The Simpson trial

The Simpson trial still reverberates in American society, more than two years after a jury acquitted the former football star. The loudest echoes surround the Los Angeles Police Department, which endured withering criticism before, during, and after the legal proceedings. Alas, casual observers would have to be excused for thinking that the LAPD was actually on trial. The defense served notice in opening statements, declaring the evidence "contaminated, compromised, and ultimately compromised" (Los Angeles Times, January 31, 1995, A1). Their closing argument went even further, accusing the police of criminal misconduct in orchestrating a massive frame-up of Simpson (Los Angeles Times, September 29, 1995, A27). Was this the usual hyperbole of a criminal defense lawyer, or did the LAPD really deserve such condemnation? This paper will attempt to answer that question by analyzing the evidence collected by police, how they collected it, and the conduct of the officers, factors upon which the defense's case hinged.

The police compiled a compelling case against Simpson, centered on blood evidence. At the Bundy Avenue murder scene, detectives found a series of bloody, size 12 shoe prints (Simpson's size) leading away from the bodies and out the back (Moldea, 1997, p. 178). An FBI expert testified that a pair of Bruno Magli shoes made the prints, shoes that Simpson owned (Moldea, 1997, p. 219). A bloody left-hand glove not only matched a bloody right-hand glove found at S

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ay her as a rookie (she had worked for LAPD less than 18 months) committing rookie blunders. For example, she earlier had testified that she had initialed evidence envelopes; no such initials were found, creating questions about tampering. She used one swab on three areas, possibly contaminating the evidence. She wiped tweezers with a dirty hand (Los Angeles Times, April 25, 1995, A1). All in all, minor errors, but in the aggregate, they helped the defense paint the LAPD. as incompetent. Same goes for the lab. One technician admitted that he did not change gloves before switching between samples. Poor lab design created the possibility (however slim) of cross-contamination between samples. Spotty security opened the possibility of tampering (Los Angeles Times, May 30, 1995, A1). Current and former lab employees later admitted that the lab needed improvements. Staffing and funding levels had remained constant while the lab's workload had tripled in recent years (Los Angeles Times, October 5, 1995, A1). The defense then turned its sights on the detectives. The racism of Mark Fuhrman provided the motive to frame Simpson; the alleged lies of Vannatter helped undermine his credibility and that of his colleagues. Vannatte

Category: History - T