OJ Simpson murder trial: How the dramatic court case unfolded

Published

1 month ago

April 14, 2024

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Former American footballer and actor OJ Simpson, who has died of cancer, will be remembered most for his role at the centre of the “trial of the century”.

Accused of double murder, his case captured the attention of the US until it came to a dramatic end in late 1995.

Here’s a look back at how that trial unfolded.

12 June 1994

Simpson‘s ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson was found dead in front of her home in Los Angeles with her friend Ronald Goldman, who was a waiter at a restaurant where she had just dined.

The pair had been stabbed to death outside her home in the neighbourhood of Brentwood.

17 June 1994

After the bodies were found, suspicion quickly fell on Simpson, who had been married to Nicole for seven years until their divorce became final on 15 October 1992, little more than 18 months before her death.

Simpson had been ordered by prosecutors to surrender, but on this day, carrying a passport and a disguise, he instead fled, with friend and former team-mate Al Cowlings in a white Ford Bronco.

The vehicle was soon spotted on a California freeway and pursued by police in a car chase that was televised live across the country and watched by an estimated 95 million viewers.

Cowlings, in a phone call to police, said Simpson was lying in the back seat of the car holding a gun to his own head. After eventually driving to his Brentwood home he was persuaded to surrender.

Sky News’ Steve Bennedik recalls how Simpson’s trial was covered

It was the first few weeks of 1995 when Sky News’ live coverage of the OJ Simpson court case got under way. Each evening we showed the trial and invited questions. In those days, the main form of correspondence was by letter.

But there was also a new electronic method emerging, called email. And the first of these had the simple, but deflating, sentence: “Which one is OJ?”

We asked ourselves: Is our audience ready to follow the story of a very American tragedy unfold on British TV? We decided to stick with it.

In contrast, OJ Simpson was a household name in the US. So much more than an ex-football star. But the shock of this icon being arrested for murder, the bizarre Bronco highway chase, the high-profile celebrity defence team, and ultimately the “did he do it?” question had universal attraction.

Although the case stuttered through until October, the weak Judge Lance Ito was obsequious to lawyers’ demands for delays, but the interest among Sky News viewers surged and remained undimmed.

As the court camera panned to the state of California seal, signalling another adjournment, we and no doubt the viewer sighed.

More behind-the-scenes legal wrangling, but we had an ace up our sleeve – Professor Gary Solis. Gary is a Vietnam veteran, former military judge advocate, with alma maters including George Washington University and the London School of Economics.

At the time, he was in London and ready to give up his evenings. He calmly steered our presenters, Laurie and Vivien, and our often puzzled viewers through the complexities of the Californian legal system and became a firm favourite with the newsroom and the public alike.

The court characters emerged. Marcia Clark and Christopher Darden for the prosecution, and the “Dream Team” defence – Jonnie Cochran, F Lee Bailey, Alan Dershowitz and Robert Kardashian, whose children would go on to outshine his fame.

It was compelling court drama, but it was also the very tragic story of two young people who’d been savagely attacked and murdered, with their families devastated by the loss, and tormented by the lingering back and forth court battle.

The proceedings had lasted months, but the jury reached their verdict in just a few hours and when they returned to the courtroom to deliver it, an early evening audience in the UK was hanging on every moment. And then it was over. OJ was a free man.

The People of the State of California v Orenthal James Simpson faded as a memory, flickering back to life with the news of his death.

24 January 1995

The murder trial, dubbed the “trial of the century” by the media, began.

Prosecutors argued OJ Simpson had killed Nicole and Ron in a jealous rage, and they presented extensive blood, hair and fibre tests linking him to the murders.

The defence countered that the celebrity defendant was framed by racist white police.

15 June 1995

Perhaps the defining moment of the trial came on a Thursday in June, when the prosecution committed what a defence lawyer would later describe as the “greatest legal blunder of the 20th century”.

On this day, a prosecutor asked him to put on a pair of gloves believed to have been worn by the killer.

The gloves appeared to be too small, as OJ Simpson struggled to put on the gloves in a highly theatrical demonstration and indicated to the jury they did not fit.

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This led defence lawyer Johnnie Cochran to famously state in his closing argument: “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”

3 October 1995

The trial came to an end with two words – not guilty.

OJ Simpson, who maintained from the outset he was “absolutely 100% not guilty”, waved at the jurors and mouthed the words “thank you”.

US

Donald Trump trial star witness Michael Cohen accused of lying about hush money phone call

Published

4 hours ago

May 17, 2024

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Donald Trump trial star witness Michael Cohen accused of lying about hush money phone call

Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former “thug” and “pit bull”, has been accused of lying about a phone call he says he made to the former US president about payments to ex porn star Stormy Daniels.

Cohen, a lawyer who worked for the Trump Organisation from 2006 to 2017, has been giving evidence in the case about hush money payments to Ms Daniels – in an attempt to cover up an alleged sexual encounter in 2006.

Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, called into question an important detail – a phone call made by Cohen to Trump’s assistant, Keith Schiller, on 24 October 2016.

Cohen, 57, has maintained that during that call he spoke to Trump (who was either given the phone by Mr Schiller or placed on loudspeaker – we don’t know which) and told him he had paid Ms Daniels $130,000 in hush money on his behalf.

But Mr Blanche called this into doubt – showing the jury a number of interactions suggesting Cohen was in contact with Mr Schiller about a different issue at the same time, namely that he was receiving harassing phone calls and texts from a 14-year-old child.

“That was a lie – you did not talk to President Trump on that night, you talked to Keith Schiller about what we just went through,” Mr Blanche said.

Cohen said that, based on his records, he believes he spoke to Trump about the Stormy Daniels matter.

