Crime Scene lnvestigotion:O.J. Simpson

The OJ. Sirnpson case assembled a ttdrearn tearnt' of top lawyers tnd forensic

experts rvho put the f-{PD's shoddy crirne scene investiqation under the

rnicroscope to show that rnuch of the crucial scientific evidence had been

contarninated or didn't add up.

\\'lrt'n \icolc Bturrtt Sintirsorr:incl [{r,rralil (iolchnlrn rrrle tirurtcl sl.Lshed tr-r rlcath itt (llr'( r}lr':nl(].'

ro Sinrl)srrn's honrt: at ti7-r .Soutlr [ir-rrrt| f)rirt: irr Los ..\nilclcs rirr thc niglrr ol .frrnc l ). lq!) 1.

5ll-sl)ici()n cluickli tcll ttpon itcr tru.Ln{r'il lrisbautl, ()J..Sinipson. the fhmt,u. actor and fiit'rttcr

firotlr:rll star. Hc lr:tcl prei'ioush hccn irriri[r't:d in clonrrstic violcrrct'incitlcrrts r.'itlt ltct iulcl rorlr!'

of'his r:r-rrili:'s rtlatirt's inrnrcrliatt:h r(,lLl tllt' polir:tr th:rt trc lrarl "{irr:rllv kilL-:d lrtr'." (-.irirn.'scr'rrc

iurtsriq:rtols staltcd s\\arrning ()\1 r'lllrr sirc :rnd [-\PD dr:tecti\1i]s :r[so bcglrr lr,oking ti'r'(').f.

Srnrlr.on ut ltis trpscalt'cornpr'iLrritl [it-: rrrinLrtcs.r\\,:].v on Rockinghanr:\r'tnur.

Br tlrt tirnr: an L\PD dt:tt:ctil: contllctecl OJ. Sirnpson lx'tcit:pliorrt: io irrlin'Lrr liirri tlrat lris

r, ili- had ber,:rr ''kiUed," he u':ts in (llriciLgo on a busincss cnq:lgenrent itncl hc lLtsltt cl ltr.,rrrr'. ['olit i'

Lea<l del'ense ;1r[ornc! Robert Shapirn talks rr iLli defenc];rnt OJ. Simpson durine a pretrial hcarinq on evidertce seizer1 from

Sinrpson's lbrci Brouco tthiclc, C)ctober 0, I9!:i*.

26

Cose Study: O.J Simpson

ailcaclr hrLcl lirLrrrd .scrcral incrirninating clrics.

irrcLrrclirrg [rloocl t,n tlrc cloor of liis grarkcrl [.irrrl

Iironco:rs rri:Ll ur irIrocl rlrops lcacling into hi.

nr:rnsion. L)r'tr'ctirr' \[alk I;'uhlrn:irl rcportcd frnclirLg

a trloocir qlolr' at thr r lirrrc sccnir rls rr'cll as a nuirc.hirrg

glrtrc r'rr thc 5oritir sclr.icc pathrr.;r', to OJ.'s hourc orr

l{r.ir'[i11*1r",rr. 1i:sting rr,oultI l:rter sliou bkrocl tirat

rr'zLs (:orrsisterrr rr'ith O.J.. Nicolc. ancl (blclnr:.rn. -fhc

glovc at-.c' corlt:tilied,\fiican-.\nrelican lintb hair':

ancl irair'' consisrt-nr ir'ith (iolcirlari and Nicolc, as

rr.ell a. irlue-blar:k c(rt.[orr iiber cor]sistent itilh tl'cclothes that () J.'s roonrrna.tc Karo Kaclirr sa.ici hc saw

Sirnpson rrcarinq on thr,. night ol the mulde r.s.;

Sholtlr a.ftt:r O.J.'s reruln i,,nr (lhiea.,,. 11r,'

policc nL)ticcd his banclagcd hanci ancl lrr:gan

Lluestioninq hin'r. photographine thc w.ouncl. takinq'

s;rLrprles r-'l his blg,1l and hair, a1c1 finail1' thr:r

arrested liinr firl tlrc ntirder.

