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Full Case Discussion: If It Doesn't Fit, You Must Acquit


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Kato was on the phone with a friend when he heard the thumps, and he was so scared that the friend advised he get out of there for the night.  Later he talked to the limo driver about the thumps, as well as another caller, AND OJ, AND cops.

 

They happened. 

 

I'm missing the significance of the "thumps."  What were these noises supposed to result from and why was that important for the investigation?

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The prosecution speculated that OJ jumped the wall so the waiting Limo driver wouldn't see him coming back onto the property and slammed into the AC unit on Kato's guest house. The banging Kato heard was OJ hitting his home. The defense claimed OJ was hitting golf balls at night when he should have been getting in a Limo for his flight and they must have hit Kato's wall.

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Oprah interviewing Fuhrman in 2010.  She actually seems pretty impressed by him.

 

Finally watched this interview earlier this morning and really enjoyed it.  I will admit, that when this case imploded, and even though I thought OJ was guilty, I had a very bad opinion of Fuhrman.  And I liked him in this interview. BUT...did I read correctly? It was either here or in another thread, that he left the LAPD or tried to use racism as a disability*? Because, if so, that?  If it actually happened, I'm giving him a side-eye on, and any good feelings I have about him after watching the interview, will go straight down the tubes.

 

I can believe this case, and how it could impact his life, would take its toll. 

 

But I was totally nodding my head in agreement when he said, trying to put on a glove, that had shrunk due to it being drenched in blood, and it being able to fit, was impossible. Plus, OJ was wearing LATEX gloves underneath!

 

I didn't know about the gum. And now I know what "the fingerprint" is all about. From the lock. That met the standard 10 points.  And was gobsmacked, and still, not surprised that the locksmith assumed the evidence of it had been recorded and tossed it. Though at the same time, thinking, if it had been, the police would have confiscated it and put it into evidence. But what do I know?

 

*Law & Order I think it was, did an episode about a clearly racist cop, trying to get disability, saying working the streets, caused him to become racist, and he could no longer do his job and deserved compensation for it, or some such shit.  I know, I know, that was a television show, but my mind just went there!

Edited by GHScorpiosRule
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I'm missing the significance of the "thumps."  What were these noises supposed to result from and why was that important for the investigation?

That lead to Fuhrman checking the narrow walkway behind the house and finding the second glove.

 

It's weird, after looking at the house diagrams (they are posted earlier in this thread) and reading depositions, I really don't think he jumped that fence.  I DO think it was OJ back there though.  I think he was running fast in that area, probably to slip into the maid's room or garage for entry into the house, and slammed into that wall.  It's dark back there even during the day, and their was a lot of debris along that path, even old construction things like bricks/wood/toys (if I'm remembering correctly) and I think he tripped.

 

This was posted in the OJ thread, but near the end OJ does a tour of the house and the VERY cleaned up back walkway, so you can see for yourself in video.  What else could have caused those thumps?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYK4QvX26JE

 

 

If not, it was a hell of a coincidence that thumps strong enough to shift a picture 7" right when OJ was returning from the murders just happened.  I think Kato had a sense that things were off from all the strange OJ behavior earlier in the evening as well. He was practically terrified that night, and the police were able to track exact times with phone records.  All of this is in his civil deposition if you want to read it for yourself,  http://simpson.walraven.org/ 

ETA

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/confidential/dershowitz-calls-american-crime-story-totally-inaccurate-article-1.2534770

This link was in the show thread.  Alan Dershowitz calls 'People v. OJ Simpson’ series ‘totally inaccurate’

Edited by Umbelina
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I acknowledge that a lot of people dislike Mark Fuhrman, but I've seen his commentary for years on various news channels (they bring him on for major crimes), and I don't think he's evil. It's crazy to me that Fuhrman was the only person convicted of criminal charges in the Simpson case. He had retired prior to that, so it didn't have any impact.

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As I said earlier, within 2 years many of the books showed up in my local dollar store.  Fuhrman's, Marcia's, Darden's, Garcetti's, both of Faye's, and a few others.  I bought them all except Fuhrman's and Faye's.  Then I went back to buy ribbon and saw Furhman's again, and decided to buy it.  It was one of the better books, and yes, I did believe him. 

 

I've still never read Faye's, either one of them.  Of course there was SO much media about them I pretty much know what's in them, but actually buy them?  Not so far, it just, to me, felt so wrong.  No judgement on anyone else implied here, really, at that time in my life, I just was so completely disgusted that someone would profit from this, and so FAST, and with the Enquirer!  Ugh.  Now?  I might read them, but only if I can find them used, I don't want a penny going to Faye, not one cent.

