Unexpected video catches Simpson defense off guard

SANTA MONICA, California (CNN) -- Jurors in the O.J. Simpson wrongful death civil trial on Tuesday saw a gaping hole in the foliage behind his house, captured on a video shown in court over defense objections.

Plaintiffs' attorneys seemed to catch the defense by surprise with the video, which showed the area where a bloody glove was found behind Kato Kaelin's guest house bedroom. The video was shot by the son of a Simpson assistant.

Analysis of Simpson Civil Trial

Greta Van Susteren, CNN Legal Analyst

The blood under Nicole's fingernails (352K/30 sec. AIFF or WAV sound) Police going over the wall (288K/25 sec. AIFF or WAV sound) The nurse's testimony (224K/20 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)

The video clearly showed a gap in the foliage-covered fence. In this trial, Kaelin said he heard the sound of someone falling against the wall of the guest house.

Plaintiffs' attorneys have suggested the killer vaulted over a foliage-covered fence, landed against the guest house and dropped the glove, which matched one found by the bodies.

Simpson is being sued for wrongful death in the 1994 killings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ron Goldman. Simpson was acquitted last year of murdering them.

Earlier, Simpson's attorneys kept chipping away at the actions of retired Los Angeles Police Detective Philip Vannatter during his investigation of the crime scene.

Vannatter acknowledged he never sealed an envelope containing a vial of Simpson's blood before he carried it across town to Simpson's mansion, a violation of police procedures.

The defense also took a turn with Vannatter's partner Tom Lange, suggesting that because of the pattern of bloody footprints at the crime scene, there might have been two assailants -- one who restrained Goldman while Nicole Brown Simpson was killed first. The ex-detective replied "No."

Defense attorneys also tried to show that blood from the vial was missing as they introduced nurse Thano Peratis, who drew Simpson's blood for police after the killings.

During the preliminary hearing, Peratis testified he took about 8 cc's of Simpson's blood, but later reduced his estimate to a level that coincided with what was in the vial. To the defense, the "missing" blood was the planted blood.

But Peratis explained that his earlier statements were wrong, and that he simply took less blood than he thought.

Another witness, criminalist Andrea Mazzola, took the stand and, as she stated in the criminal trial, she said she tried to follow proper procedures when collecting evidence but admitted she didn't always do that. Simpson's lawyers tried to show her inexperience may have botched the case.

Correspondent Anne McDermott and Reuters contributed to this report.

Special section:

• Simpson Civil Trial

Related stories:

• Vannatter on stand: Simpson 'guilty' - December 10, 1996
• Goldman says son's death left a hole in his life - December 9, 1996
• Simpson trial plaintiffs rest case on emotional note - December 9, 1996
• Fred Goldman to speak his mind in Simpson trial - December 7, 1996
• Nicole's mother sheds tears in testimony - December 6, 1996
• Court to hear about Simpson's trip to Chicago - December 5, 1996
• Women's shelter worker testifies against Simpson - December 4, 1996
• Cowlings testimony contradicts Simpson - December 3, 1996

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