"HAIL TO THE VICTORS VALIANT, HAIL TO THE CONQUERING HEROES...." University of Michigan, Wolverine fight song

One never knew where that news was going to come from, but the OJG’s were as often as not a source of good news for OJI’s, especially for me. That’s because they had more in common than their belief in OJ’s guilt and collective sense of moral and intellectual superiority over the rest of us. They had an almost uncanny ability to talk fence-sitters into going over to the other side. Frequently they would do so the way Panther did, by asking rhetorical questions which implied no possible answer but suggested one or more obvious answers that they were somehow blind to. If it couldn’t be explained by O.J.’s guilt it was inexplicable. Next question.

Subj: Re: Sorry to end of this note

Date: 97-03-06 13:09:02 EST

From: Trille (Christine Armas)

To: Trooper, Lion

CC: Hhhana, Pat, Tiger, Rabne, Peggy, Judge, Dable, Connie, Ted

Hi everyone— In reference to Lion’s comment about how Fuhrman would know that Gigi the maid would not be there, etc. I now know that police scanners were probably used to monitor OJ’s movements, possibly because of narcotic investigation involving Nicole and Faye and OJ just was an extra bonus. But if you all remember how that couple in Florida used a scanner to listen in and tape the Gingrich conference call with his "unindicted co-conspirators," you know how easy it is. But I think that as several people have said in official testimony such as depositions, it appeared that there was a surveillance of Nicole and her friends, so it became clear from Gigi’s phone call to OJ that she would be out that night, (we know OJ liked to use the cellular phone so that made it easier to listen in). THAT NIGHT OF ALL NIGHTS BECAME THE "BEST" TIME TO DO WHATEVER IT WAS THAT WAS PLANNED!

As far as Fuhrman being at a dinner, NOT AT 11:00 P.M. HE WASN’T. He also had stated that he was out in the desert. Now which is it, Lion? Strangely, your refutation of the Fuhrman possibility actually made me more convinced that there REALLY IS SOMETHING HERE WITH FUHRMAN. Up until now, Fuhrman was only one of several of my suspects. Others were AC, Ron Shipp, Kardashian, Louis Brown with relative Rolf Brown, drug dealers, etc.

Now I am beginning to see MF as my primary suspect. As he himself described in his book, he thought the killing was not really premeditated but only came about because of rage at seeing Nicole with Ron. If it is true, as MF has bragged, that he had an affair with Nicole, and he plainly believes Ron and Nicole had an affair. That certainly would put MF over the edge, not only was Nicole having sex with blacks but now she was going to have sex with a Jew, Ron Goldman, and the kind of racist MF was, Jews were almost as bad as blacks. Don’t forget he had put swastikas on a fellow police officer’s locker because he the other cop, had married a Jewish woman (this is factual and can be proven by the LAPD AND LADA). So thanks, Lion, for allowing me to see it more clearly. You really convinced me of the very real possibility of MF’s culpability. —Trille

Subj: Re: Fuhrman

Date: 97-03-06 11:18:11 EST

From: Tiger

To: Dable (Dianne), Peggy (Margaret Richardson)

CC: All

Hi— A quick answer, so as not to hog the discussion. As to all your questions—the only one who can answer them is OJ himself. He’s the only one who knows. Conjecture has it that Cowlings was with OJ—and that this will come out at a later time. But, the police and prosecution cannot ever put all the pieces of a crime together. Those questions would be there no matter who was the killer. The evidence they had was enough for any of us to be convicted on. The details are known only to the killer.

I taught biology for 36 years. I’ve written 15 books on science subjects—one of them on the reproductive system which has a chapter explaining DNA. I updated the Grolier Encyclopedia CD ROM entries on about a dozen science categories - including the one on DNA. All of this was done after extensive research in the area. I’ve written the latest NYC science curriculum for grades K-8, and created the biology advance placement test for all of NYC bio students. I do teacher training science workshops all over NYC, and do staff development science workshops for several districts. I appeared on Court TV radio (their ABC program all through the trial) as a DNA consultant. It was a call-in show hosted by June Grasso (I have the tape of the show). I do a great deal more, but I hope this will do. I kid you not. —Tiger

Subj: Re: Fuhrman

Date: Wednesday, March 05, 1997 6:05 PM

From: Dable

To: Tiger, Peggy

CC: All

Tiger—None of the following is intended as a flame or a slam. I want to state that up front as so many posts seem to go astray from the topic.

