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Detectives expected to testify Friday in O.J. Simpson trial
In this story:
- Contents of O.J.'s Bronco described in court
- Lange: Only one bloody glove
- Alternate juror dismissed
- 'Don't go to work'
- Shouting match breaks out
- Related stories and sites
Web posted at: 11:45 a.m. EST
SANTA MONICA, California (CNN) -- Former LAPD detective Tom Lange was expected to return to the stand Friday in the O.J Simpson civil trial.
On Thursday, Lange was one of two detectives who testified on the evidence gathered in the murders of Simpson's former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.
Apart from Lange, three others were expected to testify Friday. They are detective Phillip Vannatter, and LAPD criminalists Gregory Matheson and Dennis Fung.
Vannatter, an important prosecution witness in Simpson's criminal trial, was grilled at the time by the defense for carrying a sample of Simpson's blood from police headquarters to Simpson's Rockingham estate home.
Vannatter testified he wanted to give the vial to the criminalist who was still collecting evidence at Simpson's home; the defense argued blood mysteriously disappeared from the vial and was ultimately planted -- on Simpson's socks, his house gate and in his Bronco.
Contents of O.J.'s Bronco described in court
The slow-speed Bronco chase, not mentioned during the O.J.. Simpson criminal trial, was the subject of testimony Thursday in his civil trial.
Former Los Angeles Police detective Tom Lange told jurors about items taken from the Bronco by police after the June 17, 1994, chase that was seen live on television around the nation and that ended with Simpson's arrest at his Brentwood home.
Lange testified that investigators found inside the Bronco a .357-caliber handgun, numerous credit cards, Simpson's passport, a change of underwear, a goatee and mustache disguise, and several sets of keys.
During Lange's testimony Simpson lawyer Robert Baker objected numerous times, prompting Judge Fujisaki to comment at one point, "I thought we were interested in saving time."
"I object to the court's comments," Baker responded. "I'm entitled to make objections."
In the criminal trial, Simpson was acquitted last October in the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Goldman.
Lange: Only one bloody glove
Lawyers for the families of the victims contend that one set of keys taken from the Bronco were for Nicole Brown Simpson's condominium and had disappeared about a week before the murders.
Lange also testified about blood drops recovered from the back gate of Nicole Brown Simpson's condo. He said that when he went on a "walk through" of the crime scene with prosecutors on July 3, 1994, he noticed blood on the gate that he had previously seen on June 13. That gave "rise to the possibility that that blood had not been collected," so he said he called in a technician to collect the blood.
Lange testified that he never saw more than one bloody glove at the crime scene, blunting expected defense arguments that two gloves were there before LAPD detective Mark Fuhrman carried one off to plant at Simpson's estate.
Lange, now a private investigator after nearly 29 years as a LAPD detective, described to jurors what the crime scene looked like when he arrived.
As a large-screen monitor showed a full-scale blow up of Nicole Brown Simpson's blood-bathed body, Lange dispassionately talked about the scene, describing the positions of the two bodies in the police photographs.
In a moment of understatement, Lange declared, "There was a great deal of blood everywhere."
O.J. Simpson looked away as the photographs of the bloody murder scene flashed. He appeared uncomfortable, repeatedly shutting his eyes and looking away from the pictures.
Shouting match breaks out
The tension-filled day ended in a shouting match between the former celebrity athlete and Fred Goldman, the father of Ron Goldman.
"Don't give me that (expletive) dirty look," Goldman yelled at Simpson, who was standing about 25 feet away.
"I wasn't even looking at you; I was looking at your daughter; she was staring at me." Simpson replied. "Your daughter, she plays staring games," he added, referring to Kim Goldman.
Special Section:
Related stories:
- Detective: Simpson asked no questions when told of ex-wife's death - October 29, 1996
- LAPD tells Simpson jury there was only one glove - October 28, 1996
- O.J. Simpson trial focuses on time line, grisly photos - October 25, 1996
- Witness says he heard arguing before Simpson-Goldman murders - October 25, 1996
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