OJ Simpson preliminary hearing, day 6.
This is the last day of the prelim. After this, we’re going to drop right into openings, since we’re behind. the trial timeline took place from January 24th, to October 3rd, 1995.
During transition to the second excerpt, quite a bit gets cut off. There’s a large gap. We end up being between witnesses, Gregory Matheson is on the stand during the first excerpt, and the coronor is on the stand during the second. Since this is such a large gap, I really have no choice but to proceed by transcript, and if I take too much, oh well.
I don’t think I took too much this time, since this was such a large gap. I think I ended right where I needed to end.
11 mr. hodgman: And good morning, your Honor.
12 The next witness for the people will be
13 Dr. Irwin Golden.
14 THE COURT: All right.
15 Good morning. Please face the clerk and raise
16 your right hand.
17 THE CLERK: You do solemnly swear that the testimony
18 you are about to give in the cause now pending before this
19 court shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but
20 the truth, so help you god?
21 THE WITNESS: I do.
22
23 Irwin L. Golden,
24 called as a witness by and on behalf of the People, was
25 examined and testified as follows:
26 THE CLERK: Please be seated.
27 State and spell your name, for the record.
28 THE WITNESS: Irwin L. Golden, I-r-w-i-n
0041
01 G-o-l-d-e-n.
02 THE COURT: You may inquire.
03 mr. hodgman: Thank you very much, your Honor.
04
05 DIRECT EXAMINATION
06
07 BY MR. HODGMAN:
08 Q Good morning, Dr. Golden.
09 A Good morning.
10 Q You are a physician licensed to practice medicine
11 in the state of California, are you not?
12 A Yes.
13 Q And, sir, you are now employed by the
14 Los Angeles county department of the coroner; is that
15 correct?
16 A Yes.
17 Q Dr. Golden, would you tell us what your job title
18 is with the L.A. County department of the coroner.
19 A I am a deputy medical examiner.
20 Q And would you describe for us, please, what your
21 duties and functions are as a deputy medical examiner.
22 A As a deputy medical examiner, I am a physician
23 specialist; and my duties are to perform autopsies on
24 decedents that come under our jurisdiction and to determine
25 the cause and manner of death.
26 Q Sir, how long have you worked as a deputy
27 medical examiner for the L.A. County department of the
28 coroner?
0042
01 A I have completed 14 years. I am in my 15th
02 year now. I started in July of 1980.
03 Q And, dr. Golden, have you received any
04 specialized education, training or experience that
05 qualifies you to hold your position as a deputy medical
06 examiner?
07 A Yes.
08 Q And please describe that for us.
09 A Well, besides being a doctor of medicine, I
10 have received four additional years of postgraduate
11 residency training in pathology and one year of
12 postgraduate residency training in forensic pathology; and I
13 am certified by the American board of pathology in
14 anatomical pathology, clinical pathology and forensic
15 pathology.
16
17
0043
01 Q Doctor, let’s break those down just a little
02 bit.
03 First of all, sir, you describe yourself as a
04 physician and you have testified that you are a
05 physician; is that correct?
06 A Yes.
07 Q And where did you attend medical school, sir?
08 A I attended the University of Illinois, college
09 of medicine.
10 Q And when did you graduate, sir?
11 A 1966.
12 Q And you stated that following your graduation
13 from the University of Illinois that you’ve received
14 some specialized training; is that correct?
15 A Yes.
16 Q And that was four years worth; is that
17 correct?
18 A Yes.
19 Q And you mentioned that you are certified in
20 certain — with regard to certain aspects of pathology;
21 is that correct?
22 A Yes.
23 Q And by certified, are you referring to board
24 certification?
25 A Yes.
26 Q Would you describe for us, please, what it
27 means to be board certified.
28 A Well, the physician specialty groups have
0044
01 their own sub-specialty boards which certify physicians
02 as competent in their field, so, for example, an
03 internist will have board certification in internal
04 medicine. A surgeon may be board certified in surgery
05 or general surgery.
06 The pathology group or sub-specialty has board
07 certification also in various branches of pathology.
08 Q And are there tests — are there requirements
09 that enable one to become board certified, sir?
10 A Yes, yes.
11 Q And do those tests and other requirements
12 exist with regard to those certain specialties that you
13 have mentioned thus far in your testimony?