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As I said earlier, within 2 years many of the books showed up in my local dollar store. Fuhrman's, Marcia's, Darden's, Garcetti's, both of Faye's, and a few others. I bought them all except Fuhrman's and Faye's. Then I went back to buy ribbon and saw Furhman's again, and decided to buy it. It was one of the better books, and yes, I did believe him.

I've still never read Faye's, either one of them. Of course there was SO much media about them I pretty much know what's in them, but actually buy them? Not so far, it just, to me, felt so wrong. No judgement on anyone else implied here, really, at that time in my life, I just was so completely disgusted that someone would profit from this, and so FAST, and with the Enquirer! Ugh. Now? I might read them, but only if I can find them used, I don't want a penny going to Faye, not one cent.

If your library has them/can do a loan on them from another library, you could read them that way & be sure Faye won't profit (more than from the original purchase by the library, anyway).

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So, after watching The Secret Tapes: The Untold Story, showed a clip of Denise Brown's testimony of when OJ grabbed Nicole's crotch, and according to her, said to Nicole and Denise (who was there) that "this" (her crotch(and sorry to be so crude)) now "belonged to him" and that he threw her across the room. 

 

This made me wonder now, even more, how she could defend/support OJ when the murders were first reported and OJ had been taken to the cops for questioning.  Did she forget that that had happened? I'm trying really hard not to judge her, because she and her family suffered a great loss and in a horrific manner.

Edited by GHScorpiosRule
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http://articles.philly.com/1994-11-03/living/25868131_1_faye-d-resnick-private-diary-friend

 

Every salacious thing she could say about the recently divorced Nicole, lots of sex stuff, and that OJ beat her, terrified her, and that Nicole often said he would kill her.  Had Faye NOT written that book, or at the very least, waited to publish until AFTER the trial, she would have been a strong witness, and possibly helped convince the jury.  Instead, she trashed Nicole's life and spread every detail out for all to see, including that she had sex with Nicole herself.

 

Then, she wrote a second book, to cash in again, after the verdict.

 

Faye, in the headband, with Kris, and Kyle Richards, sister of Kim and of Kathy Hilton, taken this year.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3269644/Faye-Resnick-OJ-Simpson-s-trial-weds-FOURTH-time-Kris-Jenner-officiates-Kyle-Richards-serves-bridesmaid.html

2D557BBC00000578-3269644-image-a-49_1444

 

Faye was also on every talk show out there during the trial (paid.)  Here's one from 1994.

 

 

Faye with Geraldo, and some clips of OJ calling radio stations included, this was after the acquittal.

Edited by Umbelina
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Some guy who worked for the Enquirer basically let her talk, wrote it down, and had full editing approval.  For that, she got money.  Yes, she must have begun right away, for it to actually be in stores by then.


Umbelina, you have one hell of a memory! I had no idea Faye published a book while the trial was going on, I only knew about the one that was published after.

Nah, we've been talking about this in a special RHBH thread for a month now.  Faye and Marcus Allen's wife are/were on the show.  Marcus Allen reportedly (by many people) was having an affair with Nicole, before and after his marriage to Kathryn (at OJ's house!) 

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Denise Brown and the whole Brown family were financially supported by OJ. They knew all about the abuse, but they turned their heads the other way and kept their hands out for money. I truly don't think of any one of them as honorable people. They knew of the abuse and let it go on for their own financial gain.  JMO- Denise was slime.

 

 

 

This made me wonder now, even more, how she could defend/support OJ when the murders were first reported and OJ had been taken to the cops for questioning.  Did she forget that that had happened? I'm trying really hard not to judge her, because she and her family suffered a great loss and in a horrific manner.

 

Edited by MsJamieDornan
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Denise Brown and the whole Brown family were financially supported by OJ. They knew all about the abuse, but they turned their heads the other way and kept their hands out for money. I truly don't think of any one of them as honorable people. They knew of the abuse and let it go on for their own financial gain.  JMO- Denise was slime.

Domestic violence is complicated, and poorly understood, and was even more so 20 years ago. I doubt the family knew how bad it really was. They also likely thought Nicole could 'handle it'. It was such a taboo for so long even within families--it was thought if as a 'private matter' between a couple. And abused women will hide a lot of things, even from those closest to her.

Remember that this was all before the Violence Against Women Act was passed. Hell the jurors on this trial did not see the connection between Nicole's experiences of domestic violence and her homicide.

I really doubt her family just encouraged her to stay because of the money. They may have encouraged her (we don't know that any encouragement went on) to stay for the kids and because OJ presented like a 'nice guy'.