But Simpson u':rs unlikc othe r defcndzrnts. Ilc rras

rich. .\ncl lic began rrsirrg sorne of' his re sotrrce s io llit'fhe ircst les:rl cluf'cnse rea[l e\rer assen"rb[ecl in the:

United Srates-- a gn)up n'ith so manv legal stars that-lbarr-r

"

lpowered defbrrse teant lr'ould havc at its ilisposal almost as rn:rnr

jamountins to enouqh talenl to makc the Siru;tson c:rsc onc: ol' ihr:

ttles. Ultimately the tlial u.oulcl involve lltj rr'irrrcs.t.,r arrci [jr7elve the most-Lntensi\.e.overage o1'artv crirnirr.rl tr-ial in lristor.r.

[-\ ilctecti\c llark [.uhrnrari li,rLrrr:L lrrrlr qlorr:s. nr-Lir

ot tlr,r bloocl clrolts irr tlre dark. rnd rrr.jpf,jj.(l on

5iILpsitn'; r-st:tir-] !!ithout a \!alIdlrl-

the nels rnccli:r clrrbbcd it thc ''l)r't :rrn

tlit-rl in Los.\nseles, this high-

1r'\,,Lll, -\ 3S Ih( PlO-e.ulii,ll.

greatest Arnerican courtroorn

pie<'es ol er,iclence. It rvoLrld

ir itlr lirt televised broadcasts

'fhc: nerr'lcad counsel, Robert Shapiro, anrl his colicaeLrcs..JoIrnnit: Cot:lrlan, F. L,ec Baiier.

AIan Dershon'itz. and seve ral others, quicklv realized thc role th:rt fiirensic eviclcncc rr.otrlcl p1:u

in the case, and thcv in turrl brought in several ol thc nation's preinicr iirlcnsius rxperts Lo dssist

in the defense. t he,v includcd: Ilarrv Scheck and Petcr \eLrfclcl. (rro Nerr'\'ork-ba.sccl lar.r.lrers

specializing in DN.\; Dr. Michael Baden of' Neiv \brk. regarclccl :rj rhc top pathologist andlnedical examitre r, rcnrlrvne d criminalist L)r. He nrr (1. Lcc ol Clorrrrccticrrr. []erb N'[cl]onalcl, thclvorld's leading bkrod pattern expcrt; Cltuck \rlorton. a tirnous tr acc c\ iclcpcr: rxpe r ti cr irle scelcexpert Larrv l{aqe i, and sever:il others. l.{ost oi- rlrc c'xPer.ts r.eL:iinerl br the tle fbnse were amonqthe best-known alrthoriries in tl'reir firelds, and n'elr: usuallr tnrpl.recl lrv tlic proseclltion; thcirintegrity and crcdibiliq,' n,as lvell established.

ii' As it r.r'orrld turn out, unlike virtuallv arly orher lrish-irrollle cesc

Cqse Studv: O.J Simpson

;ecd of cloubt r'.as Irl:rntc<l io thc rnincls oi thr: jurr 1il tht firrcnsic rviclcrr, r: rra; str:adilr rrncl,'rrnurcil

ol thc proccedings :rrrcl enclles.s cornmentarv bv scorcs o1' talking ht:acls. Networks and

supcrrn:trket tabloids paid liuee lees in cxchange krr-er,erlitness "scoops."

l3eftrrc Sirnpson, crimc sr:enc invcstig:rtors tirr the IAPD ianrl m:urv otlicr rnajor polir;c

departments) \\'e re accustolned to h:rndlinq much of tlrcir bloocl aud othr:r biolosical eviclence

mucli rnore c.lsualh': even sloppilv Cops had not bce n sufticie ntll tr:rinecl to de:rl ivith DNA-

