Simpson Attorneys Detail Theory Labeling Drug Dealers As Killers

LOS ANGELES - O.J. Simpson's attorneys have finally spelled out their "Faye's fault" theory: the killings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were drug hits intended to send Faye Resnick a message to pay her cocaine bills.

Although attorney Johnnie Cochran Jr. offered no evidence, he spent much of yesterday aggressively questioning Detective Tom Lange about a possible drug connection. Cochran went so far as to say the murders may have had a drug lord's signature in the form of a "Colombian necklace," defined by Cochran as an ear-to-ear throat slash.

Lange insisted there were no signs that drugs were involved in the June 12 killings.

In a series of hypothetical questions, Cochran tried to show that police ignored leads that might have led them to a drug connection - particularly one involving Resnick.

Cochran described for Lange a "Colombian necklace," a technique "where drug dealers will slice the neck of a victim, including the carotid artery, in order to kill the victims and instill fear and send a message to others who have not paid for their drugs or have been informants to the police."

Misuse of "necktie" term

Defense sources later said Cochran misspoke and meant to use the term "Colombian necktie."

Lange indicated he had heard of the practice. But he said the murders appeared to be "overkill or a rage killing," not professional hits.

Under earlier questioning from prosecutor Marcia Clark, Lange insisted that the murders had none of the telltale signs of a drug hit. He said he found no drug paraphernalia at Nicole Simpson's home, the condo had not been ransacked for money, drugs or incriminating papers, and that a gun is usually used in drug slayings.

Cochran asked Lange whether his theory about the crime would have been affected if he had known that Resnick lived at Nicole Simpson's condominium from June 3 to June 8 and free-based cocaine daily just before she went into drug rehab.

Conflicting reports on Resnick

Lange said he had conflicting reports on whether Resnick lived at the condo and no evidence of such drug use there.

Cochran pressed on. "And if you found out that . . . she had no job by which to pay for these drugs, would that be a factor that might bear upon the opinion you gave us yesterday?"

Following an overruled objection - and Judge Lance Ito's explanation to the jury that the questions were only hypothetical - Lange answered: "If I had been pursuing that line, that certainly would be a factor I'd look at, yes."

As Cochran hammered away on the drug issue, Lange blurted out: "Just the fact the victim had a friend who used drugs is of little consequence. The fact that every bit of evidence I have in this case points toward the defendant is of more consequence to me."

More information is available on the News Plus area of The Seattle Times Extra. See A 2 for details.