Prosecution To Limit Detective’s Testimony

Prosecutors in the O.J. Simpson case said they intend to severely limit the testimony of embattled LAPD Detective Mark Fuhrman - who was considered a star witness during the preliminary hearing because of his discovery of a bloody glove on Simpson’s property.

“We don’t anticipate there will be a great deal of testimony by Detective Fuhrman because in truth his role was small,” Deputy District Attorney Marcia Clark said Friday.

But defense attorneys said Fuhrman is a liability and accused the prosecution of trying to “hide” the detective. The defense alleges that Fuhrman is a racist who had a motive to plant the bloody glove in an effort to frame Simpson.

Clark called such allegations “ridiculous and appalling” and challenged the defense to show some evidence that Fuhrman planted the glove - considered one of their most prized pieces of evidence in the case.

Simpson attorney Johnnie Co chran Jr. said that even if the prosecution limits its questioning of the detective, the defense team intends to call Fuhrman - who was the first to respond to the murder scene on Bundy Drive - to probe into his role in the case.

“This is a motion to hide Detective Fuhrman,” said Cochran. “They can’t hide him, judge.”

Deputy District Attorney Cheri Lewis said Fuhrman would not be testifying about the discovery of blood on Simpson’s Bronco or on the driveway of his home.

He also will not be asked about a 1985 incident in which O.J. Simpson allegedly bashed Nicole Brown Simpson’s windshield with a baseball bat. Fuhrman responded to the scene, but prosecutors instead will rely on testimony from a former security guard who is now a police officer.

Lewis argued that defense attacks against Fuhrman should be excluded because they are irrelevant.

In other developments, the defense filed a motion to limit the number of family members of the victims who appear in court. Cochran said later that the motion applies only to family members who may be called to testify.