But as thc Sirnpsorr tri:rl rnacle clcar. tlre porver of' scientifjc el'idcnce can cut botl'r u'ays: on

the one hand, L)N.\ c:rn est:iblish guilt or innticcncc rnort-- cle arlv Lliarr a nl tlring cisc; on the othe q

mistakes b1.' thc police at an) one link in the evidcntiarl'ch:rin. e ithcr bv tailine to prope rly eathe r

or store blood sr.vatches;rncl othcr evidcncr:, or lrr'trungling its hanrllinq in the laboratory can

destroy'crvcn an opcri-:rnd-shut c:lse. If nothing clsc, tlrc.julv's "not-5;u-L[tv" vcrdict should have

shakern big-,-rity policc dcpartrncnts. especialli. l,.ls, out ol thcir snra.ll-tirnc lorensics r:ornplacencl'.

C)nr: ol the trial's rnost dramatic moments invoh,ccl thr trlooclv slolt's that f)ett:ctivc I'-uhrrnan

said he had lound. \,Vith he lp tiom the FBI, thc prose cution est;rblishcd tlr:rt Nicolt: h:rd purchased

tlvo ide ntical pair of Aris leathcr gloves, size extra large, arrd recorcls sho'"ved the gloves wcrc ve ry

rarc. 'l'hc prosccLrtion claimcd the gloves had belonged to O,J. ancl tl'rat tre lrad worn them to

cornmit tire rnurders.

/-.q,'

2B

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i:

Cctse Study: O.J. Simpson

Iltrt (-ihristophcr I)lLr'clcn. tlrt' rtssistarrt prlrsc( ut()r, alkrwccl SirnJrson to (lcnr()nsrr:rrr. wtrctlrt'r

thc glor'rrs actrt:tllv fit. F,-xpr:rc-s Ittcl alrturcil clairrrc<I that thc Llloocl and r.rttrcl rn;ru'rial 6rr thcm

r.r'ould rtor lt:n.c cartserl tlt,,'rrt tl shrink. But lrht'n Sirrrpson attcnrlited to trv therrl on in lirll vic'.v

ol the .julr,: tht'1' appeart:rl rr'r lrc tor', snrzLll lrrl his laree hancls. .\ncl :rs cle {i,nsc l:rlrrtr..folrrrnic(lochran latt:r cott<:luclt:<l in his sllrllnrati()lr: "[t'thc glor,'es don't [it, y(rLl rnLrst acc1uit."

In rhcorl; thc prtl,srctttion rhould hiLvc [rt't'n alrle to ensurc that corrrl;ar-isr',ns of'l)N.,\ (ionr

lrltiod firund at tht crinre scdrle. Sirnpson's car. liis housc rlatc, and a sot:k ti,rrrrr.l in lris hnrnt', all

ptovccl that he lt:rcl cortrtnittt:d tlie nrurclers- But irr light of cluestions raised airr.lut the policc

clcp:rrttttent's skrppl handlinq ol tltt cviclencc. and tlle racial attitudt:s o[';r,rnc of thc o{I'rcers,

.iur()rs \!crc le{i quesiiorrinq ltorr tlte DN.\ nrieht Iravc errc]ccl up there. In the cncl, such cprestions

crr.':rtcd rloultts thar rrsulrccl irr Sirnpsr-rn's at:quittal.

I-ookine back on rr'h;rt tt'zrttspireci in thc ().f. Sinrpson (:aser eKllerts iclcrrtifictl s,rrue o['tircL.\l'I)'s nrost elzrling lolensics nrisrakts as lirllt,w's:

'fhc cleferrst: repeiLtcclh usc(l sotttt'ol tht'[.-\PD's olvu <l'irne sccne plrotographl. troth still

Picttrrcs and r.idcoglaphr. trr rcr-eal rnistakes irr policc hzrnclling of eviderrcr'. as rrell as ro shorv

tllat sonrc ol tlic allegetl t'r iclt'ttr:t' Ira.cl ncre r l-lcen photogr':rphecl ol clic-l Lrit apl)car at Lhc

t,r'iginal crintc scerre, thus laisinq clucsrir-rns ;rbout whetht:r it had been planted.

