The Crime Book

251

The events of 12 June 1994 were laid

out for the jury with the testimony of

several key witnesses, including

Simpson’s house guest and his driver.

The jury was quick to make their

decision. After only four hours of

deliberation, they voted to acquit

O.J. Simpson – to the shock of the

nation. Critics attributed the jury's

decision to its racial make-up. Jury

members themselves cited LAPD

incompetence and an unconvincing

case by the prosecution.

Civil punishment

In 1997, Ron Goldman’s parents

sued Simpson in civil court for

wrongful death. Nicole’s father also

filed a suit. A civil suit could not

land Simpson any prison time, but

it could make him pay a price. He

lost badly in the civil suit, and was

ordered to pay $33.5 million (£22

million) to the victims’ families.

In 2007, Simpson once more

found himself in legal trouble.

On 13 September, he and his

friends threatened a memorabilia

dealer at gunpoint in a Las Vegas

hotel room, demanding the return

of items that Simpson believed

had been stolen from him. On

3 October 2008 – 13 years to the

day after he was acquitted of

murder – O.J. Simpson was

sentenced to 33 years in prison,

on 10 felony counts. Many believe

this sentence was a way to bring

him, at last, to justice. ■

MURDER CASES

Not only did we play the race

card, we dealt it from the

bottom of the deck.

Robert Shapiro

13 June 12:10am The dead bodies of

Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman

are found outside her townhouse.

6:30pm Nicole Brown Simpson

has dinner at Mezzaluna with her

mother and children.

9:35pm Nicole's mother calls

Mezzaluna to say that she left

her glasses behind. Ronald

Goldman agrees to drop them

off with Nicole.

9:50pm Goldman

leaves the restaurant

and takes the glasses

to Nicole’s house.

10:15pm

Simpson’s

neighbour

Pablo Fenjves

hears someone

crying out and

the barking of

a dog.

10:25pm Limousine driver

Allan Park arrives at Simpson’s

10:40pm A guest at home to take him to the airport.

Simpson’s house, Kato

Kaelin, hears three loud

thumps against the wall

of his room.

10:40–10:50pm

Park repeatedly

buzzes the intercom

but there is no

response. Around

10:58pm, Park sees

a large black man

walking across the

driveway towards

About 11pmintercom and O.J. Simpson answers. Park buzzes the the house.

He says he has overslept.

11–11:15pm Simpson puts his

bags in the limousine and

leaves for Los Angeles Airport.

11:45pm

Simpson departs on

a flight to Chicago.

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