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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 24, 1995)
Tuesday • January 24, 1995 wmmmmmmmmmmmm [special advance screening O.J. Simpson trials begin Simpson wants to speak with jurors; De fense dumps new evidence on prosecutors LOS ANGELES (AP) — Murder defendant O.J. Simpson asked Monday for a one-minute audience before his jurors, a stunning twist to a day dominated by attorneys scrapping fierce ly over last-minute evidence the defense dumped on prosecutors. Defense attorneys surprised the prosecu tion with a list of 34 new witnesses and a videotape of police walking through blood at the murder scene. They also offered evidence of an alibi for the first time — a witness who says she saw Simpson's distinctive white Ford Bronco outside his home at a time when the prosecution alleges he was two miles away killing his ex-wife and her friend. Simpson’s attorneys addi tionally suggested in court papers that police may have moved the Bronco as well as the bloody glove that matched one found near the bodies of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman last June. Deputy District Attorney Marcia Clark called the new evidence "trial by ambush” and said she was "absolutely shocked” by the last- minute disclosure. "This is a willful desire to deprive the people of a fair trial,” she said. Her colleague, William Hodgman, asked for a week’s continuance to study the new evi dence and witness list, which includes actress Tawny Kitaen, local TV reporter Tracie Sav age, Los Angeles Police Chief Willie Williams and author Lawrence Schiller, who is writing Simpson’s book. "The truth, or part of the truth, has been hid den from us by the defense,” Hodgman said. Defense attorney Johnnie Cochran Jr. re sponded with equal indignation. "I am absolutely appalled that the prosecu tion comes here and says they are unprepared,” he said. "They see a few charts from us and be come frightened and want to run away and Simpson hide for a week.” Superior Court Judge Lance Ito was tense during the exchange, interrupting attorneys at times to say, "You’re wasting my time” and “Do you expect me to believe that?” The defense’s new disclosures showed how vigorously they plan to challenge the prosecu tion’s physical evidence. A newsreel videotape obtained by the defense shows police officers walking through blood while the bodies lie nearby under sheets. Defense lawyers say the blood was so contam inated by the foot traffic that subsequent DNA tests on it would be meaningless. Enraged prose cutors said they had not seen the videotape be fore and demanded time to find out when it was shot. The blood evidence, they suggested, might have already been collected by then. While reviewing the videotape in court, Ito ordered one segment of the feed blacked out for television broadcast. When that portion was shown on courtroom monitors, Simpson had a pained look on his face, clenched his jaw and looked away. Relatives of the defendant and the victims, as well as of the judge and lawyers squeezed into the small courtroom along with a large gallery of news reporters on hand for the long-awaited opening round of evidence and testimony. But the squabbling over the videotape and the witness list delayed opening statements again. Simpson’s bid to address jurors is not un precedented; other defendants have given open ing statements. One was black activist Angela Davis, who was acquitted in June 1972 of charges she helped plan a Aug. ‘7, 1970, Marin County courthouse escape in which a judge, two convicts and an accomplice were slain. Simpson’s written request to show jurors "physical scars, injuries and limitations” ap pears to indicate he hopes to show he was physically incapable of committing the crimes. The prosecution strongly objected to the idea of Simpson taking to jurors and to show his scars. Ito put off until Tuesday any decision on Simpson’s requests. Bumping umbrellas with the taste less, welcome to Simpson madness LOS ANGELES (AP) — In side, the main event had yet to begin. Outside, the sideshow was well under way. "O.J. the Juice. Guilty of abuse!” Ann the fact that this goes on all the time,” Summa told re porters, pushing back her sog gy cardboard mask. "We’re re ally serious about this.” Summa chanted as she and other members of the Women’s Action Coalition demon strated against domestic violence across the street from the Los An geles County Criminal Courts Building. Driving rain soaked the group’s Nicole Brown Simpson masks and drenched the gawkers, hawkers, street preachers, screaming tran sients and lawyers trying to get to work Monday. Some were grimly intense. "Were trying to underscore He clutched a montage of pencil drawings depicting Simpson in various stages of his life: football legend. Hertz company spokesman and first- degree murder de fendant. - "Tm just trying to make a buck off these T-shirts. I don't care what people say. I'll sell 'em anyway." Floating above a sea of tackiness, and easily the most tacky, was the blonde, papier- r • r-x a rr tti&che doll with —Jamie DeJvlatOjj, bloody knives stick- Simpson trial shirt salesperson ir } g out itj a , n ° b ~ r __ 1 vious effigy of Ms. Simpson. Jamie DeMatoff was selling T-Shirts with "O.J. Simpson Trial” emblazoned across the scales of justice. "They say this is the trial of the century,” DeMatoff said. "I’m just trying to make a buck off these T-shirts. I don’t care what people say. I’ll sell ’em anyway.” Others acknowledged they didn’t really care whether O.J. Simpson killed his ex-wife and her friend Ronald Goldman. "I’m not supporting or against him,” said an artist who gave his name only as Dooney. “This is all about self-promotion and good-old capitalism.” Today Mostly sunny and mild with a high near 60. East southeast winds 5-10 mph. Tonight Partly cloudy and cool. Low near 44. Light, southeasterly winds. Wednesday Mostly cloudy and continued mild. High near 63. South southeast winds 5-10 mph. Wednesday Night Widely scattered showers beginning early. Low near 48. Source - A&M Chapter of the American Meteorological Society Thursday Cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms. High near 62. ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE CONCERTS MSC TOWNHALL IS BRINCINC TO A&M? .. . ' « :v : Iiawl an nawne julie delpy Can the greatest romance of your life last only one night? jBieipoikjb FREE MOVIE POSTERS Tuesday, January 24 8:00 PM Rudder Auditorium Pick Up Free Passes at the MSC Box Office \AGGI M nema/ Courtesy of 1 I 8 I 0 I 0 ■ C I A KNOW THE CODE A I T a T ALWAYS THE LOWEST PRICE FOR A COLLECT CALL- AT&T Q. 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