ABSTRACT
The O.J. Simpson story, which captivated the nation, created news story coverage of a murder event without precedent. Consequently, there was a news media “feeding frenzy” for Simpson stories. It seemingly did not matter what kind of story was published, as long as it had an O.J. Simpson angle. New stories about the evidence in the case, alleged statements of O.J. Simpson, police opinions, legal opinions, prosecutor’s option of seeking the death penalty, the private lives of all concerned, etc. turned this particular event into a nationwide soap opera. In my opinion, every rule in this book as well as the “fair trial free press principles” was violated with the “news leaks,” details, and revelations provided in the media regarding the
People v. Simpson
. I likened it to a large snowball careening down the side of a snow-filled mountain. As this snowball of information and misinformation gained in complexity, intensity, and speed, it became an avalanche. Anyone and everyone remotely attached to or involved in the O.J. Simpson debacle was crushed or had their reputations smashed in its wake. According to a Sunday
New York Daily News
article dated January 1, 1995,
In the 10 days before O.J. Simpson was picked up for questioning in the murder of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman, there were exactly eight references [to O.J. Simpson]…. In the 10 days after the murder, there were 1769 references to Simpson in those same papers…. More than 30,000 articles and countless TV shows later, the opening statements haven’t taken place. (pp. 2, 3)
It is not my intention to criticize or blame the media, the police, or anyone else involved in this infamous case. However, it occurs in every high-profile case. The thirst of the public for “inside details” of any heinous crime coupled with the competition of the various networks is exacerbated by the mass communications capabilities of the media worldwide. Whether the focus is on the Jon Benet Ramsey case or the Laci Peterson case, the bottom line is that there will never be news coverage of a sensational murder case without tribulations. I also believe that the
information in this chapter presents a more reasonable alternative than what we have been exposed to in these types of cases.
