why didnpt oj want johnnie cochran to be his lawyer at first

by Mrs. Deborah Bednar 5 min read

Was Johnnie Cochran a good lawyer for OJ Simpson?

Not one of his better days. Published July 23, 2017This article is more than 2 years old. Johnnie Cochran, OJ Simpson’s lawyer, was able to win an acquittal for his client by making the mid-nineties trial about race, not a double murder.

What did John Cochran like to do as a lawyer?

Cochran had often liked to say that he worked "not only for the OJs, but also the No Js". In other words, he enjoyed defending or suing in the name of those who did not have fame or wealth. Cochran believed that most glorious moment as a lawyer occurred when he won the freedom of Geronimo Pratt.

Why is OJ not happy with new TV show about trial?

O.J. Simpson is not happy with the new television series focusing on his 1995 murder trial in Los Angeles because of the way it portrays one of his lawyers, Johnnie Cochran. Home U.K. News Sports U.S. Showbiz

What was the name of the lawyer that defended OJ?

In 1994, Cochran joined Alan Dershowitz, F. Lee Bailey, Robert Shapiro, Barry Scheck and Robert Kardashian to form the core of the so-called “dream team” of lawyers hired to defend athlete/actor O.J. Simpson in his trial for the murders of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.

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How did Johnnie Cochran become a lawyer?

He graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1959 and later earned a law degree from Loyola Law School (1962). After working for two years as a prosecutor for the city of Los Angeles, Cochran pursued a private career.

What did Johnnie Cochran say about OJ?

One phrase that came out the Simpson trial was the 'No-J's. ' He loved representing the everyday person,” Cochran said. Nearly two years after the verdict, Simpson was found liable for the wrongful deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman during a civil trial.

Did Johnnie Cochran represent O.J. Simpson?

Cochran did not represent Simpson in the subsequent civil trial and Simpson was found liable for the deaths. Cochran was criticized during the criminal trial by pundits, as well as by prosecutor Christopher Darden, for suggesting that the police were trying to frame Simpson because they were racist.

What did OJ whisper to his lawyer after the verdict?

Simpson lawyer Robert Shapiro appeared on Megyn Kelly's Fox special on Tuesday night, and finally revealed what his client whispered in his ear after the verdict was read. “You had told me this would be the result from the beginning.

Why did OJ win his criminal trial?

The Simpson defense was based largely on the grounds that evidence had been mishandled and that many members of the Los Angeles police department were racist, particularly Mark Fuhrman, a detective who allegedly found a bloody leather glove at Simpson's home.

What did OJ Simpsons lawyers say?

The eight-month Simpson trial took a physical toll on him: He said he lost 2o lbs, two teeth and had four root canal surgeries before it was over. He thought Cochran's famous line—”if the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit”— was “a kids rhyme for idiots.”

What Did O.J. Simpson do to the Kardashians?

Robert George Kardashian (February 22, 1944 – September 30, 2003) was an American attorney and businessman. He gained recognition as O. J. Simpson's friend and defense attorney during Simpson's 1995 murder trial....Robert KardashianKnown forO. J. Simpson murder case11 more rows

How much did Johnnie Cochran make on OJ?

Johnnie Cochran, the lead defense attorney of the so-called “Dream Team,” earned up to $5 million from helping to win Simpson's acquittal on double murder charges and went on to defend other high-profile defendants until he died of a brain tumor in 2005.

Was OJ at Nicole's funeral?

June 16, 1994Nicole Brown Simpson / Date of burial

What did OJ say to Robert Shapiro?

Shapiro also tells Kelly that Simpson whispered “you were right” in his ear in the moments after a jury acquitted him in 1995. Simpson was later found liable for the deaths by a civil jury. He's now serving prison time on a Nevada armed robbery conviction.

Did O.J. Simpson testify?

Simpson didn't testify at his criminal trial. If he had, his testimony would surely have become the most talked about portion of the case. But Simpson was not required to testify, and even without taking the stand, he was found not guilty of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.

Who was lead attorney for OJ?

F. Lee Bailey, the flamboyant defense lawyer best known for his key role in O.J.

When did Cochran return to the District Attorney's Office?

In 1978 , Cochran returned to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office in the leadership position of First Assistant District Attorney. Though he took a pay cut to do so, joining the government was his way of becoming "one of the good guys, one of the very top rung.".

What was the name of the celebrity that Cochran prosecuted?

In 1964, the young Cochran prosecuted one of his first celebrity cases, Lenny Bruce, a comedian who had recently been arrested on obscenity charges.

Where is Johnnie Cochran?

Cochran was born in 1937 in Shreveport, Louisiana. His father, Johnnie Cochran Sr. (1916–2018), was an insurance salesman, and his mother sold Avon products. The family relocated to the West Coast during the second wave of the Great Migration, settling in Los Angeles in 1949. Cochran went to local schools and graduated first in his class from Los Angeles High School in 1955. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business economics from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1959 and a Juris Doctor from the Loyola Law School in 1962. He was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and the fraternity's 45th Laurel Wreath laureate.

