Al Cowlings refused to tell lawyers suing his longtime friend O.J. Simpson about the infamous Bronco chase or anything else the two did in the days following the 1994 slaying of Simpson's ex-wife.
Cowlings invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination Tuesday during a full day of closed-door testimony in a wrongful death lawsuit. The deposition was to continue Wednesday.Cowlings, who played football with Simpson in college and professionally, refused to answer questions about any events that occurred between June 12 and June 17, 1994.
That crucial period starts with the stabbing deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. It ends with Simpson's arrest at his Brentwood estate following a freeway chase with Cowlings at the wheel of his Bronco and Simpson in the back with a gun to his head.
Cowlings' attorney, Donald Re, said his client had nothing to hide but was afraid his words could be used against him by prosecutors, who still hold the right to charge him in aiding Simpson in a flight from justice during the televised freeway chase.
"I don't think he's done anything wrong," said Re, adding that Cowlings would testify if granted immunity from prosecution.
Fred Goldman, father of Ronald Goldman, said Cowlings should have testified.
Goldman's attorney, Daniel Petrocelli, said Cowlings may have been worried about his friendship with Simpson.
"Mr. Cowlings is fiercely loyal to Mr. Simpson, has been with him, has been by his side since the third grade, as he put it," said Petrocelli.
Simpson wasn't present during the questioning but was represented by lawyer Robert Blasier.
Cowlings did testify at length about Simpson's relationship with his ex-wife, downplaying reports of their domestic strife, Petrocelli said.
Cowlings said he never heard Simpson use profanity against her, never saw any physical fights and - outside of one or two incidents - never even witnessed any heated arguments, Petrocelli said.