Went down memory lane with O.J. Simpson today, and I was surprised at how devoid of emotions I was when he was sentenced to at least 15 years for kidnapping.
I was in the newsroom of The Times of Northwest Indiana when the verdict in his criminal trial for murder was announced. I remember it vividly.
I had watched - even taped some of - that sensational trial. I'm a bit of trial junkie, and I thought it was riveting theater.
Like many people, I had zero doubt he killed his ex wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. The evidence was overwhelming.
But I thought the prosecution was so inept and outclassed by the defense team, that I could see where a reasonable person would have the slightest doubt. I mean for the love of God, I never took one law class, but even I would know not to let the defendant try on a piece of evidence unless I knew it would fit him - like a glove.
I was with a group of colleagues when that verdict was read, and there was stunned silence - except for one woman - she was black - who said "Good, he didn't do it anyway."
The emotions were raw. I can understand how some in the African-American community can believe O.J. was set up. Not a week goes by when we don't read about someone - who's usually black - is freed after 10 or more years in prison by DNA evidence. There's always some rationalization why that innocent person ended up in prison. And too often we shrug.
I shrugged today when I heard the O.J. verdict. I guess I had some satisfaction because I'll always believe he killed those two people.
And I almost believe he wanted to get caught and sent to prison. This kidnapping episode was just too bizarre.
I wondered how the Goldmans and Browns must have felt today, and I thought they probably felt some relief, but it was eclipsed by the fact this verdict won't bring their kids back.
Justice was served, for this case and I believe for the other one. But there is no victory. No cause for celebration. Just a shrug.
OJ verdict was good for America. For ONCE the majority of Americans got to feel the sting of perceived injustice. And minorities got to see a black man walk away scott free in America.
OJ walked because of M-O-N-E-Y and a broken system designed to favor whoever has money. The law is blind - its our system that is broken. And that is where America's real shame is. Nobody was angry at the SYSTEM. Whoever has the best lawyer wins - not JUSTICE. For once, the prosecuters was OUT-GUNNED. Usually its the other way around. Roman you are right, folks are rail-roaded everyday because they simply can't afford a defense like OJ could.
In the end, OJ proved to be just another priviledged rich guy. Smug and arrogant. A complete sucker who didn't know when he was ahead. How fitting for him to foolishly gamble it all away in Vegas. A smart man would have went somewhere warm and was never heard of from again. I know Johnny Cochran is turnning over in his grave.
Why drag this up...again?
I get it...it's news...it's on CNN, ESPN...I get the race thing.
Are we that desparate for this trash? I guess I know the answer to that.
Note where Judge Jackie Glasses nephew, Joshua Levine states TWICE that Judge Glass told her family that she didn't want the case -- while she was presiding over it: http://www.network54.com/Forum/153652/thread/1221314584/last-1228514782/O.J.+on+ice
The Justice Dept. should really be investigating this.
being arrogant and ignorant, last time I checked, werent crimes.
if they were, half this blog would be in jail.
bc
I'm disappointed in the verdict. I was hoping for the maximum penalty of life. It grieves me to think that his sentence can be reduced or that he'll be eligible for parole in a couple of years. O.J. is arrogant and contemptuous and a dangerous man who should not be free to bully his way through life. Jail is where he belongs with the rest of the criminals and thugs.
As an athlete, the Juice should understand that when the refs make a mistake there is always a make up call.
Roman responds: Well put.
While I personally believe OJ & accomplices were involved in the murder of Goldman & that poor excuse of a woman, I believe the jury was right to side w OJ. Even to this day, I still find it hard to accept the state of CA could be that inept in due process of law.
Voters don't know that the govt is to blame far more than Wall Street for the mortgage crisis. The govt was employing 100 people that had one responsibility: oversight of Fannie & Freddie Mae. Talk about ineptitude!
We all should cringe at the idea of Congress micro-managing any facet of Wall Street including Detroit's ugly 3.
The NV judge said it all when she referred to OJ as being both arrogant & ignorant. If he wanted his stuff back he should have gone through legal channels or hired contractors to get it.
Mulva has a point!
Simpson's defense attorney now claims that it was some how the judge's fault, complains that there were no blacks on the jury, and whines that there was a prejudice against O.J. because of his notoriety and his previous murder trial....
Cry me a river.
