OJ: Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied
That phrase usually applies to an injured party who doesn’t get a speedy trial, a constitutional right within our criminal justice system. But justice denied can also apply to the concept of convicting someone for a crime after an earlier, unrelated accusation failed to gain a conviction. They couldn’t get him on murder charges, and so 13 years to the day after he was acquitted, OJ Simpson is found guilty on all 12 charges stemming from robbing two sports memorobilia dealers at gunpoint in a Vegas hotel room in 2007.
“I don’t like to use the word payback,” defense attorney Yale Galanter said. “I can tell you from the beginning my biggest concern … was whether or not the jury would be able to separate their very strong feelings about Mr. Simpson and judge him fairly and honestly.”
In fact, even the authorities thought this could be a chance to achieve delayed justice.
Simpson’s past haunted the case. Las Vegas police officers were heard in…recordings chuckling over Simpson’s misfortune and crowing that if Los Angeles couldn’t “get” him, they would.
But does anybody truly think that if this were anyone other than OJ the defendant would be facing life behind bars for this kind of incident? Kidnapping can get you five years to life and armed robbery brings a mandaory two year sentence, with as much as 30 years in some cases. But justice delayed is justice denied, and even OJ deserves to have this case looked at as separate from another, totally unrelated case where he was acquitted.
Karma is a nasty critter with which to play. OJ forgot humilty is important when you win, especially when the multitudes believe you should not have won. Someplace in the Bible it says something about when you trouble your own house, you inherit the wind. Well, OJ, the breeze built up to a tornado.
October 4th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Alan, why don’t you tell us how you know that the jury convicted oj because of his killing his ex-wife instead of on the evidence in this case.
Ever hear of projection? Like you project your feelings onto others.
Like democrats call republicans racist but it’s going to be racist democrats that cause obama to lose.
October 4th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
“Kidnapping can get you five years to life and armed robbery brings a mandaory two year sentence, with as much as 30 years in some cases.”
You answered your own question there Alan, yes, anyone other than OJ would also be facing life behind bars. Now, is it more likely OJ will get the maximum sentence for this crime, than anyone else would in the same situation? Possibly, but here is the thing, I have no sympathy for OJ.
OJ deserves everything he gets, Writing and attempting to profit on his book “If I Did It” a couple years back, in which he tells people how he would have killed his ex-wife and Ron Goldman was a disgusting and inhuman attempt at trying to cash in on the unimaginable tragedy that he escaped justice for perpetrating.
OJ is a scumbag, pure and simple. He tried to profit on the fact that most people think he got away with murder, by writing this disgusting book, attempting to bring that case back to the forefront to drum up more sales, and now he is whining that people haven’t been able to forget the previous case.
Of course all of this is still speculative. I heard that sentencing isn’t until December 5th, so who knows how long he will actually spend in prison, and of course the first in probably a series of appeals is yet to come.
October 4th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
It isn’t his first trip to the courtroom Alan. If you weren’t sitting with the jury then you have no right to say that they are punishing him for his alleged crime years ago. I think the Americans who sit on a jury are smart enough to listen to a case and give a verdict based on fact.
You are writing your own fiction.
October 4th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
“I think the Americans who sit on a jury are smart enough to listen to a case and give a verdict based on fact.”
If that were so there would be no such thing as “jury nullification”, wherein juries decides on their own they don’t approve of the law as applied to a particular case, and jury selection would be a simple process of picking names out of a hat, instead of a “science” involving psychologists.
And the fact is: everybody lies. Ask any lawyer.
But, on the other hand, Simpson was charged and convicted of multiple violent felonies, which involved the use of deadly weapons. Start adding up statutory minimums and who knows? And judges can take all kinds of things–and maybe everything–into account when rendering a sentence.
It probably doesn’t help that some of Simpson’s associates are said to have felony records.
October 4th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
RC,
I was trying to get across that I believe juries can sit, listen to a case, and are intelligent enough to give a verdict based on the case…not what happened during his previous murder trial.
From what I have seen, he has a lot of shady associates…alleged.
October 4th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I’ll save my tears for those who receive mandatory minimum sentences for relatively minor crimes.
Tchau O.J.!
October 4th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I’m wondering if they cheered, whooped and hollered at Howard U when the verdict was announced, or did they riot. Yeah, once again, OJ unfairly treated.
It is so touching for Alan to show us his liberal bleeding heart for this citizen.