What did Cochran say in closing arguments?

During closing arguments in the Simpson trial, Cochran uttered the now famous phrase, "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit." He used the phrase, which had been devised by fellow defense team member Gerald Uelmen, as a way to try to persuade the jury that Simpson could not have murdered Nicole Brown Simpson nor Ron Goldman. In a dramatic scene, Simpson appeared to have difficulty getting the glove on; stained with blood of both victims and Simpson, it had been found at the crime scene.

When was Johnnie Cochran Vista renamed?

In 2007, the three-block stretch of the street in front of the school was renamed "Johnnie Cochran Vista". In 2007, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles opened the new Johnnie L Cochran Jr. Brain Tumor Center, a research center headed by noted neurosurgeon Keith Black, who had been Cochran's doctor.

What was the Supreme Court ruling in Tory v. Cochran?

Cochran. The court ruled 7–2 that in light of Cochran's death, an injunction limiting the demonstrations of Ulysses Tory "amounts to an overly broad prior restraint upon speech." Two justices, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, said that Cochran's death made it unnecessary for the court to rule. Lower courts, before Cochran died, held that Tory could not make any public comments about Cochran.

What was the reputation of Cochran?

By the late 1970s, Cochran had established his reputation in the black community. He was litigating a number of high-profile police brutality and criminal cases.

How did Johnnie Cochran win the OJ Simpson trial?

Johnnie Cochran, OJ Simpson’s lawyer, was able to win an acquittal for his client by making the mid-nineties trial about race, not a double murder. To do so, he manipulated the media, according to Christopher Darden, one of the prosecutors charged with trying Simpson. “Cochran used the media to change the conversation as effectively as Donald Trump ...

What is the famous line that Cochran said if the glove doesn't fit?

He thought Cochran’s famous line—”if the glove doesn’t fit, you must acquit”— was “a kids rhyme for idiots.”

How many teeth did Darden lose in the Simpson trial?

Darden dropped a few other intriguing tidbits in is AMA: The eight-month Simpson trial took a physical toll on him: He said he lost 2o lbs, two teeth and had four root canal surgeries before it was over. He thought Cochran’s famous line—”if the glove doesn’t fit, you must acquit”— was “a kids rhyme for idiots.”.

Did Darden say Cochran captivated the media?

Darden, who has maintained a low profile since the trial, didn’t elaborate on his Reddit comment, but he suggests that Cochran, through flamboyant statements and acts, was able to captivate the media, which in turn helped sway the jury. The parallels with Trump, whose tweets and statements can whip the media into a frenzy, are clear. His May 31 tweet of nonsense word “covfefe” for example, became the lead story on cable news, displacing coverage of the debate over health care and the Russia investigation.

Who is OJ Simpson's defense attorney?

+3#N#Copy link to paste in your message#N#Friends: OJ Simpson is unhappy with the way his defense attorney Johnnie Cochran is portrayed in the new TV series about his 1995 murder trial (above)

What is OJ unhappy with?

OJ Simpson unhappy with depiction of John nie Cochran in new TV show about his 1995 murder trial - but says he is not upset with the way he is portrayed in the series. OJ Simpson is unhappy with the way his defense attorney Johnnie Cochran is portrayed in the new TV series about his 1995 murder trial. Simpson did not say what made him upset about ...

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What book is the show The Run of His Life based on?

The show is based on the book The Run of His Life: The People vs. OJ Simpson, in which the author clearly states he thinks Simpson was guilty

Where is OJ Simpson being held?

The 68-year-old Simpson is being held at Lovelock Correctional Center on a 2008 kidnapping and armed robbery conviction. The show is based on The Run of His Life: The People vs. OJ Simpson, an account of the Trial of the Century which was written by New Yorker reporter Jeffrey Toobin.

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Who Was Johnnie Cochran?

Johnnie Cochran established himself as a sought after attorney dealing with high-profile police brutality cases involving the African American community . He attracted famous clients like Michael Jackson and led O. J. Simpson 's defense team in the 1995 murder trial. Amidst much debate over the case, Cochran entered the national spotlight and became a celebrity himself, making screen appearances and writing his memoirs.

Who is the lawyer who wrote Journey to Justice?

Cochran penned the books Journey to Justice (1996) and A Lawyer's Life (2002). He appeared on Court TV’s Inside America’s Courts and was also featured on a number of TV programs, including Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Chris Rock Show and The Roseanne Show as well as the Spike Lee film Bamboozled (2000). Cochran continued to take on new cases into the new millennium, ranging from work for clients like Abner Louima, who was tortured while in New York City police custody, and rapper/music mogul Sean "Puffy" Combs, to an anti-trust litigation issued against racing giant NASCAR.