14 A Yes.
15 Q Now, amongst the certifications that you’ve
16 indicated, you’ve indicated that you have — you were
17 certified in pathology; is that correct?
18 A Anatomical pathology, clinical pathology,
19 forensic pathology.
20 Q And would you describe the difference or
21 distinction between those three types of pathology for
22 us.
23 A Well, anatomical pathology is that branch of
24 clinical medicine that deals with the — I guess I could
25 say deals with autopsy pathology and surgical pathology
26 as well as biopsy, exfoliative cytology.
27 In other words, there’s a clinical
28 sub-specialty in some respects. It also deals with
0045
01 autopsy pathology. And clinical pathology is basically
02 laboratory medicine. Those are those doctors who
03 specialize in the use of laboratory methods for the
04 study and diagnosis of disease.
05 Q And, doctor, with regard to forensic
06 pathology?
07 A Well, forensic pathology deals in those
08 aspects of pathology that come in relationship to the
09 law; and as you know, forensic pathologists perform
10 autopsies to determine the cause and manner of death,
11 and forensic pathologists have special knowledge of
12 violent or non-natural deaths.
13 In other words, all of the — all the causes
14 of death — all of the causes of death that are not due
15 to natural causes, such as accident, homicide, suicide.
16 Q And, sir, it’s — as a forensic pathologist,
17 you work in your job for the L.A. Department of Coroner;
18 is that correct?
19 A Yes.
20 Q How long have you been working for the L.A.
21 department of the coroner?
22 A Since 1980. July of 1980.
23 Q And, sir, I have to assume, since you’ve been
24 working since July of 1980 for the department of the
25 coroner, in that course of time you’ve had the
26 opportunity and occasion to perform a number of
27 autopsies; is that correct?
28 A Yes.
0046
01 Q Would you give us an estimate of approximately
02 how many autopsies you’ve performed since starting work
03 for the L.A. County department of the coroner.
04 A I would say approximately — well, it’s more
05 than 5,000. Somewhere in the mid 5,000 autopsies.
06 Q And Dr. Golden, in the course of your duties
07 as a deputy medical examiner here in the County of
08 Los Angeles, have you had occasion to testify in court
09 and to render opinions as to cause of death as well as
10 manner of death?
11 A Yes.
12 Q And approximately how many times have you so
13 testified?
14 A Well, using an estimate that I testify three
15 or four times a month, and let’s say rounding that out
16 to approximately 50 times a year, so in 14 years I would
17 say close to 700 times. Somewhere, 650 to 700 times.
18 Q Dr. Golden, I would like to direct your
19 attention to the date of June the 14th, 1994.
20 Were you working in your capacity as a deputy
21 medical examiner on that date?
22 A Yes.
23 Q And were you at work in the early morning
24 hours of that date?
25 A Yes.
26 Q On the date of June the 14th, 1994, did you
27 perform an autopsy upon the body of an individual
28 identified to you as Nicole Brown Simpson?
0047
01 A Yes.
02 Q And, sir, was a particular L.A. County coroner
03 case number assigned to that case?
04 A Yes.
05 Q And what number was assigned to that
06 particular case?
07 A It was assigned case 94-05136.
08 Q Now Dr. Golden, later in the morning of June
09 the 14th, 1994, did you perform an autopsy upon the body
10 of an individual identified to you as Ronald Goldman?
11 A Yes.
12 Q And Dr. Golden, was a coroner case number
13 assigned to that particular case?
14 A Yes.
15 Q What was that number, please?
16 A 94-05135.
17 Q Dr. Golden, in connection with each of those
18 autopsies that you performed that morning, was an
19 autopsy report prepared?
20 A Yes.
21 Q And typically, what is included in an autopsy
22 report?
23 A Well, the autopsy report includes my protocol
24 transcription, which the protocol describes my autopsy
25 findings.
26 Q And —
27 A And that’s what I personally have prepared
28 through dictation and transcription.
0048
01 And it also includes a number of diagrams
02 which I have personally prepared.
03 That — that — that is what I have personally
04 prepared, plus a — if you want to be precise about
05 this, there’s also a form medical report, “Forensic
06 Science Center,” where I list — I list the cause and
07 manner of death. That is used by the certification
08 desk to prepare the death certificate. So these are
09 all prepared by me.
