Direct examination of Philip Vannatter (part 2)

📄 Direct examination of Philip Vannatter (part 2) — Thursday, July 7, 1994

Address:

C:\DEPT103\PRELIMINARY\1994\JUL\7\DIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-PHILIP-V.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 5 of 6

◀ Sidebar: photograph evidence objection Cross-examination of Philip Vannatter ▶

Witness: Det. Philip Vannatter
Examiner: Marcia Clark
Called by: Prosecution • Date: Thursday, July 7, 1994 • Utterances: 48

Marcia Clark concluded her direct examination of Detective Phillip Vannatter by walking him through People's 23, a series of photographs depicting OJ Simpson's cut left middle finger and the two gloves recovered from Bundy and Rockingham. Vannatter described the gloves' orientation in each photo and confirmed their item/photo number correlation, and noted a rib design on the backs of the gloves.

# 1 THE COURT:

All right. We are again on the record in the case of people v. Simpson. The defendant is present with counsel. The people are represented. The detective is on the witness stand. Miss Clark.

# 2 MS. CLARK:

Yes. The objection was overruled, your Honor?

# 3 THE COURT:

That's correct.

# 4 MS. CLARK:

Thank you. Ask this series of photographs be marked as People's 23.

# 5 THE COURT:

All right.

# 6

BY MS. CLARK:

# 7 Q:

Sir, showing you People's 23, can you tell us if you recognize what is being shown here?

# 8 A:

Yes, I recognize it.

# 9 Q:

First of all, tell us what is in photograph "A."

# 10 A:

photograph "a" is a picture of Mr. Simpson's left hand middle finger, at the upper knuckle, that was taken at my direction in the photo lab.

# 11 Q:

Does it accurately depict the condition of that knuckle as you saw it when you had the picture taken at parker center?

# 12 A:

Yes.

# 13 Q:

Was there only one cut on that finger, sir?

# 14 A:

There was a smaller laceration down towards the first knuckle that doesn't show up there very well. It was a small laceration that ran across the finger -- across the finger and down.

KEY QUOTE

# 15 Q:

Now, the gloves that are shown in "B" and "C" of People's 23 -- a Yes?

# 16 Q:

-- do you recognize those, sir?

# 17 A:

Yes.

# 18 Q:

And what are those?

# 19 A:

Those are the two gloves that were found at 875 south Bundy and 360 north Rockingham.

KEY QUOTE

# 20 Q:

Now, the glove in item -- in photograph "B" contains "item No. 9." You see that?

# 21 A:

Yes. I can see that.

# 22 Q:

And, as you earlier testified, that was the glove that was recovered from the Rockingham address?

# 23 A:

That's correct, yes.

# 24 Q:

In photograph "C" we have "No. 102" shown as to that glove.

# 25 A:

Okay.

# 26 Q:

Does that reflect a photo number or item number?

# 27 A:

That reflects a photo number.

# 28 Q:

And are the photo numbers and item numbers correlated?

# 29 A:

Yes, they are; in the property report.

# 30 Q:

So that photo, No. 102, would correlate to item No. 37?

# 31 A:

That's correct, yes.

# 32 Q:

Can you describe the position of the glove as it is shown in photograph "b"? Is that palm up or with the back of the hand up?

# 33 A:

That's the palm of the glove that is facing up.

# 34 Q:

And in photograph "c" can you tell?

# 35 A:

May I step down where I can --

# 36 Q:

Sure.

# 37 A:

Thank you. That's the back portion of the glove that is facing up.

# 38 Q:

And in photograph 22, are these photos palm up or are they palm down?

# 39 A:

These are both palm up, showing the palm of the glove.

# 40 Q:

Thank you, sir. Did you observe the backs of the gloves, sir -- the back of the hand of each glove?

# 41 A:

At what point?

# 42 Q:

At any point. Have you ever observed them?

# 43 A:

I saw the gloves in their original location, and I was also present when the gloves were shown to the defense at scientific investigation division; so during this period, yes, I have seen the back of them.

# 44 Q:

Can you tell us if they are plain on the back or if there is any kind of design on the back of the hand?

# 45 A:

There appears to be a rib design on the back of the gloves leading towards the back portion, or wrist portion, of the gloves.

KEY QUOTE

# 46 Q:

You were gesturing with lines.

# 47 A:

Straight lines.

# 48 MS. CLARK:

Thank you, sir. Nothing further.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (3)

Phillip Vannatter

There was a smaller laceration down towards the first knuckle that doesn't show up there very well. It was a small laceration that ran across the finger -- across the finger and down.

Establishes that Simpson had multiple cuts on his left hand, not just one — potentially linking to blood evidence at the crime scene.

Phillip Vannatter

Those are the two gloves that were found at 875 south Bundy and 360 north Rockingham.

Direct identification of the key physical evidence connecting both crime scenes to Simpson's residence.

Phillip Vannatter

There appears to be a rib design on the back of the gloves leading towards the back portion, or wrist portion, of the gloves.

Establishes the distinctive design of the gloves for later identification purposes.

Evidence (2)

People's 23

Series of photographs: (A) OJ Simpson's cut left middle finger, (B) Rockingham glove (item 9) palm up, (C) Bundy glove (photo 102 / item 37) back up

introduced and discussed

People's 22

Earlier photograph series showing both gloves palm up

referenced for comparison of glove orientation

Notable Exchanges (1)

Marcia Clark•Phillip Vannatter

Vannatter asked to step down from the witness stand to get a closer look at photograph C in order to determine glove orientation — a small but humanizing moment showing the practical limits of viewing evidence from the stand.

routine

Witness Demeanor

Witness steps down from the stand to examine photographs more closely.

Objections

1 objections (0 sustained, 1 overruled)

Proceeding 8979 • 48 utterances • Prosecution witness

Preliminary Trial

Department 103