Key Defense Witness Flip-Flops on Alibi for Simp-son
CBS News Transcripts
March 02, 1995, Thursday
SHOW: CBS EVENING NEWS (6:30 PM ET)
KEY DEFENSE WITNESS FLIP-FLOPS ON ALIBI FOR SIMPSON
ANCHORS: CONNIE CHUNG
BYLINE: BILL WHITAKER
LENGTH: 693 words
CONNIE CHUNG, co-anchor:
A bad day for the defense at the O.J. Simpson murder trial. Simpson’s key alibi witness conceded she could not say for sure that Simpson’s car was at home at the time of the murders. Prosecutors tried today to destroy Rosa Lopez’s credibility in testimony the jury may never see. Correspondent Bill Whitaker is covering the O.J. Simpson case.
BILL WHITAKER reporting:
Under grueling cross-examination, videotaped to play later for the jury, Rosa Lopez admitted she’d falsified an unemployment application, deceived the court about having a plane reservation to El Salvador, and first denied telling a re-porter she’d heard voices from Simpson’s yard the night of the murders, until prosecutors played the news tape.
Ms. ROSA LOPEZ (Defense Witness): (From previous footage) …I don’t know; I can hear only voice. I don’t know what they talk or nothing because I can’t hear nothing very well.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER DARDEN (Assistant Prosecutor): When you told the reporter that you heard voices, didn’t you tell him that you didn’t know what time it was that you heard the voice?
Ms. LOPEZ: (Through Translator) Yes, sir.
WHITAKER: Prosecutor Chris Darden scoffed when she told him her attorney’s advice.
Ms. LOPEZ: (Through Translator) We talked about my always telling the truth, sir.
Mr. DARDEN: Ha!
Ms. LOPEZ: (Through Translator) And that’s what I’m saying now, sir.
WHITAKER: Against a barrage of questions, Lopez said she couldn’t remember the time of day, not even the time of year she first was interviewed by defense investigator Bill Pavelic.
Mr. DARDEN: What year was it?
Unidentified Translator: (Foreign language spoken)
Ms. LOPEZ: (Through Translator) I just know that it was in ‘94.
Mr. DARDEN: You have a hard time remembering times?
Translator: (Foreign language spoken)
Ms. LOPEZ: (Through Translator) If I don’t have it written down, how can I remember?
WHITAKER: And what could be a stunning setback for the defense–Lopez said she couldn’t be sure of specific times the night of the murders.
Mr. DARDEN: OK. And the reason you said 8:30 to nine was because you were-n’t sure of the exact time, correct?
Translator: (Foreign language spoken)
Ms. LOPEZ: (Through Translator) Yes, sir.
Mr. DARDEN: You were giving him your best estimate, correct?
Translator: (Foreign language spoken)
Ms. LOPEZ: (Through Translator) That is what I told him, sir.
WHITAKER: The timing is crucial. Lopez has said she saw Simpson’s Bronco parked outside his residence at 10:15, the time prosecutors say the murders oc-curred. Today, she was less certain.
Mr. DARDEN: Did Mr. Pavelic tell you or mention to you first that you saw the Bronco at 10:15 or 10:20?
Translator: (Foreign language spoken)
Ms. LOPEZ: (Through Translator) All I said was that it was after 10.
WHITAKER: Several times Prosecutor Darden accused Defense Attorney Cochran of coaching Lopez on the witness stand.
Mr. DARDEN: You never saw Mr. Cochran make a motion like this…
Translator: (Foreign language spoken)
Mr. DARDEN: …with his hands?
Translator: (Foreign language spoken)
Ms. LOPEZ: (Through Translator) No, sir.
WHITAKER: Now Cochran called that ludicrous and said he was only signaling the court reporter. Judge Ito accepted his explanation.
Lopez is still on the stand. Some observers see her as a liar, others as sympathetic. What matters is how the jury sees her and whether they get to see her videotaped testimony at all. Connie.
CHUNG: Bill Whitaker in Los Angeles.
One more note about the Simpson trial: Marcia Clark’s estranged husband is suing for custody of their two children, saying the Simpson case is keeping her from giving the children the attention they need. In response, Marcia Clark says she is devoted to the children and they are more important to her than any-thing.
DAN RATHER (Co-anchor): Fraud on wheels: taxi companies stealing millions of dollars from you. That story still ahead. Also tonight, busting the fugitive who busted the bank. And should fox hunting be hounded out of existence? The fur is flying.
LOAD-DATE: March 02, 1995, Thursday
LANGUAGE: English
TYPE: Newscast
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