10 The actual report contains additional pages
11 that are not prepared by me, but they are included in
12 the autopsy report.
13 Q They are part of the autopsy report package,
14 are they not?
15 A Yes.
16 Q And Dr. Golden, you’ve stated that you
17 dictated notes and prepared diagrams with regard to your
18 protocol; is that correct?
19 A Yes.
20 Q And does that mean, sir, at the time you’re
21 performing the autopsy you are making notes of your
22 findings, and that at some point contemporaneous with
23 that you are dictating your findings; is that correct?
24 A Yes.
25 Q And is it at some time subsequent to that,
26 that you prepare what is known as an autopsy report?
27 A Yes.
28 Q At first, is that report prepared in rough,
0049
01 then reviewed by yourself, and then published in a final
02 form?
03 A Yes.
04 Q Now, with regard to the autopsy performed on
05 Nicole Brown Simpson, when was that report prepared?
06 A The final copy was signed on June 16th,
07 1994. If that’s what you meant by your question.
08 Q And the preparation of that report had taken
09 place, I would have to assume, between the dates of June
10 the 14th and June the 16th, then; is that correct?
11 A Yes.
12 Q And with regard to the autopsy report
13 pertaining to Ronald Goldman, sir, when was that report
14 prepared and issued?
15 A Well, between the 14th and the — and the —
16 and the — actually, I signed the report on Mr. Goldman
17 on June 17th, 1994.
18 Q Okay. Thank you, sir.
19 And Dr. Golden, it’s a fact, is it not, that
20 during the course of the autopsy, you direct that
21 photographs be taken as well; is that correct?
22 A Yes.
23 Q And in the course of preparing an autopsy
24 report, often it is good to look at those photographs in
25 order to assist you in your findings and observations
26 and conclusions; is that correct?
27 A Yes.
28 Q And in these two instances, were photographs
0050
01 taken of each autopsy while the autopsy was being
02 performed?
03 A Yes, they were.
04 Q Now, you testified before the Los Angeles
05 County Grand Jury on the date of June the 20th, 1994,
06 did you not?
07 A Yes.
08 Q And after you testified before the Grand Jury,
09 did your department issue some additional reports with
10 regard to the autopsies performed on Nicole Brown
11 Simpson and Ronald Goldman?
12 A Yes.
13 Q Are those reports characterized as addendums?
14 A Yes.
15 Q Was there an addendum that was prepared with
16 regard to Nicole Brown Simpson’s autopsy report?
17 A Yes.
18 Q And when was that report issued, sir?
19 A It was issued July 1st, 1994.
20 Q And it is true, is it not, Dr. Golden, that an
21 addendum to the Ronald Goldman autopsy report was issued
22 on that same date?
23 A Yes.
24 Q Now, with regard to the addendums, Dr. Golden,
25 why were those addendums prepared?
26 A Okay. I’ll go through each case number.
27 On Nicole Brown Simpson, addendum report was
28 prepared for the following reasons:
0051
01 One, there were corrections of typographical
02 errors.
03 Two, upon review of the photographs I made
04 amendments, additions to the original report.
05 And pertaining only to Nicole Brown Simpson, I
06 made an addendum opinion after review of stored tissue,
07 and that —
08 Q And you had not had an opportunity to review
09 that stored tissue prior to the issuance of the autopsy
10 report; is that correct?
11 A That is correct.
12 Q Now, sir, there were some additional
13 corrections of typos, amendments to the autopsy report
14 of — on Ronald Goldman; is that correct?
15 A Yes, that’s correct.
16 Q And sir, before you issued the autopsy
17 reports — or caused to be issued the autopsy reports
18 with regard to each victim in this case, had you had an
19 opportunity to review the photographs which were taken
20 during each of the autopsies?
21 A No.
22 Q Subsequent to the issuance of those reports,
23 did you have an opportunity to make a detailed review of
24 those photographs?
25 A Yes.
26 Q And was it subsequent to the review of those
27 photographs, a detailed review, that these addendums
28 were issued?
0052
01 A Yes.
02 Q With regard to the addendum, does any of the
03 basic data or findings of — that were included in your
04 original autopsy reports, does any of that change?
05 A The changes were made to make the report more
06 precise and detailed. The basic findings — and that
07 includes findings as to the cause of death — were not
08 changed. There were no changes about — pertaining to
09 the internal examination.
