Testimony On Nicole Simpson's Alleged Drug Use Barred By Judge

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - The judge in the O.J. Simpson wrongful-death trial today barred any testimony from Brian "Kato" Kaelin about whether Nicole Brown Simpson ever abused drugs.

"It's irrelevant," Judge Hiroshi Fujisaki ruled.

The ruling prevented the defense from exploring an area that once was touted as crucial to Simpson's case: allegations that Simpson's ex-wife had been living dangerously in the last few months of her life and could have been exposed to unsavory characters who may have killed her and Ronald Goldman in June 1994.

Kaelin was asked a few more questions by defense attorney Robert Baker - nearly all of them blocked by the judge as redundant inquiries from Kaelin's first appearance in the trial, when he was a plaintiff's witness.

Kaelin did testify that he remembered Simpson wearing a dark-colored outfit when Simpson left for the airport the night of the killings, contradicting other witnesses who said Simpson was wearing a denim outfit.

The defense also re-called criminalist Dennis Fung, who went over some of his activities the day after the killings. But again the judge restricted many of Baker's questions.

The criminalist already testified earlier in the case for the plaintiffs.

The ruling on the questions about drug use came at the request of plaintiff's lawyer Daniel Petrocelli.

"I submit, your honor, there is absolutely no relevance whatsoever," Petrocelli said.

Petrocelli argued that the defense had to show exactly who could have killed Nicole Simpson instead of raising vague notions that someone might have killed her because of her alleged drug use.

The judge agreed.

The defense had made a significant issue of Nicole Simpson's life in her final months. Baker said in opening statements that Nicole Simpson was leading a dangerous life, behaving erratically and socializing with potentially dangerous people in a crowd that included drug users and prostitutes.

Fujisaki's ruling raises the question of how much O.J. Simpson will be allowed to say about his ex-wife's activities in her final months. He is scheduled to take the stand Friday.