October 4th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Tillthen,
Who is ‘they’?
October 4th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Shag it–put OJ in Congress! Bloke would fit right in!
October 4th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
The students! Did you not see them all rise in unison and cheer wildly when he was acquitted of the 2 murders in LA? It was on national TV and it was disgusting.
October 4th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
“Somebody git a rope”
October 4th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
OJ. didn’t have an all black racist jury to rely on this time! Finally the trash got thrown out with the dish water.
October 4th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Bob Ramstead,
“Someplace in the Bible it says something”. It amazes me how godless liberals such as yourself use the Bible aimlessly to make a point, then persecute Jews and Christians seconds later, such as SARAH PALIN. ELECT SARAH PALIN FOR VICE PRESIDENT TODAY FOR THE PRESIDENCY TOMORROW.
October 4th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
I ain’t gonna git me a rope. I’m gitten a gun to protect myself from Alan and his friends. Never owned one, but this is a rite good time to git one, cause I thank Alan and his friends are gonna nock on my door one day and ask for everythin’ I own so he can give it to some lazy ass SOB and then Alan can brag about it at the next cocktail party for the eleet.
October 4th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
It still amazes me that people have so much hate for OJ after all these years,guilty or not of murder he walked free. On the other side there are just as many innocent people sitting in jail now because of our screwed up justice system. I can honestly say I have never talked to any person face to face that had anything good to say about OJ, so it makes perfect sense to me a fair trial would be a slim chance.
October 4th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
O.J. was convicted on EVIDENCE ! Plain and simple.
He’ll be a hero in the can,and get 1st class treatment.
Probably make money on the deal, PITY!
October 4th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
“…I believe juries can sit, listen to a case, and …give a verdict based on the case…”
I’d agree, if the case were about someone the jurors had never heard of before, but this is Simpson and with his history I think it would have to be an exceptional jury for this conviction to be based solely on the facts of the case.
October 4th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
RC that is so profound. We should have never arrested OJ. No, no. no. Just let him be. As you say, he could never get a fair trial. It really doesn’t matter how much evidence there is like, like the guns, the video tape, the audio tape, and testimony by eye witnesses, and of course the memorabilia. Naaah, you could never get a jury for a fair trial. Just let the dumb ass run free.
October 4th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
RC,
I think it would have to be an exceptional jury for this conviction to be based solely on the facts of the case.
Famous folks have the right to be arrested and tried for crimes too. Simpson has the cash to appeal this, and if untoward behavior by the jury can be proven as a factor in his conviction, he’ll get it overturned.
Meanwhile, there are a whole lotta folks in prison without the resources Simpson has who have to do their own appeals. I, personally am a bit more concerned for them than I am the guy who practically cut the head of his children’s mother.
October 4th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Another bad character supporting obama is going to jail.
October 4th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Who are you talking about mark? OJ?
October 4th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
He was convicted on factual evidence. What kind of brain dead nincanpoop would stage a raid like this with a lethal weapon, with witnesses, with his own past record? A stupid Arrogant one. The Fact is by holding even one person for one second hostage in a room at gunpoint your have broken the law. End of Story…….
October 4th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
“We should have never arrested OJ…”
Well, you’re entitled to your opinion.
“…you could never get a jury for a fair trial.”
That’s probably true, or more true than false.
“Famous folks have the right to be arrested and tried for crimes too.”
I absolutely agree.
And, probably, the people in Vegas made an attempt to do the right thing and give Simpson as much of a fair trial as the jury pool allowed. But blanket statements that “of course” the trial was fair, and “of course” the jurors decided the case strictly on the evidence are patently absurd.
We don’t live in a country where fairness can be taken for granted. And that’s because people are not inclined to be “fair” except in regard to what they want for themselves.
“Another bad character supporting obama is going to jail.”
So, in other words, anyone supporting Barack Obama should go to jail. How’s that for fair?
It’s not even rational.
October 5th, 2008 at 1:41 am
UM CARA,
You’re just another bleeding heart phony. I bet the care you speak of goes no further than this blog. Or, have you contributed to his defense because of some injustice he has suffered?
October 5th, 2008 at 9:10 am
FuryPus,
Our prisons are full of “brain dead nincompoops”. If you haven’t heard, they’re called criminals. See, there is some knowledge to be gained from the internet. Most of it though is found within a library. Can you spell library?
