Fuhrman Joins Defense–Again

Sitting in the Fox press box tomorrow with broadcasters covering O.J. Simpson’s parole hearing will be former LAPD detective, discredited lead Simpson-murders investigator, expert perjurer and N-word user Mark Fuhrman.

Even though Fuhrman testified for the prosecution in O.J. Simpson’s 1995 trial in which he was accused of murdering Nicole Brown, Ronald Goldman, he turned out to be the defense team’s star witness.

Some might argue, but I believe that Fuhrman, along with Deputy D.A. Christopher Darden’s bone-headed Simpson-glove demonstration, were pivotal points that pretty much guaranteed Simpson’s acquittal.

So it will be interesting to see/hear what kind of analysis, which is what he’s purported going  to do, he comes up with.

Frankly, I’m mystified. What’s to analyze about a parole hearing? How the board members arrived at their decision to either grant or deny parole? Simpson’s body language, facial gestures as he makes his request/listens to the board members’ decision.

ESPN is also covering the hearing live and other networks will also jump on this train.

I don’t recall such a proceeding every being covered by the news media like this. I think, to coin a cliche, this is uncharted territory.

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She’s Baaack! With Her Book

Dregs of the 1995 O.J. Simpson murder trial keep bubbling up more than 20 years after the verdicts in that trial. This time, it’s a book that has been published by the woman who outed the LAPD lead detective on the Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman murders case as a liar.

Mark Fuhrman had said in sworn testimony during the trial that he had never used the obscene label commonly used by bigots and racists when referring and/or addressing people of African descent.

Laura Hart McKinny, at Simpson’s defense attorneys’ behest, presented audio tapes she had recorded when she interviewed Fuhrman for her book that belied his testimony.

Her book is now available. Here, again, is the link to the Winston-Salem NC news article about her book launch:  http://www.journalnow.com/news/local/laura-hart-mckinny-launches-book-police-diversity-discussion/article_df3e2cb0-15a8-5e28-8627-4f78a804760c.html

Jury Instructions, Shipp Happens

Informal meeting,

Then argue in open court.

Jury instructions.

9/21/95

A great sign that the trial might be coming to a close.

Simpson had a dream.

Should Ito have let it in?

Face it, Shipp happens.

9/21/95

When defense attorneys complained that  Ito erred in allowing LAPD officer and Simpson friend Ron Shipp’s testimony that Simpson had dreamed about killing Nicole, Ito quipped, “Shipp happens.

Would Recusal Have Derailed the Trial?

Ito’s wife’s a cop.

The tapes are disparaging.

Is recusal next?

8/15/95

Fuhrman’s disparaging comments about Ito’s wife, LAPD Capt. Margaret York, on the McKinney tapes prompt speculation that Ito might have to recuse himself. That would have meant having to start the whole trial over again with a new judge, which in itself might have been why the lawyers on both sides opted not to have him recused. I think by this time everyone was exhausted and both sides thought they had a good chance of getting they verdict they wanted.

The Tapes that Sank Fuhrman

All wait: Baited breath.

Fuhrman talked to McKinney.

The tapes have arrived.

8/10/95

After LAPD Detective Mark Fuhrman testified that he had never used the ‘N’ word, it turned out that a filmmaker in North Carolina, Laura McKinney, had tapes she had made of him in which he did use that word when she used him as a consultant on a screenplay she was working on when she lived in Los Angeles. The court had the tapes subpoenaed and they arrived on this date in 1995. As a result of those tapes, Furhman was charged with and convicted of committing perjury.

#anatomyofatrial #ojsimpson

He’s Back — Fuhrman in the News

Tall, white and handsome.

Choose one: hero or rogue cop.

Is Fuhrman racist?

3/9/95

Mark Fuhrman was a prosecution witness for several days, testifying as LAPD detective at Simpson’s place after Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman’s murders were discovered. But his credibility was incinerated when audiotapes were introduced confirming allegations that he was racist.

 

Tiffs of Note

With several days between haiku — without scrolling through the transcript, I don’t know if court wasn’t in session for a couple of weeks or what — I’ll fill in with some notes I made during that time that didn’t make it into the book.

On the day of the prosecution’s opening statements, in addition to noting that an alternate juror leaned into range of the TV camera in the courtroom, here are a few other gems:

• The New York Post upset that when the Brown family members (Nicole Brown Simpson’s family) greeted Ms. Simpson (O.J. Simpson’s mother) and kissed her on the cheek, the cameras were off. Only reporters in the courtroom could see — those not in the courtroom were locked out from that scene.
• (Criminal Courts Supervising Judge James) Bascue upset — media had blacked CCB (Criminal Courts Building) main entrance. (Court administrator) John Iverson asked who had directed LAPD officers to have Simpson (trial) participants go in one entrance — all others in other entrance.
• Ito asked me to call Daily Journal editor re: her letter protesting getting 1/4 seat (meaning that newspaper had to share  one courtroom seat with three other news organizations).
• Power struggle between CTV (Court TV) and RTNA (Radio Television News Association of Southern California) re: delay signal. (Agreement — 7 seconds)

And here are my notes about the hearing concerning the alternate juror leaning into the TV camera shot:

• Ito says he’s cutting video feed of coverage
• Defense: it’s unfair for TV viewers to see the prosecutor’s opening statements, but not the defense, therefore please air the defense’s opening statements
•  Prosecutor (MC) (meaning Marcia Clark): we’re not playing to the world, (we’re) playing to the jury
• Ito: unusual situation. I’m not aware of any other court that’s been placed in this position. I’m disappointed and concerned about the electronic media. On one hand, my credibility as a judge is at stake for (the media) to not comply with my orders. On the other hand, (there’s) the position of your client

It was an interesting time …

Detective is the News

The Simpson case in a haiku a day continues.

A new motion filed.

Fuhrman protects his records.

Defense shouldn’t get.

8/25/94

Simpson’s lawyers were determined to get at LAPD detective Mark Fuhrman’s personnel records. The prosecution was just as determined to keep the defense from seeing Furhman’s records. Thus, the dueling motions go on and on.

Fuhrman Gets Day in Court–Just Not Yet

On August 1, twenty years ago, I wrote this haiku.

Simpson faces trial.

Fuhrman wants another one.

Libel suit to come.

Here’s what that was all about:

LAPD detective Mark Fuhrman, who was investigating the Simpson case, claimed that Jeffrey Toobin, writing for  The New Yorker magazine had libeled him by saying a defense lawyer suggested that Fuhrman had moved and, perhaps even, planted evidence. Fuhrman didn’t actually file suit until several months later, but that wasn’t his real day in court. That day came more than a year after the Oct. 3, 1995, Simpson verdict. And it wasn’t the day Fuhrman wanted. More about Fuhrman in future haiku.