I have some questions that have never been resolved regarding various items presented at the criminal trial and would appreciate anyone (not just Tiger) with ideas for probable solutions. Two major items for me have been the glove at Rockingham and the time line. In this post, I will only address the glove.

The prosecution made a case that the glove was dropped by OJ after (a) running down the neighbor’s yard and jumping the fence, falling against the wall/air conditioner, dropping the glove, and then returning along the path to the front of the house to enter the home, or (b) and I don’t recall having heard this in the trial, but Fuhrman said in his book that OJ entered through the driveway and ran down behind the guest rooms to dispose of the glove, etc., hit the air conditioner, dropped the glove and returned to the front of the house to enter.

*** Fuhrman stated that when he investigated the area behind the cottages and found the glove, and that he encountered no spider webs until he had passed the location of the glove, but did encounter spider webs as he continued on toward the other end of the path behind the guest rooms. This indicated that no one had passed along that path beyond the location of the glove.

*** Blood-drops found on the street next to the Bronco, and up the drive and toward the house; NOT in a line that would indicate the bleeder went toward the path along the garage and behind the guest rooms. No blood found in the area of the glove or along the path, on the gate, fence, etc.

The trail of blood-drops, identified as OJ’s, is not consistent with O.J. doing either of the above. Not even if he had stuck his bleeding hand in his pants pocket as suggested by Fuhrman in his book. Also, since Fuhrman stated there was the presence of webs past the glove, the possibility of a second person using the path to leave the area with the bloody evidence is also negated, unless the second person stopped after hitting the air conditioner and waited for OJ and limo to leave.

To me there are two possibilities (probably others I haven’t thought of):

1) OJ cut his hand and bled going up his drive prior to the murders and therefore the blood trail has no significance. 2) Another person was with OJ. OJ was bleeding as he exited the Bronco and went into the house, the other person ran along the path, hit the air conditioner, dropped the glove, and then had to wait for the others to leave before continuing with whatever was intended to be done.

But the blood trail is not consistent with OJ having dropped the glove behind Kato’s room, and this is the dilemma. [Editor’s note: This is the letter that led me to discover how misleading the official court photos and diagrams were in plotting the Rockingham blood trail. My diagram below is a flawed early attempt to put the blood drops where they were found. The top one is in the wrong place. However, its the blood drops you don't see that count because they weren't there.] Comments anyone? —Dianne (dable)

P.S. Tiger, I did read your book and found it very well done and appropriate for the audience for which it is intended. But, unfortunately, the bio did not give your background to any depth. Would you share that info with us? I believe once before you had volunteered to do so on the court TV boards. In particular, I am interested in your experience in DNA. As I have said before, the only info I have on it is in reading about it in books, newspaper, etc.

Subj: Open for Debate

Date: 97-03-06 14:11:51 EST

From: Peggy (Margaret Richardson)

To: Hhhana

CC: Pat, Trooper, Lamb

Paula—I think your theory is great. There appears to be more to the Mark Fuhrman/Nicole connection than has been talked about, and I’ll bet Denise knew about it if anybody did. It is not unlikely that MF would know about the relationship between Nicole and OJ. She apparently told everybody else she was afraid of him, why wouldn’t she tell MF?

The footprints have bothered me. They appeared to be slow and deliberate, not hurried or running. I don’t think this was a crime of passion, I think it was deliberate. I think Ron was a mistake, personally. I think he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

It’s my understanding in Joe Bosco’s book there is some mention about the gloves being brought to Ms. Clark by a man (I think his name was McCullough). I don’t have Bosco’s book yet, so I can’t verify that. I think this would be something Nicole would purchase to give as a gift to different individuals, not to OJ. She would more than likely purchase a much more expensive gift for OJ, don’t you think?

There are just too many questions unanswered. I’ll probably be 80 years old sitting at the computer still trying to figure this out. What a picture that brings to mind. —Peggy

Subj: Fuhrman

Date: 97-03-06 14:33:37 EST

From: Peggy (Margaret Richardson)

To: Puma

CC: Matlock, Tiger, Cougar, Rabne, Pat, Chameleon, Bull, Lion, Bear, Hhhana, Lynx, Trooper, Jaguar, Judge, Leopard, Dable, Connie, Ted, Wildcat, Panther, Mike

Puma—OJ’s lies under oath bothered me very much. And I will admit that I do think he lied about the abuse, or the New Year’s Eve incident. At the time this occurred, I posted my doubts on the threads.

