The Criminal Trial
One of the longest trials in California history
74% of Americans knew who Kato Kaelin was - only 25% could identify Vice President Al Gore
91% of the television audience watched it
142 million tuned in on radio or tv for the verdict
An estimated 2000 reporters
80 miles of cable strung through the Criminal Courts Building for 19 tv stations
Coverage from 23 newspapers and magazines
The Los Angeles Times published over 1000 articles on the case
50,000 pages of transcript
Over 80 books published
The trial's estimated cost - more than 20 million to prosecute and defend
 
 

"We this afternoon are talking about the facts. And so it doesn't make any sense.
It just doesn't fit. If it doesn't fit, you must acquit"  -Johnnie Cochran.

"When you think about reasonable doubt, you think about not only a doubt found in reason opposed to mere possibility as I talked to you about before, but you talk about something that's missing that you need to believe that the Defendant is guilty. And in that sense, I compare it to a jig-saw puzzle. In order to get the picture, to know what a jig-saw puzzle is depicting, if you're missing a couple pieces of the sky, you still have the picture". -Marcia Clark

"There's a killer in this courtroom."  -Daniel Petrocelli
 

  Robin Clark 1955-1995
 

Ron Olsen             Joe Bosco            Walter Richards

The "snapping jackals" of the press-
"Snapping Jackals," that's what Judge Ito called us.  As is mentioned above,  an estimated 2000 reporters covered the Criminal Trial.
It started with  a double murder on Bundy Dr. on 6/13/94.  For some, it did not end until the conclusion of the Civil Trial in Santa Monica
on 2/10/97.    It was a 7/24 proposition.  Lives were literally put on hold..  People were married and divorced.  Birthdays were celebrated on
the 12th floor of the Criminal Courts Building.  People died.  Chris Harris of KTTV, had a heart attack and  passed away as the
Criminal Trial was getting started.  Robin Clark of the Philadelphia Inquirer, died in an auto accident on Pacific Coast Highway.
  Author Joe Bosco, kept covering the trial despite a broken neck.  KTLA Anchor Marta Waller, was hospitalized for back surgery.
The Federal Building in Oklahoma City exploded.  Through it all, the trial moved on for nine long months.   Then came the depositions
at Dan Petrocelli's office in West L.A. prior to the Civil Trial in Santa Monica.  Most of the old players from the Criminal Trial
returned, along with a few newcomers.   The Civil Trial ended, but the story kept going with  financial accountability hearings.

In his book "A Good Life," Ben Bradlee writes that there are certain events that "mark your life."
The Simpson Trials marked many lives - only  those who were there can understand precisely what that means.

Here is a list of some of the journalists who spent day after day in the legal trenches.

Steve Kindred - Furnell Chatman - John North - Michelle Caruso - Mike Fleeman - Dan Whitcomb - Linda Deutsch
Andrea Ford - Cynthia McFadden - Shirley Pearlman - Lonnie Lardner - Dominick Dunne - David Goldstein - Laura Mecoy
Jessica Seigel - Bill Robles - Dan Abrams - Matt Krasnowski - Chris Cahan - Joe McGinniss - Bill Boyarski
Henry Weinstein -  David Margolick - Joe Bosco - Janet Gilmore - Mona Edwards - Jacquelin Sonderling - Harvey Levin
Chris Harris - Steve Werblin - Vinnie Schodolski - Marta Waller - Bryan Bland - Kitty Felde - Larry Schiller -  Robin Clark
Jeffrey Toobin - Monika Evans - David Dow - Rikki Klieman - Fred Graham - Mary Jane Stevenson - Jane Wells
Robert Virella - Carlos Quintero - Barbara Tarlau - Rodney Gilmore - Lou Cannon - Walter Richards - Ron Olsen
 
 

The Criminal Trial

The Civil Trial

Sights and Sounds of the Simpson Trial

CNN's Main Simpson Trial Page

The Criminal Trial from "Famous American Trials"
 

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