October 5th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Alan, this is, of course, an unwarranted and unfounded attack upon the integrity of the jurors in the most recent OJ trail. If you have evidence of jury misconduct you should present it to the court.
Is it honestly your premises, Alan, that once a defendant is found not guilty of one crime that defendant can’t be held accountable for future crimes?
October 5th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Smithtown,
The writter you refer to wrote, “Another bad character supporting obama is going to jail.”
Another means one. Smithtown, you CHANGED the meaning to “anyone”. Hint Smithtown, don’t use “other words” to completely change the meaning of those you disagree with. Well, frankly at least one Nobama supporter is in jail. Now if OJ supports Nobama then it is clear that “another nobama support is in jail”. Its really just simple logic.
October 5th, 2008 at 10:10 am
I must of missed something. How did OJ get linked to supporting Obama? Oh, I forgot, he’s black so he “has to be supporting Obama”? That is just plain stupid!!! I know because the McCain supporters are seeing their hero going down in flames, they are desperate, but OJ? That’s just shows how so man of you McCain supporters are just one DNA link away from being baboons. You prove Darwin’s theory emphatically. To Bernie in Michingan, if I were you I would be more appauled that McCain pulled his support of Michigan which is a state that is clearly hurting. So when the going gets though, the “Maverick” gets going. What kind of leadership does that show. How can he expect Michigan to support his leadership just because he is scared he may not win in Michigan. Is he only going to support the states that voted for him if he becomes president. I am sorry, this post was supposed to be about OJ, but since some of you “Missing Links” thought that somehow you could tie this to Obama, I had to speak on your blatant ignorance. I am just assured that those who have these ignorant thoughts are ones that are not really voters, because obviously they are too undereducated to actually know how to go about registering to vote. Let alone, read a ballot.
October 5th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Actually, my lawyer friends tell me they try to get the stupidest people on juries that they can — people who don’t read newspapers, watch television news, talk about current events, etc. They look for jurors who are swayed by emotion. When I talk about how I’d love to be on a jury, they assure me I’d probably be dismissed. I hope they’re wrong someday.
Anyway. I’m just completely disappointed in Orenthal Julius Simpson, clear back to his first brushes with the law. I ache for his kids, definitely. I hope they’re coping as best they can, and have a nice life otherwise.
As a kid, OJ was the orange juice guy, the hero of RIF (Reading is Fundamental!) commercials, and the funny Hertz guy and occasional movie star.
I wonder what went wrong? He had the world by the tail.
October 5th, 2008 at 11:31 am
The Conservative always says the darnest things:
UM CARA,
You’re just another bleeding heart phony. I bet the care you speak of goes no further than this blog. Or, have you contributed to his defense because of some injustice he has suffered?
I haven’t defended OJ once, in any posting here. All my postings in one way or another have said I am happy to see him finally brought to justice.
As usual, nothing you have said has anything to do with anything I have written.
October 5th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
“…don’t use “other words” to completely change the meaning of those you disagree with.”
I’ll say what I please, just like the radical right.
“Another bad character supporting obama is going to jail.”
This is another line of bull aimed at smearing Barack Obama by implying his supporters are bad people.
“Well, frankly at least one Nobama supporter is in jail.”
And Bush should be next.
October 5th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Whatever your believe system – be it Karma or the Golden Rule….. OJ got what he had coming..
He got away with murder in the most liberal state in this country, but his luck ran out in Vegas. Classic.
While it will never bring back OJ’s victims, I hope this justice (albeit late), brings some closure to the Goldman and Brown families.
October 5th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
OJ has to go to jail. It’s important, too, that it is being brought to light how five of the jurists had expressed their thoughts about his not guilty verdict thirteen years ago. This suits the scheme of things set forth to come. There has to be race introduced at an opportune time. The “all white” jury wrongfully finding OJ guilty, perhaps five of them, at least, wishing for unfound justice. This will suit the cause, Alan. Stand up and cheer. There is not separation between thirteen years ago and now–except for the “Great Division” just when the “Great Depression” hits. It won’t be liberals vs democrats. It will be the chosen vs the marked.
October 5th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
OJ being linked to two violent crimes, you know the saying where there’s smoke there’s fire. Well I wasn’t on the jury, wasn’t privy to all the facts of the case but I did see what was reported in the news. Looks like he was guilty to me just like he was guilty 13 years ago. Only difference between then and now is he didn’t get away with it this time.
October 7th, 2008 at 8:29 pm