'Cjrirne scetrc investi,qatots lracl lailecl to collect pieccs ol crucial er.idenr:e. fior r]\iulll)l(-. l)oJicephotos of Nicolc Sinrpson's ccirpsc levealed bl()od sp:rttels orr her upttrrncd bat k rlr:rr ;rniLlr.sts

la.tcl conr:luclecl nrust Lravc otiginate<l Iionr sol-rleonc r:lse--perlr:r.ps hel killcr. 13Lrt lroliccirnestigators lailecl to t:rkc a qcnetic sanrple ol the bloocl belbre turrring- thr.r'ic:rim or.er. the:rcb\.

cotttamirtating an,v possiblc s:Ln rpr[cs.j I{eno'"r,ned criminalist [)r. Henlv Lee tcstifictl ft-rr thc deletrse that hc founcl ir rrt"rr rllil ol ser",crr

bloocl drops le:rding aw'ai'iioni thc killine scenc that hadn't becn visible in thrr [.-\Pl)'s lrocrr'-

qualit,v pictr-rrcs given to hinr fbr revieu,. He also t:riticizecl the rlualitv ot l,.\PI) la.trorzrrr.rry

nricroscop.'s urrd otlrcr equil,nrerrt.

''Ihe pr-osecution prcscntecl crtnipellinq phoroeraphic evidence clairnins ro sh,rrr ().J. Sinrltson

rve:irittg thc satnc npc of'cxtt-ernttl!.t':rrt:, size l2 Bluno Nlltgli shoes, rr.ith solri thar matcht-.cl

bloodi'fbotplints loturc{ lcadirrq {iom the boclit:s. Brrt this cridencc rr.as challcngcd as a lake.

(1'he casc had alreadt'trecrt nrarkecl b1'a higlrh pLrbliciz.:d drr,l(,rrld inragr- in tlrt lirrnr ol zrn

altelcd image o['O.J. Sirnpson that had bceu published on ii rrerrs maeazint: cort:r..

' Rrlicc took rnore than trvo rr,ecks to reni()\,c blootj lionr;r fencc.:r lapse that leli. nrarn. titrscn.e rs

rvond<rring il it had becrr plantcd- Scienrists 1-roirrtecl oLlt thrit thc long outdr).'rr rlr.ir\ had iet,rllvdant.-rgcd thc cvidencc.

' A.mong the othcr itcrns of' uselirl cvidence the police tailcd to l)reserve or record rvas ur dish <tf

rnelting Ben &.Jerrv's ice crt:am {btrnd iu Nicole's hornc- cvidencc: thilt corrld har.'e beerr

extremel\' hclpful in pinpointine the timc o1'clcath.

Elood on th. p:1lh at Brcrrtruood. phorographed.fuue L:. 199 t.

Fbr three dars. prc,sct:r.rtion r'itn,:ss Dr: Robir (.lotton crplainecl

horr l)NA tesLs uork: zrrrd hor. thc orlcls Llrat rhe lrlood iirrrud

rI(ia. thc bodi.s !!as not Sirnpj.rns !\cre onc in 170 ntLllirrn-

Cose Studv: O.J. Simpson

.llt,^,,rllrriirrttll r'rirlltrLr'.ittlt((lill( j(:(trr('\\.r:irrr:ri.rlilrir)l()l)l)\:.1.)t1r(]crClcs.\l.D.. l)\.\Lrlrt'tt.ttttl tli,. Llirtii.tl tltt,',tor,,l Irnrnrrrtlittqir'u1 .\::trruLti:,r['1.)r'rLtrtr'[.\D ir]rotcstilicrl [i,r

