On June 12, 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were murdered. Five days later, O.J. Simpson took the LAPD on a low-speed car chase in a Ford Bronco. At the time, I was almost ten years old. All I remember about the initial crime was that the car chase coincided with the NBA Finals Game. The New York Knicks were playing against the Houston Rockets. I remember asking my parents who O.J. Simpson was. I had never heard of O.J. Simpson the football player, though I knew his character from the classic Naked Gun trilogy. (Don't even get me started on the sacrilegious remake.)
Yet, over the next year, everyone in America--even kids--became familiar with the trial. I remember hearing about Judge Lance Ito, Johnnie Cochrane, Marcia Clark, and Kato Kaelin. Years later, when I first heard of the Cato Institute, I thought it had something to do with O.J. Conversely, I learned about Kim Kardashian long before I knew who Robert Kardashian was.
The verdict was handed down on October 3, 1995. I remember the moment very clearly. I was in my 6th Grade Social Studies class, and our teacher, Mr. Segalowitz announced the verdict in class. (I presume he had heard it on the radio.) It seemed obvious to eleven-year old Josh that the jury got it wrong, but I knew nothing about the law to even say why.
