what lawyer was on the case of the oj simpson

by Pink Price 8 min read

The prosecution team was comprised of attorneys Marcia Clark, Christopher Darden, Gil Garcetti, Hank Goldberg, and William Hodgman Victims: OJ Simpson was accused of the murder of 2 individuals: Nicole Brown Simpson (35); former wife of OJ Simpson

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Jun 08, 2020 · Alan Dershowitz. Barry Scheck. Peter Neufeld. Gerald F. Uelmen. Click to see full answer. Accordingly, who was OJ Simpson's first lawyer? Simpson was represented by a high-profile defense team, also referred to as the "Dream Team", which was initially led by Robert Shapiro and subsequently directed by Johnnie Cochran.

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What was the O.J. Simpson trial?

The O.J. Simpson trial was the criminal trial in which former gridiron football star O.J. Simpson was tried for the 1994 murder of his ex-wife Nico...

Who represented O.J. Simpson during his trial?

The attorneys representing O.J. Simpson included F. Lee Bailey, Robert Blasier, Shawn Chapman Holley, Robert Shapiro, and Alan Dershowitz. Johnnie...

When did the jury reach a verdict in the O.J. Simpson trial?

On October 2, 1995, the jury for the O.J. Simpson trial began deliberating, and its members reached a verdict in less than four hours. Judge Lance...

Was O.J. Simpson tried again after his 1995 criminal trial?

After O.J. Simpson's 1995 trial, which was a criminal case, the victims’ families sued Simpson for wrongful death. The civil trial began in October...

Who was the LAPD criminalist who testified in the 1995 trial?

LAPD criminalist and hair fiber expert Susan Brockbank testified on June 27, 1995, and FBI Special Agent and fiber expert Doug Deedrick testified on June 29, 1995, to the following findings:

Who was the victim of the Lance Ito trial?

J. Simpson was tried and acquitted for the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald "Ron" Goldman.

What glove did Fuhrman find?

In a walk around the premises to inspect what may have caused the thumps, Fuhrman discovered a blood-stained right-hand glove, which was determined to be the mate of the left-hand glo ve found next to the body of Goldman. This evidence was determined to be probable cause to issue an arrest warrant for Simpson.

When was the blood on the back gate of the Bundy crime scene?

The defense alleged that Simpson's blood on the back gate at the Bundy crime scene was planted by the police. The blood on the back gate was collected on July 3, 1995, rather than June 13, the day after the murders. The volume of DNA on that blood was significantly higher than the other blood evidence collected on June 13. The volume of DNA was so high that the defense conceded that it could not be explained by contamination in the lab, yet noted that it was unusual for that blood to have more DNA on it than the other samples collected at the crime scene, especially since it had been left exposed to the elements for several weeks and after the crime scene had supposedly been washed over. On March 20, 1995, Vannatter testified that he instructed Fung to collect the blood on the gate on June 13 and Fung admitted he had not done so. The defense suggested the reason why Fung did not collect the blood is because it was not there that day; Scheck showed a blown-up photograph taken of the back gate on June 13 and he admitted he could not see it in the photograph.

Why are DNA tests not reliable?

Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld argued that the results from the DNA testing were not reliable because the police were "sloppy" in collecting and preserving it from the crime scene. Fung and Mazzola did admit to making several mistakes during evidence collection which included not always changing gloves between handling evidence items, packaging and storing the evidence items using plastic bags, rather than paper bags as recommended, and storing them in the police van, which was not refrigerated, for up to seven hours after collection. This, they argued, would allow bacteria to degrade all of the "real killer (s)" DNA and thus make the samples more susceptible to cross-contamination in the LAPD crime lab.

What is the book if I did it about?

In November 2006, ReganBooks announced a book ghostwritten by Pablo Fenjves based on interviews with Simpson titled If I Did It, an account which the publisher said was a hypothetical confession. The book's release was planned to coincide with a Fox special featuring Simpson. "This is a historic case, and I consider this his confession," publisher Judith Regan told the Associated Press. On November 20, News Corporation, parent company of ReganBooks and Fox, canceled both the book and the TV interview due to a high level of public criticism. CEO Rupert Murdoch, speaking at a press conference, stated: "I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project."

What was the defense team's reasonable doubt theory?

The defense team's reasonable doubt theory was summarized as "compromised, contaminated, corrupted" in opening statements. They argued that the DNA evidence against Simpson was "compromised" by the mishandling of criminalists Dennis Fung and Andrea Mazzola during the collection phase of evidence gathering, and that 100% of the "real killer (s)" DNA had vanished from the evidence samples. The evidence was then "contaminated" in the LAPD crime lab by criminalist Collin Yamauchi, and Simpson's DNA from his reference vial was transferred to all but three exhibits. The remaining three exhibits were planted by the police and thus "corrupted" by police fraud. The defense also questioned the timeline, claiming the murders happened around 11:00pm that night.