I think OJ made a terrible witness. I honestly think if he would have admitted the incident, admitted that this was a volatile relationship, not one-sided, that they both had tempers, both knew how to push each other’s buttons, had a relationship of a kind where you can’t live with them, but you can’t live without them. God only knows in my years of working for attorneys handling divorces I have seen enough of that.

I think if OJ would have admitted these things the jury would have looked at things differently. But he didn’t, and Petrocelli knew just how to make the most of it. I can understand this also. OJ has lived on the reputation of being a really "nice guy." He became used to the adulation of fans and it was almost impossible for him to understand how people could accuse him of this crime or believe he could have done it. He was vindicated in the criminal trial, and his own ego led him to believe that whatever he said would be believed.

A "nice guy" doesn’t hit his wife. OJ obviously did. He couldn’t maintain the "nice guy" image and admit hitting Nicole. His ego allowed him to think if he said he didn’t, it would be believed. It wasn’t. Not even by me, and I still believe he is innocent of the murders. I don’t know what advice he received from his attorneys, but I would have strongly recommended that he admit it and get it over with, not give Petrocelli the ammunition to make everything he said thereafter appear to be a lie. So, yes I believe he lied about that. But, Vannatter lied, Fuhrman lied, and with all that’s going on with the FBI we can’t rely on their testimony either. There are just still too many unanswered questions, which will more than likely remain unanswered. —Peggy

At the time Peggy wrote what she did about O.J.’s abuse of Nicole and his failure to admit it, I thought she was right on. But the more I delved into it, the more the same names kept cropping up as witnesses to the abuse, all proven liars who stood to make a fortune from their stories; Faye Resnick, Denise Brown and Ron Shipp. Why not Cora Fischman, the other Brown sisters, Kato, the live-in groundskeeper or housekeepers including Nicole's cousin and his wife? Why did all of them tell police investigators that they saw no sign that O.J had a Jekyll and Hyde personality or that he had ever physically abused Nicole?

It finally dawned on me that the whole abuse issue was suspect, beginning with the fact that the year Mark Fuhrman met O.J. and Nicole, supposedly on a domestic dispute call, is the year he became friends with spouse-abuse counselor, Ron Shipp. In 1992, Faye got close to Nicole. Nicole’s only sworn statement about spouse abuse that she made for her ’92 divorce, contradicts "her diary," which came to light only after O.J. was accused of killing her. Her sworn statement says that O.J. struck her one time, the time we all know about.

Even that incident was not as clear-cut a case of wife-beating as it seemed on the surface once you know about Nicole’s capacity for initiating physical violence. What she did to O.J.’s housekeeper, Michelle Abudrahm, is a case in point:

Q BY MR. COCHRAN: WHAT, IF ANYTHING, DID YOU NOTICE UNUSUAL ABOUT MICHELLE WHEN YOU SAW HER ON THIS OCCASION?

MR. DARDEN: OBJECTION. THAT IS LEADING ALSO.

THE COURT: OVERRULED.

THE WITNESS [ROSA LOPEZ]: BECAUSE HER FACE WAS RED AND SHE WAS CRYING A LOT.

Q BY MR. COCHRAN: DID YOU SEE HER A DAY OR SO AFTER THAT?

A YES, SIR.

Q AND WHAT, IF ANYTHING, DID YOU NOTICE ABOUT HER FACE THEN?

A IT WAS SWOLLEN.

That puts the ’89 incident in an entirely different light. What can a man do if a strong, healthy, angry woman capable of inflicting physical injury on him attacks him? Why does O.J.’s story carry less weight than the proven liars who stood to make a fortune by portraying him the way Fuhrman’s evidence described the killer—a man who was out of control? When Nicole went after Michelle, it's not likely that O.J. was always where he could see what happened. As far as he knew, Nicole never really tangled with Michelle before he caught up with her in the maid's quarters. But what if she did; would either of them have admitted to having a cat fight? Not likely.

"Nicole’s diary" had more tales of terror and abuse. The trouble with it, apart from the fact that it was locked in a safe deposit box with a bogus picture of her "battered face" from 15 years earlier, was Ron Shipp’s access to her home and his expertise in both domestic violence and forgery. The trouble with Shipp was his friendship with Fuhrman, who was studying psychology on his own to fool police psychologists for a bogus discharge just before they met. Forgery is the department Shipp was working in when he retired from the LAPD in ’89. Was the image of O.J. as a spouse abuser planted to help frame him for murder? Could the first plans to cash in on O.J.’s image by "blackening" it have gone back as far as 5 or 10 years before the murders?