10 Basic measurements taken when I did the
11 examination, including measurements on the stab wounds,
12 were not changed.
13 All of the basic measurements, particularly
14 ones that would pertain to cause of death or weapon
15 identification, were not changed.
16 I changed some of the descriptions based on
17 the photographs to provide a more precise and detailed
18 description for this report.
19 Q Now, doctor, let’s relate back to the morning,
20 June the 14th, 1994.
21 You commenced the autopsy procedure on the
22 body of Nicole Brown Simpson at about 7:30 in the
23 morning; is that correct?
24 A Yes. Yes, I did.
25 Q And as part of your autopsy procedure or
26 protocol, did you perform an external examination of
27 Nicole’s body?
28 A Yes.
0053
01 Q When you first saw the body, sir, was the body
02 clothed?
03 A Yes.
04 Q Would you describe for us what — how you
05 recall the body being clothed?
06 A Well, the decedent was wearing a short black
07 dress that was blood stained, and a pair of black
08 panties. That’s what she was wearing.
09 Q What was the condition of the dress?
10 A It appeared to be blood stained.
11 Q Was it still damp or dried blood?
12 A Well, it appeared to be partially — it
13 appeared to be partially damp.
14 Q And as part of your autopsy procedure, sir,
15 did you cause the clothing to be removed?
16 A The clothing was removed for photography
17 purposes, and also the clothing had to be dried and
18 preserved as evidence.
19 Q And did you direct that that be done with
20 regard to Nicole Brown Simpson’s clothing?
21 A Yes.
22 Q After the clothing was removed, Dr. Golden,
23 did you determine the length of Nicole Brown Simpson’s
24 body?
25 A Yes.
26 Q And what was that, sir?
27 A Body length was 65 inches, or five feet five
28 inches. Body weight was 129 pounds.
0054
01 Q And, Dr. Golden, did you determine the weight
02 of Nicole Brown Simpson’s body.
03 A Yes, 129 pounds.
04 Q After determining the length and weight of
05 Nicole’s body, did you observe any evidence of injury to
06 the neck of Nicole Brown Simpson?
07 A Yes, I did.
08 Q Would you describe what you observed,
09 Dr. Golden.
10 A The decedent had an incised wound — that is a
11 cutting wound — of the neck, which extended from the
12 left side of the neck, across the larynx or voice box,
13 and then angulated upwards towards the right ear.
14 Q And Dr. Golden, did you observe a number of
15 stab wounds to the left side of Nicole Brown Simpson’s
16 neck?
17 A Yes, I did.
18 MR. SHAPIRO: Your Honor, excuse me.
19 For the sake of the record, I have no
20 objection to the doctor refreshing his memory or reading
21 from the report, but I would like the record to indicate
22 when that is being done.
23 THE COURT: All right.
24 Have you been reading, in response to the last
25 couple of questions, from your report, doctor?
26 THE WITNESS: Yes.
27 THE COURT: Okay, thank you.
28 MR. HODGMAN: Thank you, Your Honor.
0055
01 BY MR. HODGMAN:
02 Q Dr. Golden, did you create a diagram which
03 reflected the approximate locations of the wounds that
04 you just indicated in your testimony?
05 A Yes.
06 MR. HODGMAN: Your Honor, I have here a diagram.
07 I have previously shown this to counsel. It is a
08 coroner’s diagram. It reflects relative positions of
09 the wounds thus far described by Dr. Golden.
10 May this be People’s 25 for identification?
11 THE COURT: Yes.
12 BY MR. HODGMAN:
13 Q Doctor, do you see the exhibit that has now
14 been identified as People’s 25 for identification?
15 A Yes.
16 Q All right.
17 And would you indicate for us what is depicted
18 on that diagram.
19 A There’s a lot depicted on the diagram, but
20 basically there’s a diagram of the cutting or incised
21 wound on the neck, which is indicated here in this
22 schematic that I’m pointing to now.
23 Q And for the record, sir, you’re indicating a
24 schematic of the neck and head portion of a human figure
25 in the upper left-hand corner of the diagram; is that
26 correct?
27 A Yes.
28 Q Let us focus on that particular wound for a
0056
01 few moments, if we may.
02 Doctor, you have characterized that wound as a
03 cutting or incised wound; is that correct?
