Episode 37: A Wrongful or Rightful Acquittal

Send us a text

Orenthal James Simpson, commonly known as O.J. or "The Juice," was an American football star, broadcaster, and actor, but perhaps best known for his murder trial for the deaths of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. On the evening of June 12, 1994, O.J. Simpson's ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were stabbed to death outside of Nicole's Brentwood, California home. The specific details of whether O.J. was involved in the deaths of Nicole and Ron will probably never be known, but their murders along with the arrest of the former NFL star kindled a series of events that world media outlets and the American legal system had never seen. The trial, lasting close to a year, and the events surrounding it were considered the most world publicized events at the time and would seem to split our nation where many were convinced of O.J.’s guilt and stunned by his acquittal while others were completely convinced of his innocence and celebrated the verdict. Several explanations have been proposed as to why OJ was acquitted including the fact that the prosecution failed to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt, allegations of a mismanaged crime scene, faulty DNA evidence, disreputable authorities, and conspiracy theories based on racial bias. The media's coverage of the case has also been blamed for influencing the behavior of the participants, and possibly influencing members of the jury. To many, the trial had become a media circus with a setting of a courtroom filled with dysfunction and full of vibrant characters, which seemed more like a Lifetime movie than an actual trial. However, many others believe O.J. was acquitted because he was innocent of the crime. So, was O.J. Simpson wrongfully acquitted of the murders of Nicole and Ron because of the mishandling of the case and the media’s sensational coverage or was he rightfully acquitted because he was in fact innocent? 
References: 
O.J. Simpson Murder Case: A Timeline of the 'Trial of the Century' (biography.com)

Case File: The OJ Simpson Trial — Forensic Science Society

The Real Reason O.J. Simpson Was Acquitted Of Murder (grunge.com)

Jurors Explain Why They Acquitted O.J. Simpson In Nicole Brown Murder (starmagazine.com)

10 Of The Most Shocking Facts From The O.J. Simpson Murder Case | Crime News (oxygen.com)

O.J. Simpson crime scene photos: **Warning** Graphic Images – Crime Online

O.J. Simpson trial | Summary, Lawyers, Judge, Dates, Verdict, & Facts | Britannica

Support the show

email- sinistercrimesandcocktails@gmail.com
website-https://www.sinistercrimesandcocktailspodcast.com/
Facebook Page-https://www.facebook.com/sinistercrimesandcocktails
Instagram Page-https://www.instagram.com/sinistercrimesandcocktails/
Cash App-