speaking at that time, and that this may have been written down in my name.

Tanner offered a possible explanation for the discrepancy: police may have attributed another person's words to him.

Stewart Tanner

Quite possibly I didn't say it.

Under pointed questioning, Tanner maintained that he may not have made the statement attributed to him.

Evidence (1)

Informal

A Los Angeles Police Department statement form dated June 13, 1994, reporting that Ron volunteered to take Nicole's glasses to her house.

displayed, reviewed, and used for impeachment

Notable Exchanges (1)

Robert Shapiro•Stewart Tanner

Shapiro used the June 13 police statement to challenge Tanner's account of whether Ron volunteered to return Nicole's glasses. Tanner acknowledged the language appeared in the report but denied that Ron told him this and suggested the statement may have been misattributed.

strategic

Credibility Attacks (1)

⚔ Stewart Tanner

prior inconsistent statement

Shapiro confronted Tanner with a police statement form dated June 13, 1994, attributing to him the claim that Ron volunteered to return Nicole's glasses. Tanner denied recalling that statement and suggested it may have been mistakenly recorded under his name because several people were speaking.

Witness Demeanor

(WITNESS COMPLIES)

Objections

None recorded

Proceeding 9080 • 30 lines • Prosecution witness

Preliminary Trial

Department 103