Loading...
post-template-default single single-post postid-65589 single-format-standard

The Posthumous Lynching of OJ Simpson

Alex Constantine - April 16, 2024

By Alex Constantine

The death of OJ was reported on Friday, and the cable news shows responded by interviewing only hostile commentators who sided with the prosecution. Not one legal advocate for the defense, or independent journalist with an informed view of the case, was called on to provide an opposing opinion.

Jake Tapper's segment on CNN was typical. Tapper interviewed Bob Coastas -- a career sportscaster -- who said:

"He was not a typical African-American person standing charged with a crime. He had his celebrity, he had his enormous popularity, he had the resources to have a great defense team. But he somehow became the avatar, in the minds of many, for all these other ongoing, centuries-old issues that are very legitimate issues, and he actually benefited from some of that. If I could give him the benefit of any doubt, I would. But someone asked me once, 'do you think OJ did it?' I said, 'yes.' And he said, 'why' And I said, 'because I live on this planet.' The evidence just adds up to nothing else."

These exact talking points made their way to all of the networks without a hint of deviation.

Never mind that a sportscaster isn't qualified to render a legal opinion, or that Costas was a college drop-out. The sportscaster delivered comments that appeared to be off-the-cuff, but were obviously scripted to trigger racial resentment.

OJ wasn't a "typical" black man. White society accepted and admired him. Very unusual. He was a celebrity. This had something to do with the verdict. Popular, rich celebrity rap artists are often convicted of crimes, but forget about them. This isn't a rational argument, go with your gut.

If Simpson was a typical obscure black man, the unpopular kind, he'd have gotten the chair. Isn't this how it is supposed to work? His celebrity status swayed the jury and Simpson was acquitted. Costas had no factual basis to support his viewpoint. He didn't cite data. Neither did the other commentators over at MSNBC who drove home the same bit of conjecture.

OJ was rich. He could afford highly competent attorneys -- a very unusual black man, indeed. Highly-paid lawyers know how to maneuver around the evidence, weave spells that substitute for valid legal arguments. Typical black men can only afford incompetent lawyers. They go to jail. This is universally understood. Stop thinking about it. Listen to your innards.

Costas does, so he opined that some irrational types -- a vast majority of African-Americans, in fact -- sided with Simpson because he was black, not because they have an understanding of the legal system that an atypically wealthy, popular, white celebrity  sportscaster doesn't share.

The cable punditocracy always claims that their conclusions are based on evidence. That is, the evidence presented by prosecutors, as they explained it. But, apart from the gloves that were a little too tight, they don't discuss evidence. They talk about OJ's race, his celebrity status, his highly-paid voodoo attorneys, the jury's apportionment of melatonin, everything but the evidence.

I've gone over it piece by piece. As Cochran stated in his courtroom summation, "the evidence doesn't make sense." He didn't perjure himself. Trained police investigators trampled through blood at the crime scene. Oops. Socks OJ wore the night of the murders were examined by skilled forensic examiners -- twice. Not a drop of blood was found. But the third examination found "copious amounts of blood." If OJ committed the murders, blood would have been found on his socks the first time around. The blood stains on Simpson's car door and Nicole's rear gate actually enlarged themselves a month after the murders.

And where did he ditch his bloody clothes? They were never found. This had to be explained, so conservative commentators speculated that he changed his clothes after returning home, stuffed them in a duffel bag and disposed of them. So he returned home with blood-drenched apparel, walked through the house to his bedroom closet, but not a drop of blood from was deposited on the carpet, or anywhere else in the house. Pardon my skepticism.

An advocate for the defense might have pointed out the many evidentiary contractions and anomalies in the case. But only one side was permitted to speak. Repeatedly, OJ's social status, wealth and expensive legal representation were said to have some material connection to his acquittal. It was the same line of reasoning on every major channel

I have written about the case myself. When I was gathering evidence on Mafia involvement, I received a graphic death threat. It was delivered personally, man to man, by a thug with a thick New Jersey accent and wavy, black, well-oiled hair. A serial killer since convicted set my apartment building on fire. The blaze was set ten feet from my apartment door. So I nearly lost my files on the Simpson case. Maybe that was the idea. Who sent the arsonist? OJ? Probably not. My own independent investigation didn't focus on him. Someone else wanted to burn me out.