“We are not asking for your belief,” Mr Blanche said. “This jury does not want to hear what you think happened.”

That exchange was part of several hours of questioning which apparently sought to paint a picture of Cohen as someone who is eager to see his former boss behind bars.

Mr Blanche played jurors audio clips of Cohen saying the case “fills me with delight” and that imagining Trump and his family in prison made him feel “giddy with hope and laughter”.

“Does the outcome of this trial affect you personally?” Mr Blanche asked.

“Yes,” Cohen replied. He is due to return to the witness stand on Monday.

Cohen worked as the former president’s fixer. He once described himself as Trump’s “spokesman, thug, pit bull and lawless lawyer”.

He once said he would take a bullet for his boss and admitted at the end of questioning on Tuesday that he “violated my moral compass” while working for Trump.

Hush money payouts are not illegal, but Trump is accused of falsifying business records to hide it – a claim he denies.

US

Ex-US army sergeant convicted of killing Black Lives Matter protester in 2020 pardoned by Texas governor

Published

4 hours ago

May 17, 2024

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Ex-US army sergeant convicted of killing Black Lives Matter protester in 2020 pardoned by Texas governor

A former US army sergeant who killed a Black Lives Matter protester in 2020 has been issued a full pardon.

Daniel Perry was convicted of murder after shooting an armed demonstrator, 28-year-old Garrett Foster, an Air Force veteran, during the nationwide anti-racist protests that swept the US and the world in 2020.

He was being held in a state prison on a 25-year sentence since his conviction in 2023.

That was until Texas governor Greg Abbott issued a full pardon for the former soldier on Thursday.

Mr Abbott announced the pardon just minutes after the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles said it had made the unanimous recommendation that Perry be pardoned and given back his firearm rights.

The Republican governor had previously ordered the board, which he appoints, to review Perry’s case and said he would sign a pardon if recommended.

Mr Abbott’s demand for a review followed pressure from former Fox News star Tucker Carlson who, on national television, urged the Republican politician to intervene following Perry’s conviction.

As far back as April of last year, Mr Abbott tweeted: “I am working as swiftly as Texas law allows regarding the pardon of Sgt. Perry.”

Perry was jailed after prosecutors successfully used his social media history and text messages to portray him as a racist and someone who may commit violence again.

Mr Foster, who is white, had been legally carrying an AK-47 while marching in a Black Lives Matter protest when Perry killed him.

Perry was working as a ride-share driver in July 2020 and turned his car into a street crowded with demonstrators, shot Mr Foster, and drove off.

Prosecutors argued at trial that Perry could have simply drove off without opening fire.

Witnesses testified that they did not see Mr Foster raise his gun but Perry’s representatives in court claimed Mr Foster did raise his rifle, leaving the former soldier with no choice.

Perry, who is also white, did not take the witness stand and jurors deliberated for two days before finding him guilty.

In a statement posted on X, Mr Abbott said: “Texas has one of the strongest ‘Stand Your Ground’ laws of self-defense that cannot be nullified by a jury or a progressive district attorney.”

US

Joe Biden and Donald Trump agree on two head-to-head television debates

Published

1 day ago

May 15, 2024

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Joe Biden and Donald Trump agree on two head-to-head television debates

Joe Biden and Donald Trump have agreed to two head-to-head live televised debates in June and September.

After months of speculation about whether the traditional presidential debates would go ahead, the US broadcaster CNN has announced that a primetime debate will take place at its global headquarters in Atlanta on 27 June at 9pm.

ABC will host a second debate, scheduled for 10 September, just under two months before the election on 5 November.

For weeks, former President Trump has been using social media and rallies to goad President Biden into taking part in a debate.

“Anytime. Anywhere. Anyplace,” Mr Trump has repeatedly said.

Amid speculation over whether President Biden would be prepared to expose himself to the pressure and jeopardy of a live debate, the president used a radio interview in late April to confirm he would be “happy” to.

“I am happy to debate him,” he said. “I am, somewhere. I don’t know when,” he told SiriusFM radio host Howard Stern.

That revelation prompted back-channel conversations between staff from the two campaigns to agree a format.

The debates will bypass the presidential debate commission that traditionally coordinates the process.

Mr Biden’s team have insisted that the two debates do not include a live audience, a move the Trump team are understood to have agreed to.

An hour before CNN announced that it would host the first debate, President Biden released a clip on X confirming his willingness to take part.

“Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate,” President Biden said.

“Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal. I’ll even do it twice. So let’s pick the dates, Donald.”

In a jibe at Mr Trump’s court case in New York, which doesn’t sit on Wednesdays, Mr Biden added: “I hear you’re free on Wednesdays.”

‘He can’t put two sentences together’

Donald Trump responded with a lengthy statement on his own social media platform, Truth Social.

“Crooked Joe Biden is the WORST debater I have ever faced – He can’t put two sentences together! Crooked is also the WORST President in the history of the United States, by far,” he said.

“It’s time for a debate so that he can explain to the American People his highly destructive Open Border Policy, new and ridiculous EV Mandates, the allowance of Crushing Inflation, High Taxes, and his really WEAK Foreign Policy which is allowing the World to ‘Catch on Fire.'”

The former president continued: “I am Ready and Willing to Debate Crooked Joe at the two proposed times in June and September.

“I would strongly recommend more than two debates and, for excitement purposes, a very large venue, although Biden is supposedly afraid of crowds – That’s only because he doesn’t get them. Just tell me when, I’ll be there. ‘Let’s get ready to Rumble!!!'”

The summer and autumn clashes, to be moderated by as-yet unannounced star anchors, promise to be box office occasions with huge jeopardy for both candidates.