A photographer says he took a shot of O.J. Simpson wearing the type of Italian shoes police believe match bloody footprints near where Nicole Brown Simpson was killed.
In a deposition Monday in the wrongful death lawsuit against Simpson, Harry Scull said he took the photo of Simpson wearing Bruno Magli shoes at a Buffalo Bills' game on Sept. 26, 1993, about nine months before Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman were slain. Simpson has said he doesn't own that type of shoe.The picture shows Simpson, who was working as an NBC commentator, walking along the sidelines. His shoes are clearly visible, including part of the sole of the right shoe.
`In addition to putting the gloves on his hand, we've put the shoes on his feet," said lawyer John Kelly, representing Nicole Simpson's family.
Simpson's lawyer Robert Baker refused to answer questions after the 31/2-hour deposition at a Buffalo law firm.
At the criminal trial, prosecutors introduced evidence that bloody footprints near the bodies were made by a size-12 Bruno Magli that was only sold in a few places in the United States.
Simpson wears a size 12 shoe, but prosecutors didn't link him to a Bruno Magli of any model.
In depositions in the lawsuit, Simpson testified he would never buy shoes he considered so ugly.
Scull, a free-lancer who has worked for several publications and The Associated Press, said he found the photo in his personal archives after Simpson was acquitted of the slayings in October.
Scull later sold the picture to the National Enquirer tabloid, which published it April 23.
The issue in the lawsuit will be whether the photo is authentic.
"There can be absolutely no question as to the authenticity of these pictures whatsoever," said Michael O'Connor, Scull's lawyer. "Let's put it this way, I think even the defense counsel was convinced of their authenticity."
Superior Court Judge Alan Haber ruled last week in Santa Monica, Calif., that questions about the recently discovered photographs would be allowed in the lawsuit. The trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 9.