Costas, on the other hand, may "live on this planet," he isn't a crazy independent thinker, but he never really looked into the evidence. He moves in the world of professional team sports. He is on intimate terms with the owners and managers of major league football and baseball teams. A Google search for "NFL and the Mafia" turns up several books on the topic. Professional baseball is also rife with organized crime connections. This may explain why he was eager to discuss The Crime of the Century and spit on OJ's casket. Costas recited scripted, racist, psychologically-manipulative commentary on a national network. it reinforced white biases and put blacks "in their place."

Score!

RELATED: "The Skunk Man and the First Attempt to Kill Nicole Brown Simpson"

394 comments.

  1. I loved as much as youll receive carried out right here The sketch is attractive your authored material stylish nonetheless you command get bought an nervousness over that you wish be delivering the following unwell unquestionably come more formerly again as exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this hike

  2. Hi Neat post Theres an issue together with your web site in internet explorer may test this IE still is the marketplace chief and a good component of people will pass over your fantastic writing due to this problem

  3. Your article demonstrates an exceptional level of professionalism and expertise. The thoroughness and depth with which you have covered the topic are truly impressive. Readers will greatly benefit from the valuable insights and practical advice you have shared. The clarity of your understanding is evident throughout the entire piece. I anticipate more of your high-quality work in the future. Thank you for offering your profound knowledge and providing such a detailed and enlightening resource.

  4. I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here The sketch is attractive your authored material stylish nonetheless you command get got an impatience over that you wish be delivering the following unwell unquestionably come more formerly again since exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this hike

  5. Fantastic site Lots of helpful information here I am sending it to some friends ans additionally sharing in delicious And of course thanks for your effort

  6. certainly like your website but you need to take a look at the spelling on quite a few of your posts Many of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very troublesome to inform the reality nevertheless I will definitely come back again

  7. I have been browsing online more than three hours today yet I never found any interesting article like yours It is pretty worth enough for me In my view if all website owners and bloggers made good content as you did the internet will be a lot more useful than ever before

  8. My brother suggested I might like this blog He was totally right This post actually made my day You can not imagine simply how much time I had spent for this info Thanks

  9. obviously like your website but you need to test the spelling on quite a few of your posts Several of them are rife with spelling problems and I to find it very troublesome to inform the reality on the other hand Ill certainly come back again

  10. Usually I do not read article on blogs however I would like to say that this writeup very compelled me to take a look at and do it Your writing style has been amazed me Thank you very nice article

  11. Thanks I have just been looking for information about this subject for a long time and yours is the best Ive discovered till now However what in regards to the bottom line Are you certain in regards to the supply

  12. What i do not realize is in fact how you are no longer actually much more wellfavored than you might be right now Youre very intelligent You recognize thus considerably in relation to this topic made me in my view believe it from numerous numerous angles Its like men and women are not fascinated until it is one thing to do with Lady gaga Your own stuffs excellent All the time handle it up

  13. Your blog is a constant source of inspiration for me. Your passion for your subject matter shines through in every post, and it’s clear that you genuinely care about making a positive impact on your readers.

  14. I do believe all the ideas youve presented for your post They are really convincing and will certainly work Nonetheless the posts are too short for novices May just you please lengthen them a little from subsequent time Thanks for the post

  15. Your writing has a way of making even the most complex topics accessible and engaging. I’m constantly impressed by your ability to distill complicated concepts into easy-to-understand language.

  16. Your blog is a testament to your dedication to your craft. Your commitment to excellence is evident in every aspect of your writing. Thank you for being such a positive influence in the online community.