For all we know Denise encouraged Nicole to leave after this event. She eventually did and it resulted in her death, anyway.

Actually, many women stay in violent relationships because it is safer to know where he is than to deal with him stalking and threatening. It allows them more control over their lives, ironically.

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So, has anyone read Sheila Weller's book Raging Heart? She did numerous interviews with the circle of close friends, male and female, and bonded with and became friends with some of them herself. It's a good read, shedding new light all around, especially re AC. Only one person's real name isn't used: Ron Shipp; she calls him "Lee" but the circumstances and conversations identify the one and only RS. A few chapters in so far and I'm reading about something done to Nicole during the murder that wasn't publicly revealed until the book was published. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? It ties in to Simpson's behavior at the viewing, before the funeral. Now I need to find the autopsy report and look into what SW claims. Sorry to be cryptic, but I'm not one to carry rumors and I've never heard this "information" before.

Are you referring to Nicole's breast implants? There was a lot of discussion that OJ had cut out her breasts implants after he murdered her, but I remember that being refuted as hearsay and salacious rumors.

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Are you sure it was ever officially refuted?  I'm reaching WAAAAY back in my memory, but I can see very clearly an episode shortly after the verdict where three of the jurors (one being the forewoman) were on Politically Incorrect with Roseanne as the fourth guest, and when Roseanne mentioned the breast implant thing, the jurors suddenly realized that when they were shown crime scene photos, Nicole's breasts had been blurred out.

 

They were pitching their own quickie book.  While I disagree with their verdict, that may be one time I don't mind someone cashing in like that.  They had to go through the whole process too, and unlike everyone else involved, they weren't getting paid beyond the token per diem.

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Well, that show Autopsy that was on a couple of weeks ago on Reelz didn't say anything about Nicole's breasts being cut off.  The forensic pathologist, went step by step, each wound/cut both she and Ron suffered, and there was no mention of Nicole's breasts being cut off.

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It would have been mentioned during the trial if it were true.  NO question in my mind about that.

 

That's what I thought, which is why I was dumbfounded when I read the allegations in Weller's book. She wrote that there were two large slashes in addition to the one across Nicole's throat: one across her breasts and one across her waist/stomach. She said the throat slash was left to right, the next/breasts was right to left, and the last/waist was left to right again. She also wrote that, at the viewing, Simpson said "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" to Nicole and that he was trying to raise or roll her skirt until Juditha intervened. Juditha knew that Nicole's head, although buttressed, was propped on rather than connected to her spine so the pawing by Simpson was ill-advised.

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Anatomical summary from the autopsy report

I. Incised wound of neck:

     A. Transection of left and right common carotid arteries.

     B. Incisions, left and right internal jugular veins

     C. Transection of thyrohyoid membrane, epiglottis, and hypopharynx.

     D. Incision into cervical spine, C3.

II. Multiple stab wound of neck and scalp (total of seven).

III. Multiple injuries of hands, including incised wound, ring finger of right hand (defense wound).

IV. Scalp bruise, right parietal.

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Anatomical summary from the autopsy report

I. Incised wound of neck:

     A. Transection of left and right common carotid arteries.

     B. Incisions, left and right internal jugular veins

     C. Transection of thyrohyoid membrane, epiglottis, and hypopharynx.

     D. Incision into cervical spine, C3.

II. Multiple stab wound of neck and scalp (total of seven).

III. Multiple injuries of hands, including incised wound, ring finger of right hand (defense wound).

IV. Scalp bruise, right parietal.

 

Okay.  Can anyone translate this for anyone who didn't take anatomy in college? 

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All of bullet 1 means the throat was sliced from the front all the way to the spine in the neck.  So as they said in the show, practically decapitated.   The left to right means it started on the left side and went to the right, the rest means it was so deep it cut everything in the neck except the spine.  Severed all blood vessels, the throat, and other organs in the neck.

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Okay. Can anyone translate this for anyone who didn't take anatomy in college?

It also means that her throat was sliced - the hypopharnyx is the lower section of your throat. The epiglottis is cartilage that covers the trachea when you swallow food or liquid. And the thyrohyoid cartilage is what links the hyoid bone and the thyroid cartilage.

VW2tfphXReK8kMUIb74EEQ_m.jpg

The incised wound is a laceration from a knife, and the cervical spine is the spinal cord in your neck. C3 stands for the third cervical vertebrae.

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 I remember a person from the case, a friend of OJ's who was a police officer (I think) who initially believed OJ was innocent and then changed his mind after OJ asked him about lie detector tests. He was worried he was going to fail it, because he said "he had had dreams about killing her" (or words to that effect. I can't remember his name -- was that Ron Schipp? Anyone remember?

