On this day in history, October 3, 1995, OJ Simpson was found not guilty of the murders of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: It has been 25 years since OJ Simpson was acquitted of the charges of killing his estranged spouse, Nicole Brown Simpson, in a trial that both stunned the global community and remains a subject of enduring fascination.
The widely recognized "trial of the century" lasted for nine months, but the jury's verdict of Simpson's innocence in the homicides of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman was delivered in less than four hours.
OJ Simpson's life and career
OJ Simpson, whose full name is Orenthal James Simpson, is a former American football player, actor, and television personality.
He was born on July 9, 1947, in San Francisco, California. Simpson achieved fame as a professional football player in the National Football League (NFL) and was widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs in NFL history.
He played for the Buffalo Bills and later for the San Francisco 49ers.
What was the OJ Simpson trial?
In the landmark case, OJ faced charges for the 1994 killings of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. Simpson was found not guilty, and millions of people followed the trial's televised coverage.
Who represented OJ Simpson during his trial?
The legal team defending OJ Simpson comprised lawyers such as F Lee Bailey, Robert Blasier, Shawn Chapman Holley, Robert Shapiro, and Alan Dershowitz, with Johnnie Cochran eventually assuming the role of the lead attorney. This group of attorneys gained fame as the "Dream Team."
OJ Simpson case: Marathon trial
The OJ Simpson trial jury commenced deliberations on October 2, 1995, and remarkably, they arrived at a verdict in under four hours. Nevertheless, Judge Lance Ito postponed the announcement until the subsequent day.
On October 3, the verdict was disclosed, declaring Simpson not guilty of the homicides of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
A member of the jury, Lionel Cryer, expressed his opinion about the evidence, stating, "It was garbage in, garbage out."
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times (per Bustle) on the day after the verdict was delivered, Cryer said: "We felt there were a lot of opportunities for either contamination of evidence, samples being mixed or stored together."
"It was like a 'right on' to you, Mr. Simpson. Get on with your life. Get your kids. Be happy. Get some closure in your life," he added.
Did OJ Simpson face another trial?
Following the 1995 criminal trial of OJ Simpson, where he was acquitted, the families of the victims filed a wrongful death lawsuit against him. The civil trial commenced in October 1996, and Simpson was held liable for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. As a result, their families received a $33.5 million damages award.
Who were the key figures in the OJ Simpson trial?
The trial began on January 24, 1995, with Judge Lance Ito presiding. The Los Angeles district attorney's office was led by Marcia Clark and Christopher Darden, while OJ Simpson's defense team, known as the "Dream Team," included F. Lee Bailey, Robert Blasier, Shawn Chapman Holley, Robert Shapiro, Alan Dershowitz, and Robert Kardashian, with Johnnie Cochran later becoming the lead attorney for the defense.
What were the main arguments presented by the prosecution and defense during the trial?
The prosecution emphasized domestic violence as a motive for the murders. The defense argued that evidence had been mishandled and that there was racism within the Los Angeles police department. They claimed that crucial evidence had been planted by the police to frame Simpson.
How did public opinion and media coverage influence the trial?
Public opinion on Simpson's guilt or innocence was largely divided along racial lines, with many African Americans supporting Simpson and most white Americans believing in his guilt. The trial received extensive media coverage, making its major figures instant celebrities.