The People v. O.J. Simpson

The People v. O.J. Simpson is the story behind that ‘Not Guilty’ verdict. No court case before or since has attracted a similar level of coverage and column inches. 150 million people worldwide tuned in to see the jury’s decision.

For opponents of Simpson, this was a story of how celebrity can unravel a person: Simpson was a star running back in his day, adored for his athleticism and drive. On retiring, he made a fortune from commercials and films. Fame made a mess of him. It made him entitled and selfish. So sated was his ego that on the evening of June 12, 1994, he stabbed his ex-wife Nicole Brown multiple times, along with her restaurant waiter friend Ron Goldman. It was a tale as old as the Greeks: an Icarus tragedy of a God that had flown too high and now had to plummet.

O.J., the sporting star.

For supporters of ‘Juice’ (O.J.), this was a story of societal and institutional racism. For years black Americans had been subjected to inequitable treatment by law enforcement agencies. Just three years previous, Rodney King, a black American taxi driver evaded a police siren. Pulling him over, police demanded his compliance. Over the limit, King ignored these requests. In response, the police rained down their truncheons on him like their lives depended on it. (King was unarmed.) An eyewitness filmed the attack from her balcony, and its subsequent release led to widespread riots across L.A. Many believed a similar punishment was being dished out to O.J. Though this time, instead of batons it was the book being thrown at him. This murder story then wasn’t written by the pen of O.J’s fame but by the hand of police officers whom sought to frame a black man for a crime he did not commit.

King's beating by L.A. cops

As Defence Lawyer, Johnnie Cochran, says in Episode 5 of the ten-part drama, “Our job is to tell that story better than the other side tells theirs” And you know what? Johnnie Cochran and O.J.’s lawyers are on a par with Mark Twain when it comes to spinning a yarn. Their oratory is colourful; their charisma potent. Conversely, the prosecution team led by Marcia Clark is working with facts (he had a motive; blood was found at the scene; he had a cut on his hand; he had tried to skip arrest; there had been phone calls documenting domestic abuse). Clark’s team are diligent ghost writers, but the trouble is their story is populated by unlikeable characters that people can't root for (a Nazi memorabilia collecting police officer and an officer who takes his evidence work home with him). It is no surprise that when the jury goes to the bookstore they choose fiction over fact.

Courtney B. Vance plays the role of Johnnie Cochran.

I’ve really been enjoying the American true crime series developed by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, although I would say this week’s episode was the best. Titled Marcia, Marcia, Marcia, the writers move the story away from race onto gender. 

Marcia Clark is a woman in a man’s world. She is combining a 70-hour a week job with the childcare of her two children. Why does she take the job then? This question is often asked of women and yet never of men. It’s assumed that a woman will pick up the slack when her husband has to work long hours, yet not the other way round. Her ex-husband does help with childcare but passive-aggressively:  I’ll help you now and tell the custody courts later seems to be his mantra. In previous episodes, we saw the beginnings of sexism with focus groups tearing into her hairstyle, outfits and ‘whiny’ voice. However, in this episode the taunts and rebukes reach the courtroom as the prosecution team scoffs at her ‘childcare issues’ and even the judge disparages her appearance. The Old Boys Club are doing their level best to close the shutter on this new female member. Somehow in the O.J. Simpson murder case, Clark is the one on trial for not being a good enough mother or fashion icon – two things completely irrelevant to her doing her job. Whilst outside the courtroom, the press act indecently in the name of decency when they release a topless holiday photo of Clark. After being challenged persistently on her appearance and abilities as a mother, this is the final straw: Clark, at the episode's end, falls to the floor tearful at the injustice.

Marcia Clark played by actress Sarah Paulson.

Watching the temporary disintegration of a brilliant lawyer (she had won 19 out of 20 murder cases up until this point) made me feel very angry indeed. When are we going to get to a point when a woman is judged not on the colour of her skirt, but on the content of her character. 

Today this sexist bullying still occurs: from classicist Mary Beard being trolled for not looking feminine enough on Question Time to Tulisa being ‘slut-shamed’ by an ex-boyfriend for a sexual act he took part in. To its credit, The People v. O.J. Simpson has got me thinking about this, about gender, just as much as race. Television that informs, educates and entertains was what John Reith, BBC's General Manager, demanded 90 years ago; in this American import we've got it.

The People v. O.J. Simpson is on BBC 2, Monday at 10pm.