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I'm not sure this is really plausible. Most certainly Nicole's home was an active crime scene, so I would find it hard to believe that Kardashian would even be allowed in there, much less allowed to carry something out.

He didn't. When OJ arrived he came straight from the airport. His luggage was in the car. There was a garment bag, it was seen in the news footage. The explanation given was that Kardashian asked about the luggage but law enforcement in all the hubbub didn't seem interested in it and he took it home, put it in his garage and waited for them to ask about it. I don't know if LE ever did or if they didn't what happened to it. Rumor was the bloody clothes and or the knife was in there.

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. Rumor was the bloody clothes and or the knife was in there.

I have heard that rumor, too, but never really believed it because I think there was (somewhere) some talk of a black/dark sweat suit in the washing machine (that had been run through the wash cycle) and also because it seems so odd to bring back bloody clothes. If he took them with him, I would expect he'd have disposed of them somewhere in a Chicago garbage bin. But who knows.

 

One thing I remember from that case. There was the "shadowy figure on the driveway" that Johnnie Cochran explained was OJ, hurrying to drop his luggage off because he was in such a rush after realizing the late hour -- he had to shower and get in the car to go to the airport. When he got in the car he was wearing a light colored outfit.

 

So, this man, who is in such a huuuuge rush, quickly showers (he's in a huge rush remember!) but somehow takes the time, in this huge rush, to get fully dressed in a black sweat suit, then rushes back upstairs to completely change his outfit, during his huge rushing session.  Shyeah 

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 I remember a person from the case, a friend of OJ's who was a police officer (I think) who initially believed OJ was innocent and then changed his mind after OJ asked him about lie detector tests. He was worried he was going to fail it, because he said "he had had dreams about killing her" (or words to that effect. I can't remember his name -- was that Ron Schipp? Anyone remember?

 

Yes, that was Ron Shipp and it happened upstairs in OJ's bedroom on Monday night after his return from Chicago that morning. The next day his inner circle moved him to Kardashian's house so that night was the last one he spent at home at Rockingham, until the acquittal. Ron taught domestic violence courses for LAPD officers and, at Nicole's request, had counseled OJ re his violent tendencies. OJ quit listening to (more accurately paying lip service to) Ron's guidance as soon as he was sentenced to community service for the one DV incident he didn't slither out of. Ron's testimony was damaging enough that the defense painted Ron as an alcoholic hanger-on who was seeking his moment in the spotlight. Ron was admonished on the stand by Ito for speaking directly to the defendant during his testimony. He said "This is sad, OJ" and "Just tell the truth."

Edited by suomi
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Yes, that was Ron Shipp and it happened upstairs in OJ's bedroom on Monday night after his return from Chicago that morning. The next day his inner circle moved him to Kardashian's house so that night was the last one he spent at home at Rockingham, until the acquittal. Ron taught domestic violence courses for LAPD officers and, at Nicole's request, had counseled OJ re his violent tendencies. OJ quit listening to (more accurately paying lip service to) Ron's guidance as soon as he was sentenced to community service for the one DV incident he didn't slither out of. Ron's testimony was damaging enough that the defense painted Ron as an alcoholic hanger-on who was seeking his moment in the spotlight. Ron was admonished on the stand by Ito for speaking directly to the defendant during his testimony. He said "This is sad, OJ" and "Just tell the truth."

Thank you, suomi.  You reminded me that he had counselled OJ about domestic violence, and now I wonder why they chose to omit that, Seems an odd omission since he was one of OJ's friends who thought he was guilty almost from the start. I wonder if we will see Ron Shipp in a future episode.

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There are 18 Special Circumstances and the one that qualified this case was More than one victim. Another one is Lying in wait but that was a theory which could not be demonstrated as fact. Also, back then the death penalty was rarely sought in "spousal murder."

 

http://articles.latimes.com/1994-07-10/news/mn-14108_1_death-penalty

July 10, 1994

 

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/19/us/debating-death-penalty-in-simpson-case.html

July 19, 1994

 

http://www.shouselaw.com/special-circumstances-murder-california.html

 

 

 

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Or perhaps she was actually in on the discussions. Those articles are all speculation and even with that most lawyers thought they would not think of it. It's literally what the media does suggesting something that "could" be true, have people comment on it and than make it the story. Sometimes they are right and sometimes they are spitballing.

Edited by biakbiak
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This case was definitely on the front burner and yet it took the Special Circumstances Committee three months to make a decision. That does not telegraph that the DP was never on the table, regardless of Marcia's recent comments.

