FSCG – Reading Assignment #2
Reading Assignment #2:
List of the Evidence in the O.J. Simpson Double-Murder Trial:
Key evidence and testimony in the O.J. Simpson murder trial, with explanations of how the
prosecution has used it against Simpson thus far and how the defense has challenged it:
Crime scene blood:
Blood drops were found alongside bloody shoe prints leading away from the bodies of Nicole
Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman; blood was found on a gate at the back of the murder
scene condominium; blood from both places contained Simpson's genetic markers. Simpson
had a cut on his left middle finger when interviewed by police the day after the killings.
Prosecution: one of the most important parts of the case, claiming it placed Simpson at the
crime scene; said Simpson dripped blood after wounding his finger with a knife during the
murders; said scientific controls and testing by different labs thwarted any possibility of
contamination or tampering.
Defense: mounted vigorous counterattack, alleging samples were sloppily collected and
poorly handled, rendering DNA results unreliable; raised possibility that blood was planted by
someone who took it from a police crime lab vial that contained Simpson's blood and a blood
preservative; most compelling evidence was bloodstains on paper wrapping that was
supposed to be holding dry blood samples; wound on Simpson's left hand was only a minor
one he suffered in his house - not enough to drip as much blood as prosecutors found - and
that Simpson re-injured the finger when he cut it on a glass in a Chicago hotel room the
morning after killings, before police interviewed him.
Bloody shoe prints:
The bloody shoe prints matched a size 12 Bruno Magli shoe, a relatively rare Italian-made
model. Simpson wears size 12 shoes.
Prosecution: tried to place Simpson at the murder scene by showing that Bloomingdale's in
New York, where Simpson sometimes shopped, carried such shoes.
Defense: Thousands of people bought such shoes; noted that no murder shoes were ever
recovered and that the prosecution had no evidence that Simpson ever purchased such
shoes; raised the possibility that unexplained "imprints'' that didn't match the Bruno Magli sole
also were at the crime scene.
Crime scene hairs and fibers:
Hairs found in a dark knit cap were similar to Simpson's hairs; fibers on a cap were similar to
those in the carpeting of Simpson's Ford Bronco; dark blue cotton fibers were found on
Goldman.
Prosecution: Evidence places Simpson at the crime scene; noted that a witness said
Simpson wore a dark sweat suit the night of the murders.
54
FSCG – Reading Assignment #2
Defense: Hairs mean nothing more than assailant may have been black, as is roughly 10
percent of Los Angeles' population; also pointed to hairs that appeared to contain no
dandruff, while Simpson's hair sample had some dandruff; no dark blue sweat suit was ever
found; evidence could have been cast about the scene when a detective unfurled a blanket
from Ms. Simpson's home to cover her body.
Bloody gloves:
One dark, cashmere-lined Aris Light leather glove, size extra large, was found at the murder
scene, another behind Simpson's guest house, near where Brian "Kato'' Kaelin heard bumps
in the night. Ms. Simpson bought Simpson two pair of such gloves in 1990. DNA tests
showed blood on glove found on Simpson's property appeared to contain genetic markers of
Simpson and both victims; a long strand of blond hair similar to Ms. Simpson's also was
found on that glove.
Prosecution: Simpson lost the left glove at his ex-wife's home during the struggle and, in a
rush, inadvertently dropped the right glove while trying to hide it; explained that evidence
gloves didn't fit Simpson in a courtroom demonstration because the gloves shrunk from being
soaked in blood and Simpson had rubber gloves on underneath.
Defense: glove behind guest house was planted by Detective Mark Fuhrman, a racist cop
trying to frame Simpson; blood on glove may have been planted by police; gloated that
evidence gloves didn't fit; hair analysis isn't sophisticated enough to be trusted.
Bloody socks:
Pair of dark, crumpled socks found at the foot of Simpson's bed; DNA tests found the genetic
markers of Simpson and his ex-wife.
Prosecution: contended this directly linked a victim to Simpson.
Defense: suggested socks were planted at house by police, then blood was put on socks
later at the police lab to frame Simpson; most compelling evidence of tampering is that some
blood soaked all the way through one sock to other side, which it shouldn't have done if a foot
was in it.
Bloody Bronco:
Small spot of blood found near driver's outside door handle of Simpson's Ford Bronco; other
blood found smeared inside on console, door, steering wheel and carpeting; DNA tests
showed some of the blood apparently a mixture with genetic markers of Simpson and the
victims.
Prosecution: said Simpson drove Bronco to and from crime scene.
Defense: challenged interpretation of DNA tests, particularly those suggesting a genetic
match to Goldman in a mixture; noted that the genetic material of an unknown person was
found in the steering wheel blood; suggested police planted some of the blood; elicited
55
FSCG – Reading Assignment #2
56
testimony that the Bronco was entered at least twice by unauthorized people while it sat in a
police impound yard.
Timeline:
Murders occurred between 10:15 p.m. and 10:40 p.m., based on testimony from prosecution
and defense witnesses who heard barking from the area of the crime scene. Ms. Simpson's
blood-covered pet Akita was found shortly before 11 p.m.
Prosecution: Simpson lacked an alibi or even plausible story for what he was doing alone
during this period; pointed to testimony of a neighbor who saw a vehicle similar to a Bronco
racing away from the crime scene at 10:35 p.m.; suggested that Simpson would still have had
time to make the approximately five-minute drive home in time for Kaelin to hear bumps
behind guest house at about 10:40 p.m.; suggested that the shadowy figure seen by a waiting
limousine driver slipping into Simpson's house just before 11 p.m. was Simpson returning
from the murders.
Defense: Simpson didn't have enough time from when he was last seen by Kaelin about 9:40
p.m. to drive to Ms. Simpson's home, kill two people, hide bloody clothing and murder
weapon, drive home, drop glove behind guest house and clean up before greeting the limo
driver about 11 p.m.; told jurors during opening statements that Simpson was home practicing
his golf swing at the hour of the murders.
Violent past:
Through 911 calls to police and testimony, prosecutors allege a history of Simpson hitting,
degrading and stalking Ms. Simpson.
Prosecution: pointed to motive, showing Simpson was prone to jealous rages and capable of
hurting his ex-wife; suggested Goldman died because he was in the wrong place at the wrong
time, and Simpson may have seen him as a potential suitor.
Defense: irrelevant, isolated events that were poorly supported by what little evidence the
prosecution presented.
By The Associated Press
Questions Based on the Reading:
Answer these questions and email to Mr. Sewell at marty.sewell@yadkin.k12.nc.us. Make sure
that you put in the “Subject” line of the email [Forensics-Chapter 2-Reading Assignment(your name)].
1. Explain point by point the mistakes made by the prosecution and how the defense was
able to capitalize on them to invalidate their arguments. (You may have to do some
research outside of this article to effectively complete this assignment.)