RETURNING to the witness stand for a second round of testimony in his civil trial, O.J. Simpson yesterday again denied that he had ever beaten Nicole Brown Simpson.
The former American football star, who was subjected to three days of tough interrogation by lawyers for the plaintiffs last November, faced somewhat gentler questioning this time from his own lead defence attorney, Mr Robert Baker.
Simpson, acquitted in October 1995 of the murders of his ex-wife and her friend Robert Goldman, was one of the last defence witnesses scheduled to testify in the wrongful death civil case brought by the victims' families.
In an effort to "rehabilitate" Simpson in the eyes of the jury Mr Baker led him through a recitation of the awards and honours he had won during his career as a Hall of Fame running back and elicited testimony about his feelings for his ex-wife.
"We were very much in love," Simpson said when asked about the early part of their 17-year relationship. "We travelled all over the world. Our house was always loaded with people."
Mr Baker then turned to the damaging allegations of domestic violence that have dogged Simpson since his criminal trial.
Simpson acknowledged that he was very physical" with Nicole Brown Simpson in the early hours of New Year's Day 1989 in an incident that ultimately led to Simpson pleading no-contest to domestic abuse.
But he testified: "I didn't hit her. I didn't slap her. My intention was not to hurt her in any way at all ... I was told she fell outside my house [after the argument]."
Nevertheless, Simpson declared himself "100 per cent responsible for her sustaining the injuries she did", and testified that he never again caused any physical harm to her.
Asked specifically whether he had struck Nicole Brown Simpson outside an animal clinic in the early 1980s, Simpson replied: "Absolutely not."
Attorneys for the victims' families have contended that Simpson beat, terrorised and finally murdered his ex-wife when he could. .no longer control her. They showed jurors photos of her bruised, swollen face, injuries allegedly sustained in the 1989 incident, and called witnesses who described incidents of domestic violence.
With the trial nearing an end, legal analysts said Simpson's appearance was certain to be a major deciding factor in whether he wins or loses the case.
The defence effort to paint a positive picture of Simpson for the jury will be followed by a critical round of cross-examination by the families' attorneys, who are expected to hammer away at inconsistencies and contradictions in his past statements.
He took the stand following a crucial ruling by Judge Hiroshi Fujisaki that allowed defence attorneys to ask Simpson about Nicole Brown Simpson's alleged drug use, promiscuity and abortion but barred them from claiming this was evidence of a different killer.
Simpson's attorneys plan to wrap up their case on Monday, and closing arguments could begin by the end of next week. The case is expected to go to the jury before the end of January, after just three months of testimony - a far cry from the nine months it took in Simpson's criminal trial.
If at least nine of the 12 jurors, find him responsible for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman, Simpson could be forced to pay millions of dollars in damages.