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Suomi, I don't know whether to thank you sincerely or sarcastically for posting the links about Special Circumstances in murder cases. I started reading, came across a reference to the Menendez brothers and quickly fell down a rabbit hole that kept me reading until 4:30 a.m. I had forgotten that their second, non-televised, trial took place at the same time as Simpson's and they shared a cell block. Their two cases were quite the mess and would make an excellent American Crime Story, IMO. Sex, drugs, money and Leslie Abramson - what more could you ask for?

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If for nothing else, you would think the DP would be on the table to give OJ an incentive to plea out. It would be much easier to get a plea bargain when you're actually putting your life in the hands of a jury. No one really knows but the DAs office, but I would be shocked to find out it wasn't at least seriously considered.

Edited by vibeology
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I was watching Juror Number Five again, something came up in the episode thread.  Anyway...found this documentary about why he lost the civil trial. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miNSozT9zBQ

 

It has some good clips from the criminal trial, and statements from some of the criminal trial people, Darden, the Goldman's,etc.

 

This is great! Only got through the first 15 minutes, will have to watch the rest later. BUT, I never realized that Toobin was sitting right behind the Goldmans in the criminal trial. I mean, that was him, right?

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That's an interesting question.  My guess is that she just went by Nicole Simpson, but I have no idea really.

 

http://www.lamag.com/longform/stand-by-your-man/

Someone linked this in another thread, but it's good.  It kind of combines RK's civil testimony and other interviews/information.

The only time Kardashian’s faith in Simpson was tested came early on, a couple of weeks after the murders. Kardashian was bothered by media speculation that O.J. had brought a weapon back from Chicago in the golf bag, which was still sitting in Kardashian’s garage. “I wanted to know if it was true,” Kardashian testified. “I wanted to know if there was anything in there, and if there was, I was going to turn it in.”

Kardashian says he asked Cowlings to come over, and the two of them conducted a thorough search, opening all the pockets, taking out the clubs, even holding the bag upside down. Kardashian says he didn’t find any bloodstains—or a knife.

 

I always thought it was ridiculous to think OJ would have brought back the knife or bloody clothes.  If he didn't dump them in neighbors or store garbage cans on the way home from Nicole's, he would have most definitely dumped them at the airport or in Chicago somewhere.  He wasn't brain dead.  I always think about neighbors/store garbage cans because that's what he did before when he was furious at Nicole and left his house before.  That time he dumped Nicole's jewelry in a neighbor's garbage can and jumped his fence, avoiding police, thus dropping keys.  He sent AC to go retrieve both.

 

Kardashian saw Nicole Brown for the first time in 1977. Simpson, who was still married, had spotted a pretty blond waitress and was eager to introduce her to Kardashian, so he brought Nicole up to Kardashian’s office. He says Nicole was shy to the point of being standoffish. “She was kind and sweet,” Kardashian says. “She wasn’t real outgoing until she got to know you.” In 1985, Simpson married Nicole; Kardashian was an usher at the wedding.

 

From almost the moment Simpson met Nicole, a new social dynamic took hold. Everything revolved around the two couples and, eventually, their children. The families skied, traveled and barbecued together. “It was almost always as couples,” Kardashian says. “We did not spend time together alone. I mean, I’m sure we’d go to lunch or something. But it was rare that O.J. and I would do something alone.”

 

It also says that OJ would frequently stay at RK's house during fights with his first wife, once for a 6 month stretch.

 

He had no idea about OJ beating Nicole until the evidence started showing up, but he did know OJ frequently cheated on her, something he didn't like or approve of.  RK was devastated when Kris had her affair, and impulsively left her, she later hooked up with Bruce.

Friends say the divorce devastated him. “Here was this middle-aged guy who was into family, and all of the sudden his wife has an affair with a younger man and then with a big athlete,” says one person close to Kardashian, The divorce also cut him off from Simpson’s social circle—he saw Simpson only two or three times a year between 1990 and 1994. He had seen O.J. just twice in the six months prior to the murders.

 

One other thing I found interesting, both OJ and RK fell in love with teenagers, Kris 17, and Nicole 18, and married them a few years later. 

 

 

 

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I'm watching something on ID channel on OJ and they are on the Bronco scene. I'm rolling my eyes because it was all so dramatic, such a big dramatic, poor me.

http://www.investigationdiscovery.com/tv-shows/id-films/videos/introducing-johnnie-cochran-jr/

When Johnny Cochran took off in his car, did the license plate say JC JR. I know that's his name but I first thought Jesus Christ Jr.

Edited by toodywoody
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