The high profile case that I have decided to research is the case involving O.J. Simpson. I picked this case because it involved a former NFL running back and the NFL is my favorite sport to watch. Also, this case received a lot of media coverage and was talked about across the United States. The People of the State of California vs. Orenthal James Simpson (OJ) was deemed the trial of the century because there was so much media attention and people were talking about the investigation and trial all over the place. Former NFL running back, O.J. Simpson, was charged with two counts of murder for the 1994 homicide of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. O.J. Simpson was represented by the best lawyers whom the people called ‘The Dream Team’.
On June 12, 1994, Nicole Simpson Brown and Ron Goldman are murdered. Between the hours of 10:41 pm-10:45 pm: Brian 'Kato' Kaelin, who is Simpson's houseguest, hears a thumping noise on the opposite side of his wall and goes outside to investigate. Between 10:50 pm and 10:55 pm, a neighbor spots Brown's white Akita by itself and it is barking with bloody paws. At 11:01p.m., Simpson’s limo driver Allan Park sees Simpson exit his house and a few minutes later, Park drives Simpson to the Los Angeles International Airport for his flight to Chicago.
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On June 13, 1994, O.J. Simpson becomes a suspect in the investigation. Early that morning Brown’s dog led her neighbors to the dead bodies of her and Goldman which lied near a gate. What happens next was a pivotal moment in the investigation and the case. When the police arrived at O.J.’s mansion they discovered a blood-stained Bronco and a bloody glove that matches one found near Goldman’s body. The police get a search warrant and find even more blood traces on the property and in his Bronco. When O.J. arrives at his mansion he is handcuffed and questioned at the police station.
On June 15, 1994, Robert Shapiro takes over as lead counsel for Simpson. This was also a pivotal part in the investigation because O.J. was started to lose it from the pressure and questions and Robert Shapiro knew O.J. the best, since they were actual friends, and talked with him.
On June 17, 1994, Simpson flees and becomes a fugitive, even though he originally promised to surrender to authorities. He is later spotted off the freeway driving his white Bronco with his friend Al Cowlings in the driver's seat. Fans began to line the freeways to cheer him on. As helicopters follow Simpson's Bronco, an estimated 95 million people watch the 60-mile pursuit on TV (famously interrupting the broadcast of the NBA finals). Simpson ultimately surrenders at his house a little before 9 pm. He is arrested and thrown in jail without bail.
After the arrest, the trial occurs and the jury is picked. This trial was very long, going on for about 9 months, and had many different witnesses, pages of evidence, and exhibits. What I want to reiterate and talk about is the positive and negative aspects of O.J.’s case and the investigative steps that led to O.J.’s arrest. I believe there was a lot of negatives with this case and the only true positive thing of this investigation and case was that the media coverage was large and many people got to see the ongoing patterns of racial differences in America still going on during the time. This case had a lot of negative aspects whether it involved the prosecution doing the wrong things, witnesses, or police officers. The first negative aspect of the case was the Detective who arrived at the scene first. He denies being a racist and objects to the defense’s theory that he undermined the investigation by tampering with evidence. We later find out that what he found wasn’t solid evidence so did he tamper or did he not? Is he a good witness? Next, Criminologist Dennis Fung admits that proper protocols were not entirely enforced at the scene of the crime. This is very concerning. If no proper protocols were enforced at the crime scene who can we believe and is the evidence they found certain? Next, we learn that the DNA, that was presented at the trial, would have been one in 170 million people, including Simpson, would have the genetic characteristic as a drop of blood that discovered at the crime scene. Lastly, O.J. tries on the leather gloves that the detective found at the crime scene and says that they are too tight and they do not fit. So what gloves did the detective find? Did he plant evidence? We learn during the trial that tapes are released of Mark Fuhrman making multiple racial slurs and bragging about his enforcement of police brutality. This means he lied on the stand then. There best witness lied on the stand.
There were so many negatives things the prosecution and detectives did throughout this case. I agree that we need to find who killed these two innocent people but following protocol and doing things the right way is a must. It seems to me like maybe they wanted to pin it on O.J. The evidence is overwhelming for him but there is also some spotty evidence and evidence that could have been planted that was used.
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