Dog's Wail Led To Discover Of Body -- Simpson Witnesses Describe Bloody Find

LOS ANGELES - An agitated, lost dog with bloody paws led a couple living nearby to the body of Nicole Brown Simpson outside her home, the neighbors testified today.

Sukru Boztepe said he and his wife were out walking about midnight June 12, trying to find the dog's owner, when he saw a woman lying on the ground.

"There was a lot of blood," Boztepe said. He said he wouldn't have noticed had the dog not pulled him in that direction.

Another neighbor testified he heard the "plaintive wail" of a dog earlier that evening, about 10:20 p.m.

The testimony came on the second day of a preliminary hearing to determine whether O.J. Simpson should be tried on murder charges in the June 12 deaths of his ex-wife and a friend of hers, Ronald Goldman.

The prosecutor displayed a photograph of the body to Boztepe, and Simpson seemed overcome. He blinked, sat with his mouth opened, wiped his eyes and took deep breaths. Television viewers could not see the photo.

Goldman was found slain near Mrs. Simpson, but neither Boztepe nor his wife, Bettina Rasmussen, mentioned seeing a second body.

The timing of the barking could be significant because it could challenge O.J. Simpson's alibi in the murders of his former wife and a friend.

Pablo Fenjves, who lives near Nicole Simpson's home, said he was watching the 10 p.m. news June 12 when, "about 15 or 20 minutes into it, I heard a dog barking, sort of a plaintive wail."

The bodies of Nicole Simpson and Goldman were discovered after midnight. Simpson's lawyer have said he was awaiting a limousine or heading for the airport for an 11:45 p.m. flight when the killings occurred.

Another witness, Steven Schwab, said he was walking his dog and about 10:45 p.m. saw a large, white Akita dog with what appeared to be blood on its paws. The dog was all alone and agitated, he said, describing how he tried to help out the dog and find its owner.

The dog he described fit the description of one that was reported to have belonged to Nicole Brown Simpson.

Simpson, 46, has pleaded innocent to two counts of murder.

Also today, the defense produced a mysterious envelope that contained unidentified evidence and was sealed by another judge. Defense attorney Robert Shapiro wanted the package kept sealed. Municipal Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy-Powell didn't immediately rule when it would be opened.

The defense was able to get several witnesses at the hearing to say that police reports made errors about what they said to officers investigating the deaths.

Yesterday, the prosecution's first witnesses said Simpson bought a large knife a few weeks before the slayings.

The witnesses, two cutlery-store workers, described a 15-inch "stiletto" knife they said Simpson purchased in early May.

Simpson's attorneys today unsuccessfully sought to have the testimony of the knife salesman thrown out. Lead attorney Robert Shapiro, citing a newspaper article, called Jose Camacho "a witness . . . who the district attorney does not believe."

Prosecutors objected, and after a private conference in the judge's chambers, Judge Kathleen Kennedy-Powell said the testimony would remain on the record.

Camacho also acknowledged under oath that he had sold an interview to a supermarket tabloid. His boss, Allen Wattenberg, under prosecution questioning, said he too expected to profit from the interview.

The two men, along with Wattenberg's brother, said they expect to split $12,500 the magazine offered - a point hammered on in cross-examination by Shapiro.

Wattenberg said Simpson was given the only receipt for the purchase.

Neither Camacho nor other witnesses who took the stand yesterday tied Simpson to the murder scene. But their appearances may help lay the groundwork for the prosecution case, establishing that Simpson had access to a weapon such as the one that detectives believe was used to kill Nicole Simpson and Goldman, whose bodies were found outside her Brentwood condominium.

Camacho and Wattenberg each gave detailed descriptions of the knife they said Simpson bought. Prosecutors displayed photographs of an identical knife.

Still, legal experts noted that there is a tremendous difference between showing that Simpson owned a knife similar to the possible murder weapon and producing the weapon itself. Harland Braun, a noted Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer, said prosecutors will need to present more evidence tying Simpson to the crime, but also noted that the testimony yesterday will force Simpson's camp to produce an explanation at some point: If Simpson did indeed buy the knife, can he produce it now, or is it missing?

In Chicago, where Simpson flew the night of the killings, parts of a knife were found last night by workers at O'Hare International Airport.

But the knife was of an entirely different style than the one described by witnesses at the hearing. Sgt. Philip Derrig of the Chicago Police Department's O'Hare Unit said it was a standard carving knife, with a fixed blade and curving handle.

In his testimony, Camacho said Simpson had purchased a retractable-blade knife with a straight handle.

Still, Chicago police said they would contact Los Angeles police about the find.

EVIDENCE FROM THE MURDER SCENE AND O.J. SIMPSON'S HOME AND CAR CITED IN COURT DOCUMENTS OR DURING TESTIMONY THURSDAY: ------------------------------------------------------- Evidence seized from the Simpson estate that the defense wants thrown out:

- Blood on Ford Bronco near driver's door handle, passenger door, interior of driver's door, instrument panel, carpet on driver's side floor, rubber portion of driver's floor, driver's seat, steering wheel, center console and front passenger backrest.

- Plaid cap found on driver's-side floor.

- Blood on curb, driveway, garage wall, in foyer and master bathroom floor.

- Wooden stick found on grass.

- Marlboro cigarette butt recovered from the street.

- Brown, right-hand glove with blood found on walkway.

- Blue plastic bag found near chain link fence.

- Navy blue socks from master bedroom.

- Airline ticket receipt in trash can in bathroom.

- Baggage tag on bench outside front door.

- Vial of blood labeled "O.J. Simpson 6-13-94."

- White Reebok athletic shoes.

- Hair and fibers removed from glove.

Other evidence discussed in documents or testimony:

- A 15-inch knife a merchant testified Simpson purchased in May.

- Thirty-four hairs from a knit cap found at the murder scene: two were body hair, 32 were head hair and included four with African-American characteristics. Five were bleached blond.

- Human head hairs, brown to black with African-American characteristics, found in plaid cap from in Bronco.

- Hair and fibers from brown glove found at Simpson's home, including three human head hairs, bleached blond with Caucasian characteristics.

- Glove found at crime scene. In an affidavit, detective said glove found at Simpson's home "closely resembled a brown leather glove located at the crime scene."