1. Dream Team (law) – Wikipedia

The “Dream Team” refers to the team of trial lawyers that represented O. J. Simpson in his 1995 trial for the murder of his former wife, Nicole Brown ‎Barry Scheck · ‎Carl E. Douglas · ‎Shawn Holley · ‎Gerald Uelmen (1) …

3. This is where some of the key figures of the OJ trial are now

Oct 2, 2020 — The incredibly expensive and much-hyped team of lawyers that defended Simpson included Johnnie Cochran, Robert Shapiro, Alan Dershowitz, Barry (7) …

4. O.J. Simpson Trial: Where Are They Now? – ABC News

Jun 12, 2014 — Defense attorneys Robert Shapiro and Johnnie Cochran confer during testimony in the OJ Simpson Criminal Trial Defense attorneys Robert Shapiro (9) …

5. Dream Team (law) – Wikiwand

Team” refers to the team of trial lawyers that represented O. J. Simpson in prosecutors alleged Simpson wore during the murder did not fit Simpson’s (14) …

8. F. Lee Bailey, Attorney Who Defended OJ Simpson, Dies At 87

Jun 3, 2021 — LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — F. Lee Bailey, a criminal defense attorney who played a key role murder trial of O.J. Simpson as a member of the (24) …

9. Why did OJ Simpson have so many lawyers? – Quora

3 answersThe average defendant would not get the kind of defense team OJ had. Most defendants have one lawyer. Barry Scheck was the DNA and blood evidence guy. (27) …

When did the jury reach a verdict in the case of the Britannica?

Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now. On October 2, 1995 , the jury finally began deliberating and reached a verdict in less than four hours. Ito, however, delayed the announcement until the following day.

What is an encyclopedia editor?

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. ...

Who was the attorney who won the Simpson circus?

Following the Simpson circus, defense attorney Johnnie Cochran, he of the famous phrase “If it doesn’t fit you must acquit," went on to represent Haitian immigrant Abner Louima, winning him an $8.75 million settlement in his police brutality case against New York City.

What was the name of the football player who went on the lam in a white Ford Bronco?

Eighteen years ago football legend O.J. Simpson went on the lam in a white Ford Bronco and forever changed the lives of a handful of legal eagles. The drama inside the courtroom during the lengthy O.J. Simpson murder trial was more riveting than anything we now watch on reality television, which is why many the players became breakout stars in ...

How did Cochran die?

Cochran died in 2005 from a brain tumor. Combs, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Stevie Wonder, Magic Johnson and Simpson himself attended the funeral. Robert Shapiro, who has gone on to represent celebs like Lindsay Lohan and Eva Longoria, doesn’t like to talk about how the Simpson trial changed his life.

What is Shapiro's greatest happiness?

But Shapiro claims his greatest happiness comes from the work he does with his Foundation, named for his son Brent who passed away from a toxic mixture of drugs and alcohol.

When is Clark's second book due out?

She published her first legal thriller, “Guilt by Association,” last year and her second,“Guilt By Degrees,” is due out in May. But Clark doesn’t give the Simpson trial any kudos for giving her second career a launch pad (though she did get a reported $4.2 million for her 1997 memoir of the trial, "Without a Doubt").

Is Robert Kardashian still alive?

Of the defense "Dream Team" of Johnnie Cochran, Robert Kardashian, Robert Shapiro and F. Lee Bailey, only two are still alive. Kardashian, sire of the notorious reality TV family, died of esophageal cancer in 2003 at the age of 59.

The Evidence

The murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman was a violent crime. Accordingly, there was a large amount of blood at the crime scene. Almost all of the blood was found to have come from Nicole Brown Simpson and Goldman.

Prosecution Case

There were two pieces of physical evidence relied on by the prosecution:

Conclusion

The above discussion details just some of the many instances of mishandling and contaminating evidence that occurred during the investigation. It is no surprise that the jury were left with a reasonable doubt about whether OJ Simpson had murdered Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.

What did Cochran say about Simpson?

After prosecutor Darden made the mistake of demanding Simpson try on the ill-fitted bloody gloves, Cochran uttered the famous phrase: "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit.".

Who was the lead counsel in the trial of the murder of the slain woman?

On the prosecution side, Marcia Clark served as lead counsel, supported by Christopher Darden. Lasting close to a year, the trial and the events surrounding it were considered the most publicized events the world had ever seen. To many, it became a media circus full of colorful characters, opportunists and courtroom dysfunction ...