Why not?

How long does it take to cash in on plans to do anything truly extraordinary; to become a professional boxing champion, a plastic surgeon to the stars, or an award-winning author? Fuhrman worked on his screenplay project with Laura Hart McKinny for 9 years, beginning in 1995—the year he met O.J. and Nicole and became friends with Ron Shipp.

It’s one thing to suggest that the ’89 incident could have been engineered by someone who knew which buttons to push to make Nicole angry enough the strike the maid and O.J., and that Nicole’s diary may have been forged. It’s another thing to have an expert around who was close to O.J., Nicole and Fuhrman and could have done it all—a man who coincidentally offered Judge Ito’s court dramatic dream evidence of Simpson’s guilt.

Subj: Re: Fuhrman

Date: 97-03-07 03:22:06 EST

From: Panther

To: Pat

CC: Peggy, Tiger, Matlock, Cougar, Rabne, Chameleon, Bull M, Puma, Lion, Bear, Hhhana, Lynx, Trooper, Jaguar, Openminded, Judge, Leopard, Dable, Connie, Ted, Wildcat, Panther, Bull R

Hi Pat— Some observations on your remarks... I find the rumors that Fuhrman was trying to date Nicole very unbelievable. The evidence shows that there was one contact between them, when he was called on a 911 report. If he was interested in dating Nicole, why did he wait so long? If he was bothering or following her, why wouldn’t her friends or family know about it? I can’t believe she would keep it a secret that some cop she saw once was giving her the rush or following her around. You say this is a rumor, where did it start and where is the evidence that such a relationship ever existed? Don’t you think if it were true, that the person or persons who know about it would be all over the talk shows? There is a rumor that Elvis is still alive but we know better, however the rumor continues to persist.

As to the blood-drops being perfectly round, where did you get that evidence? I can’t find any mention of it in the trial transcripts. The criminal defense team tried to negate that evidence by claiming those blood-drops were contaminated by Colin Yamauchi in the lab. The theory being that all the DNA was lost because of the excessive heat in the criminalist’s truck and then Colin Y. contaminated the swatches with Simpson’s blood.

Whether Simpson walks pigeon-toed or not, I cannot answer. I wouldn’t think, under the circumstances, that Simpson was walking along in a normal fashion, he was probably moving in a fast walk. I think that may change his normal pigeon-toed stride, if he indeed does walk that way. —Wolf

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that Lion, who insisted that the participants in a debate know the basics, must have come down hard on Wolf, told her how screwed up she was and pointed her in the direction of the facts. Well, she didn’t. Perhaps she was occupied with other things, so I’ll fill in for her....

The reason Fuhrman’s relationship with Nicole can only be called a rumor is because the cops who told Deputy Prosecutor Lucienne Coleman enough to prove it refused to repeat it in court. If the people Nicole thought were closest to her; Faye, Ron Shipp and her sister, Denise, were all working with Fuhrman to set her up for the kill, who would be left to tell?

Dennis Fung testified in the preliminary hearing and the criminal trial that the killer walked slowly. He said that the blood-drops identified as the killer’s were round.

The criminal defense did not argue that the blood was contaminated. They argued that contamination was one of several ways that the integrity of the blood evidence could have been compromised. They argued that the conditions were right for contamination and therefore the test results could not be trusted. They also argued that the chain of custody procedure needed to assure that the samples collected were the ones tested was not followed, which allowed for tampering—another reason the test results could not be trusted.

There is not and never has been a record of any 911 call from Rockingham late in 1985 to account for how Fuhrman showed up there after Nicole called Westec.  In fact, he made no mention of the incident to anyone until 1989 and omitted from his report the presence of the private security guard who was there when he arrived.

As for the way O.J. walked, most film clips did not show his feet. Those that did showed that he didn’t always walk the same way. Sometimes he walked pigeon-toed; sometimes he walked straight. No help for the prosecution or the defense. Furthermore, if someone went through the trouble to make it appear that the shoeprints were made by O.J., they certainly would have made an effort to simulate the way he walked. Fuhrman said in his book that he studied the way people walked, which meant that he wouldn't have had to simulate anything. That's the way he walked naturally, with his toes pointed straight ahead.