O.J Simpson Murder Trial 1995

 

O.J Simpson was a popular retired football player who was accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Simpson Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman in 1995. The case was a worldwide sensation, not only for his behaviour, especially known for his car chase in his white Ford Bronco on the highway and putting on a black glove that was found at the crime scene that was being used against him, but also for his celebrity.  The case tugged at a lot of people’s emotions as many people felt he was given the wrong verdict. In the 1995 case the jury found him not guilty in both counts of the murders of Nicole Simpson Brown and Ronald Goldman.

                O.J’s celebrity and money is what made his case one of the most talked about cases of all time, in my opinion. This case was one of the reasons why I was unsure of how I felt about cameras being in the courtroom. Even though this is not a Canadian Case, it does still affect Canadians because our judicial system is very similar, and Americans are our next door neighbours.  I felt as though the video broadcasting of the trial took the focus away from the victims, and it became all about O.J. However, I am also glad that the trial is viewable because it shows that you cannot always take someone else’s word, and you must witness things yourself to make a formal decision of what your opinion is.

                Below are two small clips from the trial. The first is the infamous “If the glove doesn’t fit, you must aquit” speech delivered by one of O.J’s lawyers Johnny Cochran. The second video is the verdict being delivered. It is emotional as you can hear the family members of Ronald Goldman bursting into tears.

Watch the clips and you decide if the cameras in court had an effect on the way the trial was received by the public.