The People Vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

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Business | Tapes Jolt Simpson Trial -- Fuhrman's Remarks About Ito's Wife Raise The Possibility Judge May Have To Leave Case | Seattle Times Newspaper

LOS ANGELES - Judge Lance Ito raised the possibility today that he would withdraw from the O.J. Simpson murder trial as explosive transcripts of taped interviews revealed that Detective Mark Fuhrman derided the judge's wife and predicted the prosecution is doomed without him.

Ito said today that he may have to withdraw if prosecutors called his wife to testify. "Just when you thought we couldn't have anything crazier happen," Ito said.

Ito postponed the day's scheduled testimony and called a two-hour recess to research the law and come to a decision. His options included staying on, having another judge rule only on the admissibility of the Fuhrman tapes, or removing himself from the rest of the case and letting another judge preside over the trial.

Defense attorney Johnnie Cochran argued that Ito not withdraw, as the judge said he would have to do if the prosecution called his wife, police Capt. Margaret York, to rebut Fuhrman's statements.

"That's a side, minimal issue," Cochran said. "Don't stop these proceedings. . . . We want to finish this case."

"At this point," Ito said, "what is necessary to determine is whether or not Capt. York will be a material witness in this case and her testimony would be relevant or material to any of the issues before the court.

"If that is true, then this court would be required to recuse itself from further participation in this case," the judge continued.

Cochran said he wants the parts of the tapes which relate to York to be edited out.

"Your wife has nothing to do with this," Cochran told the judge, his voice rising. "We are not going to stipulate . . . to a mistrial."
 
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