04 A Yes.
05 Q Would you describe for us what a cutting or
06 incised wound is.
07 A Well, an incised wound is a injury produced by
08 a sharp object that cuts across the skin and produces an
09 injury that is longer than it is deep.
10 MR. SHAPIRO: Your Honor, again, may the record
11 indicate that at least the first portion of that answer
12 was read from the autopsy report, or appeared to be
13 read.
14 THE COURT: The witness is shaking his head no. I
15 don’t think he was reading that.
16 THE WITNESS: I wasn’t reading anything.
17 MR. SHAPIRO: I’m sorry. It appeared to me at
18 this point.
19 Can the witness be instructed if he is going
20 to read or refresh his memory that he just indicate
21 that. We have no objection to that procedure.
22 THE COURT: All right.
23 Anytime you do elect to read something, if you
24 could just state it so that the record is clear.
25 BY MR. HODGMAN:
26 Q Now doctor, with regard to the cutting or
27 incised wounds that you have described thus far in your
28 testimony, would you give us the dimensions of that
0057
01 wound as noted by yourself during Nicole Brown Simpson’s
02 autopsy?
03 A All right.
04 Well, I can get that from the diagram charts.
05 Basically it was a gaping wound measuring
06 5 1/2 inches in length by 2 1/2 inches in width.
07 And after alignment of the edges — that is,
08 by moving them together and approximating the edges, the
09 right-hand side measured 4 inches and the left-hand side
10 measured 2 1/2 inches.
11 Q And sir, when you refer to “right-hand side”
12 and “left-hand side,” you are relating that in accord
13 with a hypothetical midline, are you not?
14 A Yes.
15 Q The midline would be a line hypothetically
16 going down the middle of the body; is that correct?
17 A Yes.
18 Q And when you’re referring to right and left
19 aspect of the midline, you are characterizing that as
20 one would observe the decedent from the front; is that
21 correct? The right side — the left side of the body
22 and the right side of the body, in other words.
23 A All descriptions refer to the decedent, not to
24 the observer.
25 Q Very well.
26 Now, with regard to the right ear lobe and
27 right side of the midline, you’ve stated that this wound
28 appears to — after going across the neck, appears to
0058
01 angulate upward toward the right ear lobe; is that
02 correct?
03 A Yes.
04 Q Now, with regard to the right side of the
05 wound path — this would be referring to the right side
06 of this hypothetical midline — would you give us a
07 description of your findings regarding the wound path
08 and depth of wound.
09 A Okay. Well, I will also look at my notes to
10 refresh my memory, but this wound passed through the
11 muscles on the right side of the neck and cut through
12 the membrane between the larynx and the hyoid bone.
13 Let’s see. The — see, the wound on the left
14 side and cutting across the midline is transverse or
15 horizontally.
16 In a single wound of this nature, I traced the
17 depth as it went through anatomic structures, so it
18 passed through the skin and the tissue beneath the
19 subcutaneous tissue under the jaw, then across through
20 the thyrohyoid membrane and ligament, and it went as
21 deep as — it went through that ligament posterior, or
22 backwards, and transected the distal 1/3 of the
23 epiglottis, then through the pharynx, and passed
24 directly through to the vertebral column, which is the
25 bone of the vertebral column, specifically the third
26 cervical vertebra.
27 And then I found a wound in the body of the
28 third cervical vertebra where the actual cut went in
0059
01 for 1/4 of an inch into the bone.
02 Q So this particular wound that you’ve described
03 thus far was deep enough to cut through the neck and
04 actually cause a nick on the spinal column; is that
05 correct?
06 A Yes.
07 Q And that is at the third cervical vertebra; is
08 that correct?
09 A Yes.
10 Q Now along the wound path, were any vital blood
11 vessels severed?
12 A Yes. As I was saying, as the wound went up
13 or angulated towards the right ear, it became more
14 superficial and then ended in the skin below the right
15 ear lobe.
16 Now, on my dissection of the wound, the right
17 common carotid artery was severed or completely cut
18 across, transected, and there was a 1/4 inch nick or cut
19 on the right internal jugular vein. Now, that was on
20 the right side.
21 On the left side, tracing the wound from the
22 midline towards the left, the left common carotid artery
23 was transected and the internal jugular vein was almost
24 transected. There was a thin strand of tissue bridging
25 across the two cut ends.