Llic' tl, fi lr.L-. rr,ttr ltrrrl tlt, lr,,lii, r.iLl, ,, r,i {ttt r:t'irnt: :{ { ni: \\ith tlrc jLrlr :Lrrc1 ltoirrtt:cl ()t1t rnall\

Plolrlt rrr. i' itlr , i l(l( ri( (. (.)llr'( li,,rL. irit lr,uliriq t-\PI ) ( lr.irrrinalist .\rrrln-lL \lazzoia's re pcrtr:(l

iliiltLtt, t,' tltltttgr'lL, t ili,r,s lrlit r ,,,i1,, Lirrq t:'r.iclr'rrct. -l'lrc

riclc,r slrlrrrrcl -\l:rzzr,la srr:ilrlriLrt trJt

lrliititl tlr,;1rs Irlrilt lt'.irrirtg li gL,rlcl lr.rrttl orr dilti grlrrrrcl. rorrthirrg rr\L'r.r('Ls ir'ith thc sanrt

It,tritl. tltltL Lt:ittg LItt ..urtr't\\,(,/r-l- t,) r1.1ltil,lllaltr. a lr|u,rlr si.irlch. S[rt: als6 [)laCcd \\cL

rrI.'r',:lr rtil-iirrU tlrIrLi \\itll ('lrtiil \\.rtr'l tt ltrrtct,clrrrt.tlt:rt rr:L: n1lt likr,l\' l() tcnt()\lt tlrt' l)N.\.

' [,-\l'l) (.r'irLrirr;ili.t \l.Lzz,'l.i tr'-tilit'i1 .frt' torrk 5\\.rt(]iir': lirirtr bloodslaill) rrt Siurpsori'.

Rockiitglt:irrttilitl(.l)lir(.rl rlr,rrrirrlrrpcrtLirclllrr'-.-:rrrcl ltLrttlrcLrrirrthecrirrrr,iabtrtrck.[{crtrstilllr)!i\ t,litiir tttt<l tltiti :ltr' lt.itl ttot l)Llt tllcnl irL l'1,,1,. 1 , .jlL.nlr, L , ,,r irrrmcciiatch ltut thr.nr

Lrrrdt't r-t tiiqclatir,n to llrc\1.nt tireil cleqraclutir,rn trrrcl r:ont:rnrina.tiotr.. ()tlrIr p( r'sl)ntlr'1 rr0r'kirrg:it tllt ( rirn('5r'Onc \\i)'.'-ilrIrrri tr,lr:r,,r ri1tcL-afecl w.itlrOlLt rrtar.irrg tht

tr:r1Lrir,'cl glLrvi'.. li.rilrrcts- lrlotit.. ancl otlrt:r- l)r'(I-r.r ti\1- (..lLriJltl lt.

' L-\PDtritrritr"tlistr\\cr.slior.tttoh.Lvctc,llettccl liair.[ilrirr.irrral r)ill(]rtr:rc:r:evitlenceirraslopyn

rr:n tn [)rLttinq all sturh ericlencc into

tlrr' .urrri' a()nt.1ilLrr. thet'clrt. renclcrirrg it( orrt:trrrinilte{-l,

' lcr irLirlitatc a.cccss to tirc iilood-cor.r:reci

c titttc stt:n,. itolice risr:d ltirth tttrrcls {j,.rrtr

tltc Iritrise tl, mop rLp Iargt: .iLrantitics oi

bltr,rcl lt irrq- irr thc eutranccr.uar: Sonre

\\ork.rs lracl lrctr-ralll, c[umped son]e oI the

torr cls. u-icd qlcir..cs. ;rncl other clet)ris on tol)

ol'a r.ictirn's bodr'- '['hev hzrcl also stepped all

()\'cr tlre lrlooch sut'tace anri trackerl bloocl

tiour pl:rcc ro place .

