OJ Simpson is Guilty in Vegas
As I watched OJ Simpson's recent guilty verdict, I couldn't help but focus on his hands in handcuffs as he was led out of the courtroom, bail pending sentence denied, on his way to jail. He will presumably be sentenced for a very long time -- he faces a minimum of 15 years on the top count -- first degree kidnapping with use of a deadly weapon (although he could be eligible for parole in 5 on that count). He stands convicted of 12 serious crimes including robbery, conspiracy, burglary, assault, coercion and use of a deadly weapon. He could be sentenced to consecutive terms which means, one sentence after another for each of his twelve convictions. This would essentially amount to a life sentence.
Thirteen years ago I was in a CNN studio in New York awaiting the verdict in the 'trial of the century.' We had all watched, opined, commented and argued about Simpson's guilt. My job that day, like so many 'experts' (I was the sitting District Attorney in Westchester County New York) was to give an immediate reaction to the verdict. I remember saying after a moment of disbelief, that the not guilty verdict in a case where the evidence was overwhelming, was shocking. After that I stated, as with all verdicts guilty or not guilty, we as a society needed to both accept and respect the jurors' decision and move on.
I wonder if we have. Although I do not doubt for one minute the overwhelming proof of guilt against O J in this most recent verdict -- the audio tapes, the video tapes, the testimony of the prosecution witnesses and the arrogance of OJ saying he was conducting his own sting operation, I have always worried about the perception of the criminal justice system -- the system to which I have devoted 30 years of my life.
Rearing its ugly head again is the issue of race. There were no African Americans on the jury and though this in itself is not grounds for a reversal, the issue of how blacks were removed from the jury selection panel will be important in the appeals process. A peremptory challenge is one for which there need be no reason given. However when the peremptory challenge is to eliminate the only two African Americans from the panel, the United States Supreme Court (Batson v. Kentucky) prohibits their removal for racial reasons. Although a defendant has no right to a jury composed in whole or in part of persons of his own race, they cannot be removed because of their race and if the process went as required the district attorney would have to say that they were not removed on account of race.
Juror questionnaires indicate that a number of the jurors who actually deliberated and returned a verdict of guilty stated that the first jury got it wrong. Jury selection (voir dire) is intended to eliminate from the jury anyone who might have any preconceived notions about the guilt of the defendant. You might be wondering how anyone living on the planet 13 years ago could NOT have an opinion about OJ's guilt. But something keeps pulling at me. Given the enormity of the evidence against OJ, why would anyone have been on that jury who basically thinks he got away with two brutal murders when he was acquitted in 1995?
An appellate court will surely (assuming these issues have been preserved for appeal) review this issue. Of greater concern, in my mind, is the issue of those jurors who felt the first jury didn't get it right. Hopefully the record is clear on their representation that the acquittal had nothing to do with the guilty verdict in this case.
The opinions expressed in Jeanine's Journal belong solely to Jeanine Pirro, and do not reflect the opinions or beliefs of the series' producers, AND Syndicated Productions, Inc., its parents and successors, employees, officers, agents, directors, subsidiaries, divisions, affiliates and assigns. Producers are not responsible for the accuracy of any information provided by Ms. Pirro. It is recommended that you consult with an attorney in your area.
|
previous: Caylee Anthony, Casey Anthony and Spin
|
Comments (9) | Post a comment now »
 |
||
|
||
|
||
 |
||
|
||
|
||
advertisement
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
|
||
|
||
|
|
||
|
||
|
||
Important websites to help.
|
||
|
- Home |
- Show Info |
- Meet the Judge |
- Resources |
- Jeanine's Journal |
- When It's On |
- Tickets |
- Newsletter |
- In the News
| Visit these related sites | |||||
 |
|||||
| Ellen | Extra | Luxaholics | The Bonnie Hunt Show | The Tyra Banks Show | TMZ |
| Essence | Judge Mathis | Momlogic | The People's Court | The WB | |
There should be a new Law: Stupid people can't own a computer or have Internet.
Susan 1-800-hooked-on-phonics.
Susan...Never, EVER, type with mittens on
I have a headache now from trying to read your post.
I can't believe that intelligent people could POSSIBLY think that O.J. Simpson wasn't responsible for his ex-wife & Ron Goldman's death.All these years later & people still DOUBT it? Are you all OUT OF YOUR MIND!!?? He battered his wife for years & regularly told her that he "would kill her, because if he couldn't have her - no one would".
The reason he got off was because of the clever smoke screen his defense attorneys cooked -up ; issues of race,why the gloves didn't fit, etc.
IT WAS A CIRCUS! Did no oone ever think to consider - why ANYONE would murder these people? No robbery, no forced entry - no enemies. The only person with a motive, means, access, knowledge of the property where the murder took place, & physical ability WAS O.J. Simpson.
So the people involved in the trial & the criminal Justice system have alot to sort out & alot to answer for. But, ultimately O.J. Simpson broke the law in Las Vegas, period. Do you carry a gun & plan to kidnap & rob people when you go to Las Vegas?
IF he broke the law, he should expect to be dealt with the same as you & I under the same circustances and according to the laws of the state. As far as getting away with the murder of two people, one of which gave birth to his two children - I hope he rots in hell. He WILL have to answer to another Judge - the onw who KNOWS EXACTLY what he did, how he lied, and how he got away with it. Oh, yeah & so will his lawyers in the murder trial - because they concealed the truth from everyone, so as far as I'm concerned it's like they held the knife..........