26 Q So Dr. Golden, with regard to this particular
27 wound, we have the complete severing of both carotid
28 arteries; is that correct?
0060
01 A Yes.
02 Q And you have the near severing of one jugular
03 vein and a nick in the other jugular vein; is that
04 correct?
05 A Yes.
06 Q Now, doctor, did you form an opinion as to
07 whether or not this particular wound in and of itself
08 was a fatal wound?
09 A Yes.
10 Q And what was your opinion?
11 A This is a fatal wound.
12 Q And why, sir? Please explain.
13 A Well, both the carotid arteries and the common
14 carotid arteries and internal jugular veins were
15 transected and cut, which would lead to exsanguinating
16 hemorrhage.
17 Q And what was exsanguinating —
18 A Bleeding out.
19 Q Which ultimately would cause death, would it
20 not?
21 A Yes.
22 Q Doctor, referring to the diagram which has
23 been marked as People’s 25 for identification, and the
24 figure in the lower right-hand corner, do you see that,
25 sir?
26 A 25?
27 Q It’s People’s 25, to the side of the witness
28 stand, sir.
0061
01 THE COURT: Mr. Hodgman, I think this is an
02 appropriate time to take a 15-minute recess.
03 MR. HODGMAN: Very well.
04
05
06
07
08 (A recess was taken at 10:30 a.m.)
09
10
11
12
0062
01 IRWIN L. GOLDEN,
02 Having been previously duly sworn, resumed the stand, was
03 examined and testified further as follows:
04
05 THE COURT: Once again on the record in the case of
06 people v. Simpson.
07 The defendant is present with counsel. The
08 people are represented. Dr. Golden is back on the
09 witness stand.
10 I remind you, sir, you are still under oath.
11 Mr. Hodgman.
12 mr. hodgman: Thank you very much, your Honor.
13
14 DIRECT EXAMINATION (RESUMED)
15
16 BY mr. hodgman:
17 Q Dr. Golden, at the break we had just made
18 reference to a figure at the right-hand side of the
19 exhibit that has been marked People’s 25 for
20 identification.
21 Now, doctor, with regard to that particular
22 figure, it depicts, or makes reference to, four stab wounds
23 to the left side of the neck; is that correct?
24 A Yes.
25 Q And with regard to your diagram, those wounds
26 are numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4; is that correct?
27 A Yes.
28 Q And wound no. 2 appears to be less visible than
0063
01 the wounds that have been numbered 1, 3 and 4; is that
02 right?
03 A Yes.
04 Q Doctor, with regard to those wounds, these
05 numbers are for reference purposes only, are they not?
06 A Yes.
07 Q They do not necessarily indicate the order of the
08 wounds, do they?
09 A That’s correct.
10 Q Doctor, I would like to have you briefly
11 describe the wounds depicted on the diagram starting with
12 wound no. 1, as you have so referred to it.
13 A Okay.
14 That is wound no. 1, and I am also referring to a
15 report to also help me refresh my memory.
16 They are on the left side of the neck over the
17 sternocleidomastoid muscle and extending from 3 inches
18 below the external auditory canal, and I have numbered 1.
19 And no. 2 is not that visible here, but I have —
20 I have the number and my notes about it and my measurements
21 here.
22 Then there is no. 3, left side of the neck,
23 diagonally oriented.
24 And then, left side of the neck, the fourth one,
25 lowest down, is diagonally oriented.
26 So that comprises — that comprises the four stab
27 wounds we were referring to.
28 Q With regard to stab wound no. 1, as we are
0064
01 referring to it, that wound was approximately 5/8 inch in
02 length, was it not?
03 A Yes.
04 Q And that is reflected in your autopsy report, is
05 it not?
06 A Yes, 5/8 inch.
07 Q Would you tell us what you observed with regard
08 to the nature of the wound to the skin.
09 A I made measurements of these wounds.
10 All the measurements are made after I personally
11 inspect the wounds and approximate and realign the edges to
12 make them conform more with their — with their appearance
13 as a stab wound because stab wounds such as these gape at
14 the center and the only way to get an estimation, or an
15 approximation, of the true length of the wound is to align
16 the edges by twisting the skin and pushing the skin into
17 alignment. so all of my measurements are made that way,
18 And then I observe the configuration.
19 This wound was a 5/8-inch wound which was
20 vertically oriented, had a blunt end anteriorly and a
21 pointed end superiorly, which means it had sort of — it
22 had the shape of a very narrow triangle and the blunt end
23 was in the lower part and then it came to a point above.