When did the trial of the century start?

The “trial of the century,” as it was dubbed, began in January 1995 and was among the most publicized in history, followed by millions around the world. Cochran, displaying his trademark style, came to lead the team, with some conflict rising among the attorneys amidst sensational proceedings.

Who was the Nazi dictator who was found not guilty of murder?

Cochran thus made controversial closing statements in which he compared the detective’s philosophy to that of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Simpson was found not guilty in his murder trial, yet nonetheless faced civil litigation, with millions in damages awarded to the Brown and Goldman families.

Who was the attorney who took on the police abuse cases against African Americans?

In 1966, a Black motorist named Leonard Deadwyler, while attempting to get his pregnant wife to a hospital, was killed by police officer Jerold Bova. Cochran filed a civil suit on behalf of Deadwyler's family; though he lost, the attorney was nonetheless inspired to take on police abuse cases over the ensuing years. During the early 1980s, he oversaw a settlement for the family of African American football player Ron Settles, who died in a police cell under questionable circumstances. The following decade, Cochran won a huge, unprecedented court payment for a 13-year-old molested by an officer.

Who was charged with attempted murder?

Over the years, Cochran's roster included famous entertainers like actor Todd Bridges, who was charged with attempted murder, and pop icon Michael Jackson, with Cochran arranging an out-of-court settlement for the singer in relation to child molestation charges.

Was Pratt imprisoned?

Pratt was convicted and imprisoned, while Cochran maintained that the activist was railroaded by authorities, pushing for a retrial. (The conviction was eventually overturned after more than two decades. Pratt was released, with Cochran also overseeing a wrongful imprisonment suit.)

What did Cochran do in the 21st century?

At the beginning of the 21st century, Cochran oversaw 10 law firms throughout the country. He took on the role of chairman of the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, a publicly funded agency that sought economic development for the neighbourhoods of Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood.

Who was Michael Jackson's lawyer?

His clients included celebrities such as Michael Jackson and Tupac Shakur as well as minority victims of police brutality. Cochran first gained national recognition in 1994 when he joined the legal team defending Simpson, who was accused of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman.

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Overview

Legal practice

Inspired by Thurgood Marshall and the legal victory that Marshall won in Brown v. Board of Education, Cochran decided to dedicate his life to practicing law. Cochran felt his career was a calling, a double opportunity to work for what he considered to be right and to challenge what he considered wrong; he could make a difference by practicing law. In A Lawyer's Life, Cochran wrote, "I read …

Early life

Cochran was born in 1937 in Shreveport, Louisiana. His father, Johnnie Cochran Sr. (1916–2018), was an insurance salesman and his mother sold Avon products. The family relocated to the West Coast during the second wave of the Great Migration, settling in Los Angeles in 1949. Cochran went to local schools and graduated first in his class from Los Angeles High School in 1955. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business economics from the University of California, Los Ang…

Clients

Before the Simpson case, Cochran had achieved a reputation as a "go-to" lawyer for the rich, as well as a successful advocate for minorities in police brutality and civil rights cases. However, the controversial and dramatic Simpson trial made Cochran more widely known, generating a variety of opinions about him.
Cochran had often liked to say that he worked "not only for the OJs, but also the No Js". In other …

Illness and death

In December 2003, Cochran was diagnosed with a brain tumor. In April 2004, he underwent surgery, which led him to stay away from the media. Shortly thereafter, he told the New York Post that he was feeling well and was in good health.
He died from the brain tumor on March 29, 2005, at his home in Los Angeles. Public viewing of his casket was conducted on April 4, at the Angelus Funeral Home and April 5, at Second Baptist Ch…

Posthumous ruling

On May 31, 2005, two months after Cochran's death, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered its opinion on Tory v. Cochran. The court ruled 7–2 that in light of Cochran's death, an injunction limiting the demonstrations of Ulysses Tory "amounts to an overly broad prior restraint upon speech." Two justices, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, said that Cochran's death made it unnecessary for the court to rule. Lower courts, before Cochran died, held that Tory could not make any public co…

Legacy

• On January 24, 2006, Los Angeles Unified School District officials unanimously approved the renaming of Mount Vernon Middle School, Cochran's boyhood middle school, to Johnnie L Cochran Jr. Middle School in his honor. The decision received mixed responses.
• In 2007, the three-block stretch of the street in front of the school was renamed "Johnnie Cochran Vista".

In popular culture

After the Simpson trial, Cochran was a frequent commentator in law-related television shows. Additionally, he hosted his own show, Johnnie Cochran Tonight, on CourtTV. With the Simpson fame also came movie deals.
Actor Phil Morris played attorney Jackie Chiles, a character parody of Cochran, in several episodes of Seinfeld. He was satirized in the "Chef Aid" episode of the animated sitcom South Park, in whic…