The O.J. Simpson case has lead to many debates and news stories about what people believed really happened. Some people think that if the prosecution team didn’t make as many mistakes as they did, then O.J. would be locked away where he belongs. Others think that O.J. did not commit any crime at all. On June 13, 1994 O.J. Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and, her friend, Ronald Goldman were found slashed to death outside her condo. Nicole Brown Simpson showed signs of little struggle. She had seven stab wounds. On the other hand, Mr. Goldman put up more of a fight suffering twenty-two stab wounds on his face, neck, chest, and abdomen. The court case against O.J. Simpson started in July of 1994. On October 3 in 1995, the jury announced the verdict for O.J. Simpson as not guilty and he is set free. Many mistakes were made by the prosecution team and some of them were they spent too long presenting all the evidence, mishandled and planted evidence, let racist issues get out of hand, lied, and confused the jurors. Alongside all the controversial issues with the prosecution team, the mountains of evidence and how long it took them to present the case in court was apart of them. First, the trial lasted from the middle of July in 1994 to the beginning of October in 1995. The longer the prosecution team drags out a case the less likely they will get the jurors to agree with their statements. Scott Turnbow, an attorney, was interviewed about his thoughts on the Simpson case.
The people directly involved with this case are Judge Lance Ito, the prosecution lawyers, Marcia Clark and Christopher Darden, the defense lawyers, Johnnie Cochran, Robert Shapiro and Robert Blasier , the jury and the defendant, O.J. Simpson. The families of the victims have also been present in the courtroom, as well as other spectators and news media. This case has heard one hundred and twenty witnesses over a nine month period.
The jury really didn’t seem to remember the most important piece of information which was that the defendant’s blood was actually found at the crime scene. Bugliosi said “From the moment O.J. Simpson became a suspect in this double murder case, it was in the air, perhaps as in no other case within
On May 4th, 1994, the Goldman family sues O.J. A lot of Simpson’s personal items, such as his trophies and cars were seized. On November 6th 1996, the jury was composed of nine Whites, one Black, one Hispanic, and an Asian. A photographer claims to have taken a picture of Simpson in 1993 wearing Bruno Magli shoes, which were the same ones that were worn by the killer of Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman. O.J completely denied the picture; which led the photographer to release to the jury over 30 pictures of Simpson in the shoes. Also, on November 11th, pathologists thought that the scars and scratches on O.J’s hands may have been caused by the victim’s finger nails when trying to resist being stabbed to death. However, Simpson claimed that he might have gotten the cuts and scars on his wrists by “rassling” with his son. (http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/index/nns171.htm)
Soon later the police finally picked up enough evidence to get a warrant for his arrest. Simpson and his lawyer Robert Shapiro both agreed that he will turn himself in at 10:00 am on June 17. Simpson didn’t go at the time he was given so the policemen and Robert Shapiro went to Simpsons home and discovered that he disappeared and left a letter saying "Don't feel sorry for me. I've had a great life, great friends. Please think of the real O. J. and not this lost person. Thanks for making my life special. I hope I helped yours. Peace and love, O. J." (Linder). Policemen and his lawyer thought it was a suicide letter. Until someone in Orange County saw Simpson riding a white bronco and immediately called the police. Only a couple of minutes later police cars and helicopters were chasing him, they followed Simpson all the way to his front gate of his house. Policemen saw that he was wearing a fake beard and had $8,750 in cash, loaded gun, and a passport, days later he was on his first day of the trial. On Tuesday, Jan 24, 1995 was the first day of the trial, Judge Lance Ito open to the people in the courtroom that he will be expecting to see some good lawyering skills for the case. Christopher Darden who open the trial said that Simpson was and abusive and a jealous husband to Nicole B. Simpson.
blood on O.J.'s Bronco door, on the console, on the interior side of the door, a
10:58pm Allan Park sees a shadowy figure. When asked to describe this figure, he says the person was about 6 feet tall and approximately 200 pounds walking across the driveway towards the house.
