Actually, I heard it on the radio. I thought it was the right verdict based upon the case brought forth by the prosecution being unproved beyond a reasonable doubt.
Was living in Japan when all of this was going down. We didn't see the events as they were happening, we did get daily updates, and many of those were incomplete. From what we heard, the prosecutor didn't build a very convincing case. Many believe him to be guilty, but the state wasn't able to convince a jury, beyond a reasonable doubt.
I remember aspects of it. Of course, polls on the case's result are still done today, and last one I saw showed that black americans who initially believed in his innocence have in fact come around to realize he was guilty. A black friend of mine at the time believed he was guilty, but was happy he got off because "White rich people get away with stuff all the time, it's about time we got one." Which was said half-jokingly.
Really, the problem was the media circus surrounding it. Judge Ito and the two Prosecutors, Clarke and Darden, were more interested in making names for themselves and preening for the cameras. They bored the jury with their case. One juror, interviewed shortly after the case said "Sure they had his DNA, but lots of people have the same DNA!", or something close to that, mistaking DNA for blood type we assume. The fact that Clarke and Darden hadn't even gotten them to understand what DNA is showed the MASSIVE level of prosecutorial incompetence at work.
It's sad because Simpson's public persona really had me COMPLETELY snowballed before he killed his wife. He seemed like a nice guy in interviews. His movie roles generally were nice guys, and Simpson did well in those roles, especially the Naked Gun series. I had no idea he was abusing his wife or any of that.
Yes I remember it. I was watching it on Court TV everyday. There are a number of reasons he was found not guilty. The most important one was jury selection. As people pointed out, the evidence is so overwhelming that if a juror says he/she has not made up his/her mind, he/she is either lying or he/she is not going to convict him. By the time the jury was picked, he was destined to be found not guilty. Further, before the trial even began the female prosecutor was deemed to be so bad that she cannot convict someone who confessed to a crime.
Answers & Comments
I remember well. It was everywhere on the news. I had no internet in those days.
Lots of people remember that. They keep bring it up on TV.
Actually, I heard it on the radio. I thought it was the right verdict based upon the case brought forth by the prosecution being unproved beyond a reasonable doubt.
The slow speed chase was ridiculous. People were on bridges over the road with GO OJ signs.
Nowadays they would have just laid out a spike belt and taken him down.
Was living in Japan when all of this was going down. We didn't see the events as they were happening, we did get daily updates, and many of those were incomplete. From what we heard, the prosecutor didn't build a very convincing case. Many believe him to be guilty, but the state wasn't able to convince a jury, beyond a reasonable doubt.
I remember aspects of it. Of course, polls on the case's result are still done today, and last one I saw showed that black americans who initially believed in his innocence have in fact come around to realize he was guilty. A black friend of mine at the time believed he was guilty, but was happy he got off because "White rich people get away with stuff all the time, it's about time we got one." Which was said half-jokingly.
Really, the problem was the media circus surrounding it. Judge Ito and the two Prosecutors, Clarke and Darden, were more interested in making names for themselves and preening for the cameras. They bored the jury with their case. One juror, interviewed shortly after the case said "Sure they had his DNA, but lots of people have the same DNA!", or something close to that, mistaking DNA for blood type we assume. The fact that Clarke and Darden hadn't even gotten them to understand what DNA is showed the MASSIVE level of prosecutorial incompetence at work.
It's sad because Simpson's public persona really had me COMPLETELY snowballed before he killed his wife. He seemed like a nice guy in interviews. His movie roles generally were nice guys, and Simpson did well in those roles, especially the Naked Gun series. I had no idea he was abusing his wife or any of that.
Yes I remember it. I was watching it on Court TV everyday. There are a number of reasons he was found not guilty. The most important one was jury selection. As people pointed out, the evidence is so overwhelming that if a juror says he/she has not made up his/her mind, he/she is either lying or he/she is not going to convict him. By the time the jury was picked, he was destined to be found not guilty. Further, before the trial even began the female prosecutor was deemed to be so bad that she cannot convict someone who confessed to a crime.
Was living and working in the Bay Area (OJ's hometown). Total insanity.
Who the hell is OJ Simpson?
I still remember the chase down the freeway.