So a black jury sets him free after murdering two people and that is justice served yet when a white jury convicts him of a new crime in a different location it is racism?
If O.J. was worried that his murder trial might have an effect on a future trial for an armed commando assault of a hotel room some day then he should have thought about that before he hacked two people to death.
Yes there was racism in his murder trial and that is why he was freed.
A predominantly black jury turned their eyes away from the facts while making it into a trial against the L.A.P.D. and whites in general. They voted based on their personal feelings and not the facts.
Those feelings were based on race and you can try to sugarcoat it as much as you want.
It is what it is.
If that had been Joe Nameth on trial in 1995 with the same evidence against him then he would have been convicted in a heart beat and there would have been no public outcry or threats of rioting.
How is this one going to be explained away?
Is it not a crime for O.J. to burst into a room with weapons and hold someone against their will?
Who do you blame for this crime when he was caught red handed?
The truth is that O.J. got away with murder and he thought that he could do anything he wanted after that.
It is time to flush this turd once and for all.
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
Or at least it stays in the state of Nevada for a minimum of 9 years anyway.
I'll admit I was hoping for the max sentence to be handed down and I suppose the judge didn't want any chance of being accused of coming down hard on OJ because of his previous acquittal.
Sweeny loved your make-up call analogy. I really didn't sit glued to a TV during the murder trial and read maybe 10% of what was in the papers at the time. I guess deep down I was hoping somehow he didn't do it and something would come to light to prove it but it never did. I read Christopher Darden's book when it came out and suggest the people that think the prosecution was totally inept read it. The general public had much more information during the trial than the jury did thanks to many questionable rulings by Judge Ito as to what evidence would be allowed to be presented to the jury. I will agree the prosecution was out gunned by the so-called dream team but they were also up against a judge that was afraid of making any ruling that even remotely could appear to be prejudicial towards the defense in a nationally televised trial.
So now after years of failing to find "Nicole's real killer" on so many golf courses, seaching through so many sand traps and roughs and water hazards I guess OJ's undying love for Nicole must have led him to that Las Vegas hotel room to get his Heisman Trophy back because he needed something to be able to hold onto during the lonely nights.
Was justice served? I don't know but arrogance was definitely rewarded properly for once.
I know it's trite and cliche', but talk about karma!!! OJ has made a believer out of this sceptic.
I know he comes off as a buffoon, but Orenthal James is one highly intelligent S.O.B.
This man had it all; looks, brains, and a winning personality. If he had never even touched a football, I still believe he would have been successful in any endeavor that he undertook. He was a charter member of the Lucky Sperm Club.
When I look back at his murder trial, I reflect on more than the jury's inane decision.
The evidence was there.
The motive was there.
A plethora of circumstantial evidence was there.
And yet he slipped through the cracks. His elusiveness was the result of the fact that he left himself that slim margin of plausible deniability necessary to cast the ever improtant "shadow of a doubt".
The jury relentlessly chased that shadow until they finally caught up to it.
Afterwards, his house and pension secured by state and federal law, he was able to thumb his nose at the 33 million dollar judgement awarded to the Goldman family in his civil case.
All he had to do for the rest of his life was play golf, travel the world, and sleep with every bimbo dumb enough to fall for his line of BS.
In retrospect, I guess he wasn't all that smart after all.
Fred Goldman is a pimp. He made out the best in this whole ordeal!
What really is going to eat up Orenthal is the fact he's going to have to spend 23 hours of the day in isolation thinking how utterly stupid he is. If he had committed a crime like assault or was busted in a drug sting he would know he's in jail for a legitimate reason and not for this, which I'm sure in his mind didn't think was a big deal. HOW SWEET IT IS!! Not only is a double murderer put away for a long time but he will be tormented every day for being so stupid.
Hey Juice, you can slice up a couple of people but don't go trying to get back your footballs and bobble head dolls.
"being arrogant and ignorant, last time I checked, werent crimes."
true enough...last time I checked, armed robbery was...
"Fred Goldman is a pimp. He made out the best in this whole ordeal!"
Melvin - I can only assume if a guy murdered your son you'd be able to let it go...
Carl:
I too was going to respond to Melvin; but what can you say to someone who isn't even intelligent to realize that he's a moron?
MarkV...to answer your question...feel free to look back on my last two years of posting on your posts.
;)