
My long-time friend and former colleague, Steve Werblin, one of the country’s top courtroom artists, just brought something to my attention that rocked me back on my heels – that 30 years ago, in the Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles, Judge Lance Ito, began jury selection in the criminal trial of Orenthal James Simpson.
Happy 30th Anniversay, to all of you in the massive journalism community that provided coverage for what would come to be called, “The Trial of the Century.”
For those of you not old enough to remember, football legend, O,J. Simpson, was charged with murdering his ex-wife Nicolle Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman. The two were stabbed to death on the walkway outside Nicole Brown’s condo in Brentwood, California, on June 12th of 1994. Goldman, was killed after arriving to return a pair of glasses, Nicole’s mother had inadvertently left at a restaurant where he, Ron Goldman, worked, waiting on tables. A river of blood flowed down the walkway stairs. CBS Cameraman Carl Stein, was first at the scene, followed a few minutes later by me and my cameraman, Bill Knight, from KTLA.
I visited at a lot of crime scenes in my career, but this was something I’ll never forget. All that blood. At the time, is was inconceivable that O.J. Simpson, two-time All-American from USC, Heisman Trophy winner and comedic good guy from the “Naked Gun” movies, could have played any part in the murders.
Eventually, Simpson would be found “not guilty.” Later, he would be found liable for the deaths of his ex-wife and Ron Goldman. In a civil trial, held in Santa Monica, a jury would find in favor of the plaintiffs for the amount of $33.5 million, most of which would never be paid out. But that’s not where it started. It started with the murders on June 12, 1994. For so many of us in the media, it began the next morning, leading to a pre-trial hearing that lasted longer than most murder trials and then with jury selection in October, of 1994. Probably forgotten by many, is that the prosecution decided to seek a life sentence without possibility of parole, if Simpson were found guilty. It turned out, he was not. He was acquitted.
Again, happy 30th, to all of you who were there when jury selection began in October of 1994. It saddens me that our grande dame of trial coverage, the great Linda Deutch of the Associated Press, is no longer with us. Also missing from our original front line are John North, of KABC, Chris Harris, of KTTV, Bill Knight of KTLA, Steve Chacon, of KABC and author Joseph Bosco. My apologies to any others that have passed on but have slipped my mind.
Hopefully what I have written here will prove to be factual. It’s been a long time, and with no editor, I’m flying without a net. Please feel free to report any inaccuracies back to me for correction. Thanks, and God bless us, everyone. RO