24 Q And what was the depth of penetration for this
25 particular wound?
26 A The depth of penetration is approximate
27 because this wound no. 1 as well as no. 3 and 4 were
28 within an inch and a half of the cutting wound that was on
0065
01 the left side of the neck and these wounds shared common
02 areas of injury with the others. So the exact depth could
03 not be determined with any degree of precision.
04 Q And when you refer to “the cutting wound,” you
05 are referring to the wound you described earlier in your
06 testimony and as depicted in the upper left-hand corner
07 of the diagram People’s 25; is that correct?
08 A Yes. I am referring to that incised, or cutting,
09 wound of the neck.
10 Q Now, doctor, with regard to stab wound no. 2,
11 as you have indicated in your autopsy report, that was a
12 superficial splitlike incision approximately 1/8 inch in
13 length; correct?
14 A Yes.
15 Q With regard to stab wound no. 3, also located on
16 the left side of the neck, was that approximately a
17 1/2-inch-length wound?
18 A Yes; a 1/2-inch diagonally oriented wound just
19 below no. 1, on the sternocleidomastoid muscle. It had a
20 blunt end as well as a pointed end, similar to no. 1. And,
21 again, this wound, going through the skin and into the
22 tissue beneath the skin, shared a common area of injury —
23 You could say it intersected, or crossed paths or planes —
24 with the incised wound of the neck; So the depth of
25 penetration is approximate.
26 Q And you approximated it at approximately 1-1/2 to
27 2 inches; is that correct?
28 A Yes. That would be maximal. Yes.
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01 Q And with regard to stab wound no. 4, as indicated
02 on your diagram, sir, also located on the left side of the
03 neck?
04 A Yes.
05 That was the lowest of the group. That was 7/8
06 inch in length; Again, a blunt end or squared off end 1/32
07 inch and a pointed end at the opposite side; Again, 1-,
08 1-1/2-inch penetration into the neck.
09 Q With regard to these wounds we have
10 characterized as 1, 2, 3 and 4, were any of them
11 consistent with having been inflicted by a single-edge
12 knife?
13 A Yes.
14 Q Which one or ones?
15 A 1, 3 and 4.
16 Q And why is that, sir?
17 A Because of the configuration.
18 A single-edged knife — or knife blade will have
19 a dull end — correction. a single-edge blade will have a
20 sharp edge and a dull edge, and a stab wound corresponding
21 to that knife will have a blunt end and a pointed end; and
22 that’s what I found on — that’s what I found on those
23 three wounds.
24 Q Thank you, sir.
25 Dr. Golden, would you define for us as well as
26 explain the distinction between antemortem and perimortem.
27 A Well —
28 Q What does “antemortem” mean?
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01 A Well, “antemortem” means before death; and that
02 refers to injuries that occur before death, while the
03 person is alive and there would be obviously vital
04 activity.
05 Q What do you mean by “vital activity”?
06 A Well, blood pressure, particularly blood
07 pressure in the vessels where an injury might occur.
08 That’s where we are concerned with vital activity — where
09 injuries might occur during life or after death.
10 Q What does “perimortem” mean?
11 A “Perimortem” means about the time of death —
12 shortly before, at the time of death or shortly thereafter.
13 Q Dr. Golden, with regard to stab wounds 1, 2, 3
14 and 4, as indicated on People’s 25 for identification,
15 would you characterize those as antemortem wounds?
16 A Yes.
17 Q And did you observe in connection with each of
18 those wounds some sort of vital activity, as you have
19 described, which would cause you to determine they were
20 antemortem?
21 A Yes. All of these injuries had bleeding
22 either at the margins or in the tissue spaces along the
23 wound path.
Third excerpt, 52 minutes.
During the third excerpt, the people rest their case, and the defense argues a motion to dismiss the case. Shapiro’s argument is repeated in the fourth excerpt, which is 23 minutes long.
Clark also argues in this excerpt. Judge Powel ruled that the defendant would be held to answer, or held for trial, and that we will have to get to in the next couple days.
Transcript from july eighth, 1994.
Full video, 3 hours and 6 minutes.