Page 1 The People of the State of California v. Orenthal James Simpson was the most publicized case in US history, and was the longest trial ever held in California, even exceeding the Manson Family trial of the 1970’s. It is no wonder that it became the “Trial of the Century,” considering O.J. Simpson’s high-profile status. He was a professional football star turned sports broadcaster, and even starred as the spokesperson for Hertz Rental Cars and appeared in some movies. He was the nation’s top college football player in 1968, and was one of the best running backs of all-time. Although his career with the Buffalo Bills was extremely successful, the nightmare that followed could have never been predicted. In 1994 (at age 47), O.J. Simpson was accused of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson (35), and her friend Ronald Goldman (25), with a knife in front of Nicole’s Brentwood California home, at 875 S. Bundy Drive. It happened after 10 p.m. on the 12th of June. At 11:15 p.m., O.J. Simpson suspiciously left the scene of the crime in a limousine, and ceaselessly complained about how hot he was, although the car was air-conditioned. At 11:45 p.m., Simpson caught an American Airlines flight (#688) to Chicago. At 10:35 p.m., screenwriter Steven Schwab was taking his dog for a stroll when he found Nicole Brown Simpson’s Akita (named Kato after her friend and aspiring actor Brian Jerard “Kato” Kaelin) roaming the streets with bloody paws and no dog-tags. At 11:40 p.m., Schwab’s neighbor Sukru Boztepe arrived home to find Schwab with Kato. Boztepe agreed to keep the dog overnight in order to take him to an animal shelter in the morning. This plan was unsuccessful due to the fact Kato was excessively restless, so Boztepe deci... ... middle of paper ... ...AL - The National Enquirer. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Nov. 2013. "INSIDE O.J. SIMPSON HOUSE OF HORRORS - The National Enquirer." INSIDE O.J. SIMPSON HOUSE OF HORRORS - The National Enquirer. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Nov. 2013. "The Simpson Trial Timeline." The Simpson Trial Timeline. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Nov. 2013. “1995: OJ Simpson verdict: 'Not guilty'.” BBC News. BBC, 10 Mar. 1995. Web. 4 Nov. 2013. Bugliosi, Vincent. Outrage: Five Reasons Why O J Simpson Got Away With Murder. New York: W W Norton &, 1996. 3. Print. "The Murder Trial of O.J. Simpson." — Prologue — Crime Library on TruTV.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Nov. 2013. "The People Vs. Simpson." - Murder, OJ Simpson Trial, Nicole Brown Simpson, O.J. Simpson, Ron Goldman : People.com. N.p., 10 Oct. 1994. Web. 4 Nov. 2013. "The Trial of Orenthal James Simpson." The Trial of Orenthal James Simpson. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Nov. 2013.
Not guilty was the decision made by the jury during the George Zimmerman vs. Trayvon Martin trial. That verdict may have been the most controversial one of recent time. Many people were upset by the decision and felt that justice was not achieved for the young victim, Martin who was seventeen years old when he was killed. This incident seems to be a tragic example of stereotyping and racial profiling. It is also an example of how a verdict, based on the strict interpretation of the law can be the wrong verdict.
Ng, C. (2014, June 12). O.J. Simpson Trial: Where Are They Now? - ABC News. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/US/oj-simpson-trial-now/story?id=17377772
Spencer, Robyn. "Emmett Till." Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History. Gale, 2006. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 30 Jan. 2014.
Garrett, Brandon. Convicting the Innocent: Where Criminal Prosecutions Go Wrong. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 2011. 86. Print.
After a lengthy two hundred and fifty-two-day trial “not guilty” were the words that left the world in shock. O.J Simpson was your typical golden boy. He had it all, the nice car, the football career, and his kids. Unfortunately, this all came to an end when two bodies came to be spotted deceased in Nicole Browns front yard and was a gruesome sight. O. J’s ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman both found with brutal stab marks. Unfortunately, all his glory days now brought to an end, he went from playing on the field to begging for his freedom when becoming the main suspect of their murders. Since this trial has not only altered the way Americans viewed celebrities, but it also racially divided society,
On January 24, 1995, after half a year of multiple configurations including the selection of the jury, and the decision if the media was to be allowed in the courtroom and many other factors, the trial had finally begun. Prosecutor Christopher Darden started the trial by depicting Simpson as a possessory
It took the jury four hours to determine this fact. Since this case was highly publicized, this case made many Americans question the quality of the criminal justice system since everything was pointing to Simpson however he was considered not guilty. A whole year and twenty days pass before we hear the next thing in this case. A civil trial meets to see if Simpson should be held financially liable for what happened at his house. It took the jury forty-one days to hear all one hundred and one witnesses’ statements and they came to an agreement the Simpson did kill Nicole and Ronald with oppression and malice. After the civil trial meet the verdict became once again widely debated amongst the legal experts and the public
Linder, Douglas. “The Trial of Bruno Hauptmann.” Jurist Law. Jurist, 2002. Web. 6 Nov. 2013. Oxford, Edward. "The Other Trial Of The Century." American History 30.3 (1995):
On June 13, 1994, Nicole Brown, ex-wife of O.J. Simpson, was found murdered alongside Ronald Goldman (Dershowitz 19). Chapter one of Reasonable Doubts describes how many people jumped to the conclusion that O.J. carried out the murders. Incriminating evidence emerged that more than pointed to Simpson’s guilt (Dershowitz 21). Soon enough, media reports claimed that Simpson would be charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Simpson’s reluctance to be peacefully taken into custody was illustrated by his famous Los Angeles free-way chase that ended in his eventual surrender (Dershowitz 23). Dershowitz chose to join the defense team when offered the opportunity, claiming that the case could greatly educate people, especially his Harvard law students, on...
