After serving the minimum nine years in a Las Vegas prison for armed robbery in 2007, O.J. Simpson is granted a parole. Yet, it is O.J.’s 1994 high-profile trial and acquittal of murder charges for the brutal deaths of his former wife Nicole Brown-Simpson and Ron Goldman that still stirs the imagination.
O.J. Simpson (right) with Attorney Malcolm LaVergne at his parole hearing on July 20, 2017 (Jason Bean-Pool/Getty Images)
At first, I was so sure that he was not guilty of such a horrendous crime. Then, there was the trial which was so messed up. With all the media circus, the racism, and police bungling of the evidence, it never did (or likely never will) clarify O.J.’s guilt or innocence one way or the other. Yet, here is where the wisdom of “beyond a reasonable doubt” advances our civilized society.
Still, there are two things that haunt me about my reactions to the O.J. Simpson drama. First, the look on the face of our young colleague (a White kid gently raised with good values) as he basically asked me and another African-American woman who was also certain that O.J. did not do it:
“Why can’t he possibly be guilty?”
Rob looked so pure and innocent asking this pointed question; I am still haunted by it. And now wish I would have been wiser then, and given him a better answer.
The next haunt about this case is the fact that all the sordid guilt (and lifestyle) was quickly assigned to O.J., particularly by those in the media. And you know what; he is still unevenly vilified, more so than ever.
In sharp contrast to the Michael Brown case and some of the other African-American victims (and their witnesses) who were readily vilified by the media’s talking-heads, not one discussion, as I recall, was made as to whether Nicole’s, peace be upon her, prior actions (bad or otherwise) could have contributed to hers and Ron’s brutal deaths.
Sadly, rumors and theories abound in certain sectors that this was a hit by a drug cartel, a drug deal gone bad for lack of money, etc. But never a peep by the media was uttered. Now, this possibility still angers me, knowing that some of the rich and famous uses more drugs than the entire continent of Africa, so to speak. And, many of the “haves” generally buy their personal “stash” from African-American drug dealers in the ‘hood, or so they say.
Of course, maintaining a squeaky-clean public image of White folks, despite the obvious realities screaming for a voice, has generally been the media’s top priority. Yet, a definitive change is on the horizon.
Today, my answer to Rob, my innocent young colleague, would simply be: Rob, I really don’t know whether O.J. did it or not. But it’s fun talking about it! And be at peace with that.
(Update 07/22/17)
Read also: “O.J. Simpson Wins Parole, Claiming He Has Led a ‘Conflict-Free Life’” by Richard Pérez-Peña, NY Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/20/us/oj-simpson-parole.html?smid=fb-share.
© 2017 by Delores L Adams and The Aunt Jemimah Post. All rights reserved.
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