Why did Clark turn against Kaelin?

Due to Kaelin's shiftiness on the stand , prosecutor Clark turned against him and treated him as a hostile witness. Regardless, Kaelin — with his thick tufts of blond hair and surfer dude ways — gained considerable popularity in the media as a likable and comedic character of the trial.

Why was Park's testimony dismissed?

Reportedly, one juror wholly dismissed Park's testimony because he was unable to recall the number of cars parked at the Rockingham mansion.

Who was the witness for the prosecution?

Aspiring actor and houseguest of Simpson, Brian "Kato" Kaelin was a star witness for the prosecution. Present at Simpson 's Rockingham mansion at the time of the murders, Kaelin claimed that he ate dinner with Simpson that night but could not account for the star athlete's whereabouts between the hours of 9:36 p.m. and 11 p.m. (the prosecution theorized that Simpson murdered his ex-wife and Goldman between 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.).

Did Darden get intimidated?

Although Darden floundered at the start of the trial and was purportedly intimidated by Cochran, he gained momentum as events progressed. However, he made a consequential mistake when he demanded that Simpson try on the infamous bloody gloves, which ended up being too small for the accused's hands.

Who did Michael Jackson and James Brown represent?

Having moved up the legal ranks in L.A.'s criminal division, Cochran went on to represent some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Michael Jackson and James Brown. In 1994, he was considered one of the best trial lawyers in the nation, and it was Simpson himself who asked Shapiro to bring Cochran onto the team.

Who was responsible for Nicole Brown Simpson's death?

However, the Goldman family brought a civil case against Simpson, and in 1997 the jury in the civil case ruled him as “liable” for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman and decided that he must pay $33.5 million in punitive award to the victims’ families.

Why is civil law more private?

The government is more involved in this type of law because the defendant has broken a crime that was established by the government, such as murder or theft. However, civil law is more private; it deals with disputes between individuals and entities including defamation, divorce, and negligence .

What is the difference between civil and criminal law?

The answers lies in the many differences between criminal and civil law. 1. There are different parties in criminal and civil law. A major factor that we used to differentiate between criminal and civil law is the parties involved. In criminal law, the parties are the defendant (the person accused of committing a crime) and ...

What are the different types of sanctions?

There are different sanctions in criminal and civil law. The sanctions, often referred to as “punishments” also differ in both types of law. Criminal sanctions can be in the form of community service, rehabilitation, or jail sentence and can be as serious as life in prison or the death penalty. On the other hand, the penalties in ...

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Overview

  • It was around 1973 that he met O.J. Simpson, a football star of that time, and developed a friendship. The friendship soon turned into a professional relationship, with the two setting up a music video company and a frozen yogurt shop and hiring criminal defense attorney. Some one …
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Trial

Background

Murders

Simpson wanted a speedy trial, and the defense and prosecuting attorneys worked around the clock for several months to prepare their cases. The trial began on January 24, 1995, seven months after the murders, and was televised by closed-circuit TV camera via Court TV, and in part by other cable and network news outlets, for 134 days. Judge Lance Ito presided over the trial in the C.S. Fo…

Flight to Chicago

Nicole Brown met O.J. Simpson in 1977, when she was 18 and working as a waitress at the Daisy (a Beverly Hillsprivate club), and they began dating even though Simpson was already married. Simpson filed for divorce from his first wife in March 1979 and married Brown on February 2, 1985. Brown and Simpson went on to have two children, Sydney (b. 1985) and Justin (b. 1988). Accordin…

Arrest

On the evening of June 12, 1994, Brown and Simpson both attended their daughter Sydney's dance recital at Paul Revere Middle School. Afterwards, Brown and her family went to eat at Mezzaluna restaurant; they did not invite Simpson to join them. One of the waiters at the restaurant was Ron Goldman, who had become close friends with Brown in recent weeks, but was not assigned to the Brown family's table. Brown and her children then went to Ben & Jerry'sbefor…

Preliminary hearing

On the night of June 12, Simpson was scheduled to board a red-eye flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Chicago, where he was due to play golf the following day at a convention with representatives of Hertz rental car Corporation, for whom he was a spokesman. The flight was due to leave at 11:45 pm, and a limousinearrived early at Simpson's Rockingham estate to pick him up at arou…

Media coverage

After learning that Brown was the female victim, LAPD commander Keith Bushey ordered detectives Tom Lange, Philip Vannatter, Ron Phillips and Mark Fuhrmanto notify Simpson of her death and to escort him to the police station to pick up the former couple's children, who were asleep in Brown's condominium at the time of the murders. The detectives buzzed the intercom …