I for one, do NOT mind if this jury had an agenda, as the original murder trial group had agendas, mainly wanting him to walk and teach 'whitey' a message, so they messed up big time and he should have been in prison for 13 years now. It wouldn't have been too bad for his kids, as they could have visited him every week all along. He wanted Nicole to have abortions with Sydney and Justin anyhow, and being a total Narcissist, the people in his life are just pawns that he uses and abuses for his own pleasure and discards when no longer needed. Believe me, the aftereffects of the oj trial are STILL reverberating, as most white folks voted against Barack Obama in part because of sour feelings from that and it's almost 20 years ago! Figures that the only whites who voted enmasse for Barry and Mich were COLLEGE STUDENTS, most of whom were 4 or 5 when the verdict came down. They and nearly ALL blacks and 3/4 of hispanics are the ones who put B.O. in office.
Sharon and Susan- Your grammar is horrible.. it is incredibly difficult to read anything either of you say. Susan- your spelling is aweful and I agree with Billy, you sound like you are 5, therefore everything you said is now discredited. Sharon- Have you ever heard of run-on sentences? I understand that I am not an english major by any means, but add a coma or a period once in a while, all your words run together.
As far as the article goes, of course people are going to be bias one way or the other with OJ. I am only 22, and I remember this case being a big topic for discussion and controversy, so unless the entire jury is 18, he is not going to get a fair trial. As far as his kids are concerned, I feel really sorry for them, but that is no reason for their dad to get away with everything he has done. There are many kids who have been through a lot worse, and they will be fine. What kind of role model is he anyway? He is basically showing his kids that rules don't apply to everyone, only the people that can't afford to pay their way out of trouble. I hope OJ gets everything that is coming to him.
I feel because they could not get him for the first case that was against him that they which you can here it on the tape one of them that they said that they would get him this time, so basically they are retrying him for the first case. and yoou know it was when the ones that had the guns got off, the ones that made a profit from it got paid,so they got what they wanted on earth but They have the one and only true judge that they one day have to face if O.J killed his wife and that Ron he was aquitted on earth we should left it alone if really did it he have to face God who have power to know the real truth, they try to be God when they went after this man for this situp they did to him and now they are going to answer to the one and only true judge GOD i hope all who are involve Repent before they stand before him.And the Judge Know this was a set up but she just trying to please the goldman and the others that have not let 13years GO MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON THEIR SOULS>
Wow, susan. Your grammar skills are absolutely abysmal. You completely discredit your opinion by spewing it in a way that makes you sound like you're 5 years old. Go back to youtube with the rest of the illiterate cesspool.
More on topic: OJ's got a reputation of being in trouble with the law. He had the race card and expensive lawyers to bail him out the first time around. But not even high-priced lawyers can dig him out of this mess. His luck's finally run out and he's finally getting some long-overdue justice.
aloha- honor if that what you want me to call you now that you are a tv judge. 13 years ago when o.j simpson was charge of murdering 2 people his ex-wife and her friend ron goldman was killed in sourthern,california i felt sorry not only for o.j. but for his kids. and the los anglas districat attorney chris darn and marica clark and the los annglas police dept and mark fherman did something that stupid and dumb that the12 jury 13 years ago in california new that the police and the districat attorney did not do their job right at all. and that is wether simpson house guest kito kelin did hear or see anything wrong that night at simpson home in los anglas. 2- fherman did a stupid thing too on the witnesses stand by not saying a single thing at all and telling to judge lance ito and the 12 jury and the districat attorney that he wants to take his 5th by not answering any question at all. why don't you ask fherman why he did took the 5th 13 years ago in the murder trial 13 years ago. 3- in the this 3rd trial judge jackie glass choise not to have the goldman family testfied at all in this arm robbery trial and why did judge glass did that? 4th of all i still support simpson a lot till this day and i will continue to support simpson till he die from jail. the goldman family have no right to get anything at all from simpson all the stuff and what ever o.j. as right now in his home in the state of flordia will go to his kids and to his sister and the rest of his family. and if i was the goldman family i would stop nick and pick and moved on because fred and kip goldman must show proff that the stuff and the rest of the things they claim in from of the judge and show papers that simpson things and stuff is theres and they better do that if the goldman can proff in court w/ papers. if this case was in your tv courtroom and peoples court or judge grag mathis or judge jo brown tv court room the golman have no chance of winning at all. people like the goldman do not care what will happending to o.j. kids at all now that they will never get to see both of their parents any more. their mom is dead for the past 13 years and now their father will be in jail for the rest of his life by this stupid and dumb white jury of 12 and this stupid and dumb white districat attorney and stupid and dumb black and white friends that o.j. have and he played golf w/ all of these men. so think of what will be happending to o.j. kids that they will never hug their father or go shopping w/ their father or doing school work or play sports or their father will never get to see his kids marry or have gand kids ever again.people need to stop nick and pick on o.j. he does not have any money at all to give to the goldman family he have to use all of his retirment money to pay his lawyers and othetr bills and buy food for himself and his kids and buy school supply for his kids and food for his kids and clothes for his kids and himself. that where all of simpson money have went too when you retired from the nfl.