Known around the world as O. J., famous celebrity Orenthal James Simpson was arrested and convicted for the murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her mistress, Ron Lyle Goldman. Although Simpson denied any participation in the crime, the FBI found numerous evidence that proved hands down that he was the murderer. After a trial that lasted more than eight months, he was acquitted and was able to go home. Personally, I feel that the jury made the wrong decision.
Simpson was vindicated for the murders of his ex-wife and her friend. Everyone was wondering how an elite football player could commit this abject crime. He is not guilty yet; however, he is most likely the murderer.
The jury spent only three hours deliberating the case that had produced 150 witnesses over 133 days and had cost $15 million to try. Deidre Robertson, Judge Ito’s clerk, announced the jury's verdict: "We the jury in the above entitled action find the defendant, Orenthal James Simpson, not guilty of the crime of murder." The unanimous, meaning all jurors voted the same way, not guilty verdict was watched by over 100 million people as it was seen live television
The prosecution called 78 witnesses with Allan Park, O.J.’s limo driver, being the best witness they had placing O.J. within the timeline of the murders(Geis & Bienen, 2016). The crime happened sometime after 10 pm before O.J. had left for LAX to travel to Chicago for a business meeting(Geis & Bienen, 2016). Allan Park testified that he was at O.J. Simpson’s house and knocked on his door at 10:25 pm but there was no response(Geis & Bienen, 2016). Mr. Park stated he did not see O.J.’s white Bronco anywhere and assumed he was not home yet(Geis & Bienen, 2016). At 10:56 pm, Mr. Park saw O.J. enter the front of his home(Geis & Bienen, 2016). Mr. Park noticed O.J. was very anxious and was
The O. J. Simpson double murder case, also titled “People of the State of California v. Orenthal James Simpson was a trial in which James O.J Simpson, a former National Football League player was convicted at the Los Angeles County Superior Court of two murder offenses on June 12, 1994. He was accused of killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman, a restaurant waiter at Mezzaluna. The trial spans for a period of eight months. The opening statements were read on January 23, 1995, whereas the verdict, which left Simpson a free man, was declared on October 3, 1995. “The Trial of The Century,” as it is commonly known, has been described as the most publicized trial in history. However, before Simpson could be arrested and prosecuted, they had to go through an investigation process with the implementation of some techniques used by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) as this essay illustrates.
The next process in the Justice system, a Grand Jury indictment, was interrupted. OJ Simpson hired a top notch team of defense and appellate lawyers to defend him in this case and they were able to get the Grand Jury dismissed from this case due to the massive media coverage. They claimed that the jury was prejudiced toward the defendant because of the readily available information about the case. In lieu of the Grand Jury trial a probable cause hearing was conducted. With that, the judge in this hearing felt that enough evidence did exist for a criminal trial and OJ Simpson was arraigned on July 29th 1994. At his arraignment OJ pleaded not guilty, specifically stating that he was “one hundred percent not guilty”.
On June 12, 1994, Former American football star O.J. Simpson (Orenthal James Simpson) was arrested for the brutal murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman in their Brent-wood townhouse. Police reports indicate that Nicole and Ronald where both repeatedly stabbed to death. O.J. served 473 days in custody for these two murders, won his criminal trial which was the lengthiest in the U.S. legal history showing more than 50,000 transcript pages, and after all of this he pleaded 100% not guilty, walking away from all this with no scratch in his name.
Dershowitz explains that two very different Simpson trials were carried out: the trial before the jury and the trial before the public (Dershowitz 140). Dershowitz also supplies the strong assertion that television coverage of a trial brings “greater accuracy, less bias, and more direct observation of the trial” (Dershowitz 147).
The OJ Simpson case has been hailed "The Trial of the Century." One of the longest running court trials in history, this case was filled with conspiracy, controversy, and the power of celebrity. The biggest part of the trial was the evidence. The submission of the blood samples, the DNA testing, and the articles of clothing made the case what it was. Amidst all the accusations of planted evidence and conspiracy plans against Simpson, the jury and Judge Ito had to try to sift through and find Simpson guilty or not guilty.