Re-redirect examination of unknown witness

📄 Re-redirect examination of unknown witness — Thursday, July 7, 1994

Address:

C:\DEPT103\PRELIMINARY\1994\JUL\7\RE-REDIRECT-EXAMINATION-OF-UNK.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 5 of 6

◀ Redirect examination of unknown witness (part 1) Cross-examination of unknown witness (part 2) ▶

Witness: Witness
Examiner: Robert Shapiro
Called by: Defense • Date: Thursday, July 7, 1994 • Utterances: 39

Robert Shapiro recrossed the detective on whether a second criminalist could have been deployed to a second crime scene simultaneously, and on a stiletto knife purchased from Ross Cutlery by the LAPD. Shapiro attempted to get the detective to state whether the knife was the murder weapon, but the question was cut off by a sustained speculation objection before an answer was given.

# 1 THE COURT:

Mr. Shapiro?

# 2 MR. SHAPIRO:

Thank you very much, Your Honor.

# 3

RECROSS-EXAMINATION

# 4

BY MR. SHAPIRO:

# 5 Q:

Detective, to your knowledge does the Los Angeles Police Department employ more than one criminalist?

# 6 A:

Yes.

# 7 Q:

And if you wanted two criminalists at two different scenes, would that be available to you?

KEY QUOTE

# 8 A:

I don't know.

# 9 Q:

Did you try?

# 10 A:

Did I try?

# 11 Q:

Yes.

# 12 A:

No.

# 13 Q:

You were present at the autopsy?

# 14 A:

Yes.

# 15 Q:

You've talked to the coroner who conducted it?

# 16 A:

Yes.

# 17 Q:

You were present and directed the crime scene photographs to be taken.

# 18 A:

Yes.

# 19 Q:

You were present and directed the criminalist in his activities.

# 20 A:

Yes.

# 21 Q:

And you later caused to be purchased a stiletto knife from Ross cutlery; is that correct?

KEY QUOTE

# 22 A:

No.

# 23 Q:

Did anyone from your department purchase a stiletto knife from Ross cutlery?

# 24 A:

Yes.

# 25 Q:

You're aware of that knife?

# 26 A:

Oh, yes.

# 27 Q:

You've seen it?

# 28 A:

Yes.

# 29 Q:

You've shared that with the criminalist?

# 30 A:

I'm sorry, "shared it"?

# 31 Q:

have you showed it to the criminalist?

# 32 A:

I don't know if it was shown to a criminalist or not.

# 33 Q:

Did you show it to the coroner?

# 34 A:

No.

# 35 Q:

Is it your opinion that this knife or one substantially similar to it was the murder weapon?

# 36 A:

Would be pure conjecture with the knowledge that I have in regards to that knife.

KEY QUOTE

# 37 MS. CLARK:

In that case, calls for speculation. Objection.

# 38 THE COURT:

Sustained.

# 39 MR. SHAPIRO:

Nothing further.

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (4)

Examiner (Shapiro)

And if you wanted two criminalists at two different scenes, would that be available to you?

Challenges the investigation's resource allocation — implies a second criminalist should have worked the second scene, raising chain-of-custody and evidence handling concerns.

Witness

No.

The detective admits he never tried to get a second criminalist, despite being responsible for two crime scenes.

Examiner (Shapiro)

And you later caused to be purchased a stiletto knife from Ross cutlery; is that correct?

Introduces the Ross Cutlery knife — a significant detail tying the LAPD investigation to a specific potential murder weapon.

Witness

Would be pure conjecture with the knowledge that I have in regards to that knife.

The detective effectively distances himself from the knife before the objection cuts off further inquiry.

Evidence (1)

Informal

Stiletto knife purchased from Ross Cutlery by LAPD

discussed — Shapiro established the knife's existence and the detective's awareness of it, but could not get an opinion on it as a murder weapon

Notable Exchanges (2)

Robert Shapiro•Witness (Detective)

Shapiro established that the detective never attempted to get a second criminalist for a second scene, despite having the authority and responsibility to do so.

strategic

Robert Shapiro•Witness (Detective)•Marcia Clark•Kathleen Kennedy-Powell

Shapiro asked whether the Ross Cutlery knife was the murder weapon; the detective began hedging with 'pure conjecture,' Clark objected for speculation, and Kennedy-Powell sustained.

strategic

Credibility Attacks (2)

⚔ Detective (unknown)

omission / failure to act

Shapiro highlighted that the detective never sought a second criminalist despite overseeing two crime scenes, implying inadequate or biased investigation management.

⚔ Detective (unknown)

knowledge gap / inconsistent knowledge

The detective denied personally purchasing the Ross Cutlery knife but confirmed awareness of it, while being unable to confirm whether it was ever shown to the criminalist or coroner — suggesting investigative loose ends.

Objections

1 objections (1 sustained, 0 overruled)

Proceeding 8975 • 39 utterances • Defense witness

Preliminary Trial

Department 103