Crime Scene

This is rich

Galanter tried to get Riccio to disclose how much he got paid by website TMZ.com for the covert audio recording he made of the Sept. 13 incident. Riccio refused, citing a confidentiality agreement. Galanter objected but the judge said Riccio didn't have to say.

How much do you think he got for it?

Somebody needs a coffee break

Poor Marcia. Entertainment Tonight legal correspondent and former OJ murder-trial prosecutor Marcia Clark is looking bored today. She's slouching in court and has been, uh, "resting" her eyes.

Who's side are you on?

Galanter's cross-examination of Riccio has effectively established that OJ thought he was going to retrieve items that had been stolen from his trophy room. Riccio said OJ was not interested in the Pete Rose-signed baseballs or Joe Montana-signed photos. OJ was focused on getting back photos of his mother and father, a signed photo of OJ with J. Edgar Hoover and other items OJ claimed were his.

Riccio has painted OJ as a longtime friend and business partner. "He's always been charming and nice," Riccio testified. Sounds like more of a defense witness than one for the prosecution...

Yale in charge

Miami attorney Yale Galanter is running the show this morning. Cross-examining Riccio, Galanter is taking no nonsense, peppering Riccio with questions and not giving him leeway to give long-winded answers as he was on the witness stand Thursday. Asking Riccio about his relationship with memorabilia dealer and alleged victim Alfred Beardsley, Galanter was quick to remind Riccio he described Beardsley as "a raving loon" to CNN.

Back at it

Preliminary Trial of the New Century is starting Day 2. OJ walked in smiling in a blue sport coat, white shirt and tie.

OJ's lawyers are about to start their cross-examination of Tom Riccio, the guy who helped set up the hotel-room meeting and secretly recorded the whole thing.

Court administrators are now saying they expect the hearing to continue next week - Tuesday, since Monday is a holiday - not Saturday as originally set.

Fromong's testimony ends; examination of Riccio begins

Fromong is done after about four hours of testimony.

Now Thomas Riccio is on the stand being examined by District Attorney David Roger. Riccio is explaining his job as a memorabilia broker/auctioneer. Riccio used to work with OJ to promote him at autograph signings.  As you may remember, Riccio is the one who helped arrange the meeting between OJ and the memorabilia dealers at the Palace Station. He also recorded the incident on audio and sold it to TMZ.com. He has not been charged in the incident.

Fromong had handgun pointed at his head

The hearing picked up after the lunch break with memorabilia dealer Bruce Fromong being cross-examined by Clarence Stewart's lawyer. Fromong, who has testified that someone had a semi-automatic handgun pointed at his head during the Sept. 13 incident, was asked if he could describe what OJ and the five other men were wearing. He struggled to remember details of the clothing. I was more concerned with the gun that was in my face," Fromong said. He has described OJ and his companions barging into the hotel room like "a military-style invasion.

Hearing could drag into next week

Testimony ended with Fromong's cross-examination by OJ's lawyers. When court resumes, attorneys will question Fromong for the other two defendants, Bruce Erhlich and Clarence Stewart. So far, this has been a very thorough, very detailed preliminary hearing. The court blocked off Thursday and Friday for the hearing, but we're more than halfway through the first day and we're not through the first of eight witnesses. Could be a long one. Some are speculating it could drag into next week.

Cross-examination continues

After a short recess, OJ attorney Gabriel Grasso is continuing his cross-examination of Fromong. It seems Grasso is trying to discredit Fromong by pointing out how he has been trying to profit from the OJ incident. During the five-minute break, OJ stood from his defense table and shook hands with supporters and reporters.
"I have nothing to say yet," he said. "Just listen."

Fromong describes memorabilia

Fromong is testifying about the memorabilia items he brought with him to the Palace Station to show a prospective buyer, who turned out to be OJ. Fromong says he had about 700 pieces of sports memorabilia with him. Signed baseballs, baseball bats, footballs, photos. Some of the baseballs were inscribed with "i'm sorry I bet on baseball; and signed by Pete Rose, and some footballs signed by OJ. Fromong also says he had three neckties that OJ wore during his 1995 murder trial.