A lumpy manila envelope containing mysterious evidence added a Perry Mason-like twist to the O.J. Simpson murder case Friday.
Brandishing the envelope theatrically, Municipal Judge Kathleen Kennedy-Powell said that it contained evidence found by the defense and that she would open it in the courtroom.But she then reversed herself and ordered both sides to submit briefs on how they think it should be handled, leaving the mystery unsolved until at least next week.
The hearing recessed early so prosecutors could listen to tape recordings of defense interviews with key prosecution witnesses - Simpson's house guest and a limousine driver - who are expected to testify about the ex-football star's whereabouts around the time of the slayings. The hearing will resume Tuesday after the holiday weekend.
The envelope episode interrupted grisly testimony of how Nicole Brown Simpson's dog, a white Akita found wandering the neighborhood with bloody paws, led neighbors to her body in a pool of blood outside her condominium.
Simpson, 46, is charged with murder in the June 12 stabbing deaths of his ex-wife and Ronald Goldman, a friend of hers. A preliminary hearing to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to put him on trial began Thursday.
The mystery envelope produced the oddest, most confusing twist in the hearings so far. The defense produced the envelope, which contained evidence sealed in the presence of another judge.
Defense attorney Robert Shapiro wanted the package kept sealed and insisted he had no obligation to share it.
On Thursday, the owner of a Los Angeles cutlery store and a salesman there testified Simpson bought a 15-inch folding knife a few weeks before the slayings and had it sharpened.
But the men couldn't produce a receipt for what they said was an $81.17 cash purchase, and the owner acknowledged that his brother, who is the store's co-owner, and a employee agreed to sell their story to the National Enquirer for $12,500.
No murder weapon has been found.
Prosecutor William Hodgman hinted outside court that a coroner will testify that the victims could have been killed with that knife. "Stay tuned next week," he said.
Chicago police, meanwhile, downplayed the significance of a carving knife handle and small part of a blade found at O'Hare Airport. Simpson flew to Chicago the night of the killings.
"After exchanging opinions with the L.A. police, the lead does not look promising right now," Police Superintendent Matt Rodriguez said.