The evidence discovered during the investigation suggested to the police that OJ Simpson may have had something to do with this murder and they obtained an arrest warrant. The investigators believed that they “knew” OJ Simpson committed the murders. His lawyers and him were informed of the arrest warrant and agreed to a specified time when OJ would turn himself into authorities. Investigators are later admonished, by the defense, on how they handled the crime scene.
It has been named the Trial Of the Century. Everyone’s eyes were glued to their television screens. Everyone’s jaws were dropped while listening to the radio. And the only thing they wanted to know; was O.J Simpson guilty? The talented running back turned TV personality was being tried for two murders. In the end O.J. was acquitted. It came as a shock to many, as well as a victory to others. With a handful of evidence against him, some thought there was no way he could be found not guilty. O.J. Simpson’s “dream team” was able to win the case because the prosecution did not evaluate the evidence close enough before presenting it in trial.
In the 1970’s and 1980’s, Orenthal James Simpson or OJ Simpson was a well-known celebrity within North America. He was an all American Football player who turned to acting and sports casting after he retired from the National Football League. On June 12, 1994 Nicole Brown, OJ’s ex-wife, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, were found murdered outside Nicole’s residence. The scene of the crime took place outside Ms. Brown’s condominium complex, where two murdered bodies were discovered in the entrance pathway. The police scanned the scene of the crime carefully searching for evidence. They found crucial DNA evidence that supported their idea that Mr. Simpson had been involved in committing these murders. The LAPD issued a statement to the media saying that they were allowing OJ Simpson to turn himself in by June 17 at 11:00 a.m. OJ Simpson did not report to the police station on June 11th. The infamous car chase took place while broadcasted on live television. OJ Simpson's Ford Bronco was spotted driving down the interstate, being driven by his friend Al Cowlings. Mr. Simpson was located in the rear seat with a gun pointing to his head stating that he was going to kill himself if any cop approach the vehicle. Within the video below detective Tom Lange talked to Simpson while the car chase was taking place. He pleads with Mr. Simpson to stop this chase and not to commit suicide. Every news station within the world broadcasted the chase as the police chased Mr. Simpsons white bronco at slow speeds down the highway. Citizens flocked to the overpasses to watch as the truck passed them while being followed by numerous cop cars and news helicopters. The chase finally concluded at Mr. Simpson's home and came to a dramatic end when Cowling park...
According to Famous Trials, “Just after midnight, Nicole's howling Akita, with blood on its belly and legs, attracted the attention of a neighbor, who then discovered the two bodies… O. J. Simpson, meanwhile, was aboard American Airlines flight #668 to Chicago. Simpson had taken off from Los Angeles at 11:45 after receiving a ride to the airport” (Linder) Whether or not OJ was on a flight to get away or for a legitimate business reason is unknown. What is known is that the flight left only two hours after Nicole and Ron were murdered, which gave OJ plenty of time to arrange his getaway. Also, the driver of the limo that OJ used to get to the airport was a key wittiness. The driver testified that he had arrived at 10:25 to pick OJ up for his flight, but no one answered the door. Then, at 11:00 he saw a shadowy figure enter the house from the back and minutes later OJ appeared carrying a black bag. OJ did not let him touch the bag, and the bag has not been seen since then (Price). He was scheduled to get in the limo at 10:25, but he was not at his house. This seems sketchy because the murders were committed somewhere between 10:00 and 10:45. These times allowed OJ plenty of time to commit the murder and then get home. Lastly, when the police summoned OJ to talk to him, he attempted to escape. When OJ did not surrender himself to the police by 5pm they entered his house and found him missing. He
Fairchild, H. & Cowan, G (1997). Journal of Social Issues. The O.J. Simpson Trial: Challenges to Science and Society.
Criminal law is based on the principle of actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea. The principle is to the extent that a man is not guilty of his acts, actus in the absence of a guilty conscience, mens rea (Gardner, 2009). To this end, criminal law justice provides that the person alleging the commission of a crime must proof beyond reasonable doubt that the accused person(s) possessed mens rea, if the court is to hold a criminal liability against the accused. In the case of People of the State of California v. Orenthal James Simpson (1995) or what has come to be famously known as the O.J. Simpson Trial is a classical illustration of how highly the U.S. criminal justice regards the beyond reasonable doubt principle.