' ()rrr: o1' thc worst rlistakes lvas th.1t thc

victinis' bodics r.r'ere lelt l,vine irr the open

:rir lbr lrour-s. rr'ithout being cran'rirreci br. a

rrtcclical c\ilrnincr: He r,r,as not evr]n notifie (l

until tcrr irorrrs after thc boclies \\'crrt follnrl.. Still-lrt:t bloocl u :rs bel:rtedlv iblrncl on sr.,cks

in OJ.'s lrorne (but not photouraphecl

close-Lrp tlrclo and rrlien tested tlic btood

appeilrccl to consist ol :r nrirture ol' O.J..'s.

\icole's. ancl Clolclrlan's. Ilut tlre delense

30

,..' of:'rr- Ctil:i, j

Cose Study: O.J Simpson

rr.:rs ablc tr,r tlt:tllcntl-t' this t'r.iclt'trct: l-.,) qut'stioninq hr.rrr.it could h:lrr.: rernaiDcd r,r'et lirr such a

kjns time. ancl the cltrfirnsc's tbrensic toricoloq-ist tr:stifir:d he fi'rund thc pr.eservatir.e Elf-f.A.

''eth,r'[s.tt,,iiuu,itrt:tctt'iutcctic acid. r,rhit:[t prevents blood fic,rn co:rqu[:rtinq. irr ttre bloody sgcks

ancl in :r staitt ort tlte tr:tck q-;ttc crf Simpson's cx-rvitb's conc-lorniniurl. -fhe tr.rricologist

concludecl thct'e wt:r'e onll two possibLe s()ulc:es tiir the ED'[.'\---flr'rrn a blood samplc tube orthrttr-Lq-h Lrontarrlin:rti()n r,f the bhtodstairrs in the labor.ator.r: Eitlrcr ryzrr,,, clctuLrts r.r,er.c raisecl

about tlte intt:itt'itv ot this lrloot-l el'iclenr:c. 1Dr. Rokrirr Ciotrorr, labolatolv clire(it{]r of Cell \,tarkDiagnc-,stics. flelmancortn. \Icl, had tcstitlecl that tesrs slror.r'ecl that bkiocl on tlre socks had the

sat"ue qenetic {irrverprint as \it:ole's. charactelistics tliat rnatchccl onh. one in 9.7 billionCaucasian.s; itn;rsherbloocl- Iiuthcrtestirnorryr,r.zrsq-r:rdualll'drainectot'itsauthoritvthrough

dav altcr clal'ot' highlv iccliniczrl cluestioning, nor onlr.oI tht-' irrtegritr. of rirc er.idcnce but also

the methocls arrd plinciples of' I)\A te sting itselL). f)etectivcr Phillip Vann:rtter lc{i the Pc,lice station u.ith zr r.ial c,,f ().J.'s blood in his back pocket,

then he clror.e to the lluncly lrr,ru;e ancl t.alked axrund the crirne ,icene srill trolding the blood

samplc, until I're finillh. handeci it otr to zr crirninalist lor testins -flris r,r,'as a serious mistake

because he did not handle the sample prurpe rlv lrom a scientilic perspective and he also rnay

have complorni-sed it,r leqai sracr,rs-

t Alter the murclers. tlre fbr-rtball star clainred that cuts on his hancls had been causecl br-a broke n

glass in his Chicago hotel room. but policc lailed to prescr\:e ancl test the glass.

' Police lailed to rccord and accolrnt lor the plecise arnount of'blood taken lrom OJ. ancl laterused lor various tcstinq, rhe rtrlx. s-i\ ing t ise to suspicions that some ot' ir nrilr have been used to

plant evidence againsr hirrr.

'The coroner failed to an:rlvzc and record properlv the contents of the r.icritrrs';torrrachs andthereby compromised his abilit;'to estinrate the time of cleath- In all, Dr. Baclerr notr:d at leasr

l6 mistakes in the aulolrs\:

In the end, the OJ. Simpson case educated not only the policc. bui :rlso thc rvorld about some

the por.veq complexities, and pittalls ol lorensic scienc€]. Er.err.bocli le:rrned that lorensics can

both ways.

3l