Chronology of O.J. Simpson Case

A chronology of the O.J. Simpson case, based on accounts by police, witnesses and court testimony (all times PDT):

JUNE 12:

6 p.m _ Nicole Brown Simpson and O.J. Simpson leave separately from daughter’s dance recital, where Simpson sat apart from his ex-wife and her family.

6:30 p.m. _ Ms. Simpson dines with family and friends at Mezzaluna restaurant, where waiter Ronald Goldman is on duty. Ms. Simpson’s mother leaves behind her eyeglasses, which Goldman offers to drop off at Ms. Simpson’s condominium.

10:15 p.m. to 10:20 p.m. _ Ms. Simpson’s neighbor hears dog’s ``plaintive wail.″

10:41 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. _ About two miles from Ms. Simpson’s home, O.J. Simpson’s houseguest, Brian ``Kato″ Kaelin, goes outside to investigate thumping noise on other side of his wall.

10:50 p.m. to 10:55 p.m. _ Neighbor walking dog near Ms. Simpson’s condo encounters her white Akita barking unattended and with bloody paws.

About 11:01 p.m. _ Simpson comes out of his house to meet limousine driver, who says he’d been waiting since 10:25 p.m.

About 11:15 p.m. _ Simpson leaves in limo for Los Angeles International Airport.

11:45 p.m. _ Simpson departs Los Angeles on flight to Chicago.

JUNE 13:

12:10 a.m. _ Dog leads neighbors to condo, where victims are found near gate.

4:15 a.m. _ Simpson checks into O’Hare Plaza-Hotel.

About 4:30 a.m. _ Police go to Simpson’s home, intending to inform him of ex-wife’s death. They discover trail of blood from his Bronco to front door and a bloody glove matching one found at Goldman’s feet.

6:30 a.m. _ After being advised of murders by telephone, Simpson checks out and flies back to Los Angeles.

10:45 a.m. _ Police obtain search warrant for Simpson’s property, where they find more blood in Bronco and in and around mansion.

Noon _ Simpson arrives home, is handcuffed briefly then undergoes 3 1/2 hours of questioning at police headquarters.

JUNE 15:

High-profile attorney Robert Shapiro takes over Simpson’s defense, replacing celebrity attorney Howard Weitzman.

JUNE 16:

Simpson accompanies children Sydney and Justin to ex-wife’s funeral in Brentwood; hundreds of friends and family attend Goldman’s funeral.

JUNE 17:

Simpson charged with two counts of murder with special circumstances. Prosecutors say they may seek death penalty.

Failing to surrender as promised, Simpson is declared a fugitive. He is spotted hours later in a white Bronco on Orange County freeway; friend Al Cowlings is driving. Stunning 60-mile pursuit across Southern California freeways, complete with cheering fans, ends at Simpson’s home, where he is arrested shortly before 9 p.m. and jailed without bail.

JUNE 30-JULY 8:

After six-day preliminary hearing, Municipal Judge Kathleen Kennedy-Powell rules there is ``ample evidence″ to put Simpson on trial.

JULY 20:

Simpson offers $500,000 reward for information leading to arrest of ``real killer or killers.″ Shapiro establishes national toll-free hot line for tips.

JULY 22:

Simpson pleads ``absolutely, 100 percent not guilty″; case assigned to Superior Court Judge Lance Ito.

JULY 27:

Goldman’s mother files wrongful death lawsuit against Simpson, alleging he ``willfully, wantonly and maliciously″ killed her son.

JULY 30:

Grand jury transcripts paint picture of a jealous Simpson who stalked ex-wife and her companion.

AUG. 18:

Defense files motion, later denied, seeking Detective Mark Fuhrman’s personnel and military records. Defense sources earlier said they might portray Fuhrman as racist cop who moved bloody glove from murder scene to Simpson’s estate.

AUG. 22:

Court papers disclose that some DNA tests show Simpson’s blood has same genetic makeup as samples from blood trail leading from murder scene.

SEPT. 2:

Prosecutors file motion asking that Simpson jury be sequestered.

SEPT. 9:

Prosecutors announce they will seek sentence of life without parole for Simpson if he is convicted, rather than death penalty.

SEPT. 19:

Ito rejects defense claims of sloppy detective work and rules that police acted properly when they searched Simpson’s house without search warrant.

SEPT. 26:

Jury selection begins.

OCT. 18:

A day after Ms. Simpson’s friend Faye Resnick releases a salacious book about the Simpsons’ relationship, Ito halts jury selection for two days so he and lawyers can review ``Nicole Brown Simpson: The Private Diary of a Life Interrupted.″

NOV. 3:

Jury of eight women and four men is selected. Panel includes eight blacks, one white, one Hispanic and two people of mixed race.

DEC. 8:

Alternate jury selected; nine women and three men. Panel includes seven blacks, four whites and one Hispanic.

DEC. 12:

Ito refuses defense request to remove Deputy District Attorney Christopher Darden from case on grounds he has unfair advantage because he led grand jury investigation of Cowlings.

DEC. 19:

Prosecution loses bid to learn what Simpson shouted to longtime friend and minister Rosey Grier in jailhouse visit.

JAN.4:

Defense abandons challenge of DNA evidence.

JAN. 8:

Media reports reveal Simpson plans to publish a book titled, ``I Want to Tell You,″ his response to more than 300,000 pieces of mail sent to him in jail. Book expected out in February.

JAN. 11:

Shortly after Ito sequesters jurors, court releases explosive prosecution documents accusing Simpson of beating, degrading and stalking Ms. Simpson throughout their 17-year relationship. Documents are released as hearing begins on defense bid to bar any evidence of domestic violence. Defense attorneys accuse prosecution of character assassination.

JAN. 12:

Prosecutors withdraw 18 of 62 abuse allegations against Simpson.

JAN. 13:

In hearing to determine whether defense will be permitted to question Fuhrman about alleged racial slurs, prosecutor Darden and defense attorney Johnnie Cochran Jr., both black, engage in emotional exchange over role of race in trial.

JAN. 15-16:

Shapiro tells reporters he has stopped speaking to colleague F. Lee Bailey and wants him off case, citing dispute about news leaks. Bailey says he’s ``distressed″ by Shapiro’s ``public outburst.″

JAN. 17:

Prosecution documents allege for first time that Simpson hit his first wife, Marquerite Thomas Simpson. Police officer who responded to a domestic call some 20 years ago says Simpson’s then-wife said her husband hit her and she was taken to hotel for the night. In a June police interview, Ms. Thomas denied Simpson ever abused her.

JAN. 18:

Ito rules jurors can hear some evidence of domestic violence in Simpsons’ marriage. He also says victims’ families can attend most of trial and restricts jail visits for Simpson from material witnesses.

The judge dismisses two jurors and replaces them with two alternates, leaving eight blacks, two whites and two people of mixed race on panel.

Bailey and Shapiro declare truce; Cochran takes over as lead defense attorney.

JAN. 20:

Ito hands down mixed ruling on Fuhrman issue, allowing possibility of racism to be introduced if defense can prove it’s relevant. Ito orders all witnesses not to watch television.

JAN. 23:

Opening statements by prosecution and defense.