Today the news was filled with OJ Simpson, and I'm sitting here wondering what the hell kind of shitshow happened back then. I thought he went to prison for the murders? But then I look it up and find out he got sent to prison for something else entirely. Now I know that you guys can't answer about that case, but all my life I've been afraid to ask about it because it seemed like the most obvious thing - it's been referred to as the trial of the century. But then I start asking and it turns out that none of the people I know have any real idea what happened either, so I'm stuck.
Then I start reading about it and the whole thing is a damn mess. Kardashians were involved (I actually knew about this) but how the hell did they get all the recognition out of all the lawyers on the case? How did the whole thing go down? The more I read about it the more gargantuan of a clusterfuck it seems like. How did OJ end up being acquitted, I thought it was a sure thing that he did do it?
No, he went to prison for something completely different. He was acquitted of the murders.
If you have time, watch ESPN's "OJ Simpson: Made in America." It's a rather lengthy investment of time (3 episodes, 2 hours each), but it explains everything that went on in the case.
At the time of the trial I was unaware (read: naïve) of the level of mistrust the African American community in the Los Angeles area had of the LAPD. The ESPN documentary spent the first episode talking about that, as it plays a critical role in Simpson's acquittal. Countless incidents of abuse at the hands of the LAPD (for example, the shooting of Eulia Love) and miscarriages of justice (the murder of Latasha Harris) created a highly volatile, aggressive relationship (or lack thereof) between the LAPD, the LA justice department and the African American community. Most notably, the Rodney King incident could very well have been the final straw.
All of that came into play in the trial, and all the defense had to do was to create a sliver of reasonable doubt.
The police and the prosecution obliged.
Some of these details are blurry, but here's what I recall...
Investigators didn't take blood samples directly to the labs in a timely manner. The blood was left at (IIRC) the police department overnight and then taken to the lab a day or two later. Although that would probably not have presented much of a challenge in any other case, it was technically a breach of evidence protocol. The defense took full advantage. Sliver #1.
Then, of course, there's Detective Mark Fuhrman, who found the bloody glove behind the guest house. Fuhrman perjured himself on the stand, claiming he was not a racist. The defense produced recordings of Fuhrman using the word 'nigger' the way say grace before meals. He was completely discredited as the racist pig he is (was?). Sliver #2.
Most infamously, the prosecution screwed itself. Chris Darden, one of the prosecutors, insisted on making Simpson try on the bloody glove in court. It didn't fit. The reasons/excuses for the glove not fitting are myriad, but Simpson half-assed putting it on. It didn't help that it was a leather glove that had been drenched in blood and had lost some of its shape. Not to mention the fact that Simpson had to fit it over a latex surgical glove which was intended to protect the glove since it was a piece of evidence. It was a circus. Darden should've known better, and Marcia Clark (lead prosecutor) should've kicked him off the team for even suggesting it. Sliver #3.
With the history of race relations in LA, it would not have taken much to create reasonable doubt. The defense barely had to even lift a finger.
Hope that helps.