  17. Thanks I have just been looking for information about this subject for a long time and yours is the best Ive discovered till now However what in regards to the bottom line Are you certain in regards to the supply

  18. What i do not realize is in fact how you are no longer actually much more wellfavored than you might be right now Youre very intelligent You recognize thus considerably in relation to this topic made me in my view believe it from numerous numerous angles Its like men and women are not fascinated until it is one thing to do with Lady gaga Your own stuffs excellent All the time handle it up

  19. Its like you read my mind You appear to know so much about this like you wrote the book in it or something I think that you can do with a few pics to drive the message home a little bit but other than that this is fantastic blog A great read Ill certainly be back

  20. I am not sure where youre getting your info but good topic I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more Thanks for magnificent info I was looking for this information for my mission

  21. Wow superb blog layout How long have you been blogging for you make blogging look easy The overall look of your site is magnificent as well as the content

  22. I just could not leave your web site before suggesting that I really enjoyed the standard information a person supply to your visitors Is gonna be again steadily in order to check up on new posts

  23. I do trust all the ideas youve presented in your post They are really convincing and will definitely work Nonetheless the posts are too short for newbies May just you please lengthen them a bit from next time Thank you for the post

  24. of course like your website but you have to check the spelling on several of your posts A number of them are rife with spelling issues and I in finding it very troublesome to inform the reality on the other hand I will certainly come back again

  25. Seção atraente de conteúdo Acabei de encontrar o seu blog e na capital de acesso para afirmar que realmente gostei das postagens do seu blog. De qualquer forma, estarei assinando o seu aumento e até espero que você acesse de forma consistente e rápida

  26. você é na verdade um bom webmaster A velocidade de carregamento do site é incrível Parece que você está fazendo algum truque distinto Além disso O conteúdo é uma obra-prima você fez um trabalho fantástico neste tópico

  27. helloI really like your writing so a lot share we keep up a correspondence extra approximately your post on AOL I need an expert in this house to unravel my problem May be that is you Taking a look ahead to see you

  28. Eu li várias coisas certas aqui Certamente vale a pena marcar como favorito para revisitar. Eu me pergunto quanto esforço você faz para criar esse tipo de site informativo excelente

  29. O que eu não entendo é na verdade como você não é realmente muito mais querido do que é agora Você é muito inteligente Você sabe, portanto, significativamente no caso deste tópico que me produziu individualmente, imagine-o de vários ângulos diferentes É como homens e mulheres não pareça fascinado até que seja algo a ver com Mulher gaga Suas próprias coisas são legais Todo o tempo cuide disso

  30. Hi i think that i saw you visited my web site thus i came to Return the favore Im attempting to find things to enhance my siteI suppose its ok to use a few of your ideas

  31. Профессиональный сервисный центр по ремонту сотовых телефонов, смартфонов и мобильных устройств.
    Мы предлагаем: ремонт смартфонов
    Наши мастера оперативно устранят неисправности вашего устройства в сервисе или с выездом на дом!

  32. Профессиональный сервисный центр по ремонту сотовых телефонов, смартфонов и мобильных устройств.
    Мы предлагаем: ремонт телефонов в москве
    Наши мастера оперативно устранят неисправности вашего устройства в сервисе или с выездом на дом!

  33. Профессиональный сервисный центр по ремонту квадрокоптеров и радиоуправляемых дронов.
    Мы предлагаем:ремонт квадрокоптеров на дому
    Наши мастера оперативно устранят неисправности вашего устройства в сервисе или с выездом на дом!

  34. Профессиональный сервисный центр по ремонту ноутбуков, imac и другой компьютерной техники.
    Мы предлагаем:ремонт аймак в москве на дому
    Наши мастера оперативно устранят неисправности вашего устройства в сервисе или с выездом на дом!

  35. Профессиональный сервисный центр по ремонту радиоуправляемых устройства – квадрокоптеры, дроны, беспилостники в том числе Apple iPad.
    Мы предлагаем: ремонт квадрокоптеров
    Наши мастера оперативно устранят неисправности вашего устройства в сервисе или с выездом на дом!

  36. Профессиональный сервисный центр по ремонту бытовой техники с выездом на дом.
    Мы предлагаем:сервисные центры в екатеринбурге
    Наши мастера оперативно устранят неисправности вашего устройства в сервисе или с выездом на дом!

  37. Профессиональный сервисный центр по ремонту фото техники от зеркальных до цифровых фотоаппаратов.
    Мы предлагаем: ремонт фотокамер
    Наши мастера оперативно устранят неисправности вашего устройства в сервисе или с выездом на дом!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *