WITNESS REFUSES TO TESTIFY

Phill Coleman, the operator of a sportswear shop where detective Mark Fuhrman allegedly made racist comments ten years ago, is refusing to testify out of a concern that thetrial has become a farce. In a letter to Simpson's attorneys dated April 27, Coleman said that he feared trivialization of his testimony and would no longer meet with anybody from the defense. Coleman's decision leaves the defense with a shortage of credible witnesses toestablish their claim that Fuhrman is a racist. There was no testimony today, as Judge Lance Ito conducted a brief hearing and issued an order requiring sketch artists to clear their drawings of the jury with the court. Ito said artist Bill Robles of CBS had come "too close" in depicting the jurors.O.J. Central