The O.J. Simpson trial is without doubt one of the most closely-analyzed authorized circumstances and media occasions in current historical past. While you began in on this collection, have been you involved that there was nothing left to say?
No, as a result of I checked out it as being a car for exploring how time has modified peoples’ opinions. I used to be excited to see what Mark Fuhrman is like now—is he nonetheless bitter? And he completely is. We additionally leaned into Courtroom TV’s archive and it’s wonderful the gems you discover that you simply didn’t understand you had. Additionally, the extra time that has passed by, the individuals who that thought the jury received it proper on the time have modified their minds. While you take a look at the proof they’d in opposition to O.J., the truth that we was discovered not responsible is astonishing now. Nevertheless it made good sense then, as a result of there have been so many contributing components.
From the primary episode, the collection may be very important of the prosecution particularly, stating what they did fallacious.
If the prosecution may return and do it once more, they’d completely do a variety of issues in a different way. The choice to maneuver the path from Santa Monica to downtown L.A., the bloody glove, the post-racial stress of town post-Rodney King—you pull out any of these substances and I believe you’ve a unique outcome.
Considered one of our most fascinating interviews was with Lon Cryer, a juror within the case who took notes. You possibly can inform that he was actually swayed by Furhman and the concept that somebody may have planted proof. I don’t suppose that hit residence with him till the depth of Fuhrman’s racism got here out. Then he was like, “As loopy because it sounds, possibly he did plant that glove.”
You weren’t on the court docket beat on the time, however have been there issues concerning the tenor of the media protection that jumped out at you as a journalist?
It was actually the gavel-to-gavel side and the truth that was the nation’s first actual inside look right into a prison trial. It was a window right into a world that you’d possibly hear about or see highlights of, however this was the primary time {that a} good chunk of the nation sat down and watched the authorized system play itself out in a courtroom. It was a sluggish burn over eight months with tedious moments and dramatic moments. I used to be fascinated by Choose Ito, by the attorneys, by Kato Kaelin—I used to be completely hooked.
There’s been a variety of discuss within the three many years since about how the heavy media presence impacted how the authorized groups behaved in court docket. Do you suppose it was an element?
