Johnnie Cochran dies following an extended illness

3/29/2005

[lainie]

REPORT: Famed attorney Johnny Cochran died this afternoon in California following an extended illness... Developing...

[Spaulding]

Newbeliever,
Since I agree, we must both be wise. Once Barry whats-is-name made the uncontested point that two technicians testified that they had collected and attached their signatures to all the physical evidence, but only one name appeared on the evidence used in the trail - all blood, tissue, hair, cloth, etc - it was all over. None of that evidence could be used. The only evidence left was time-line and other circumstantial evidence. That was exactly what the jury asked to re-examine.
The vilification of the foreman/woman was the usual BS, and often with tinges of racism. I am too old to be surprised at the intellectual flaccidity of the many who could not grasp the finality of a broken chain of evidence. All the DNA stuff was irrelevant. All the blood typing was irrelevant.
Fortunately, we don't depend upon pundits to design braking systems for automobiles, or test drugs, or provide medical diagnosis, or weapons targeting systems - or do we?

[California Patriot]

Well, read your book to me then. Why in God's name is the world worse off without Johnnie Cochran? What possible reason would you have for saying this?

[exnavychick]

Rrriiiiight. I suppose you would prefer that OJ had had no lawyer at all, or one so substandard that the verdict would have been thrown out on appeal (incompetent counsel), so we could go through the whole thing again?

Just because things didn't turn out the way you thought they should doesn't mean it was his fault. He didn't deliver the verdict, after all. Sounds like your problem really lies with the jurors. Johnnie Cochrane just did his job, and did it well.

[proud American in Canada]

Thank you for that--I didn't think he took the stand, but in all honesty, I was 9 months pregnant and actually was in the hospital with my newborn when they read the verdict, so I'm a bit fuzzy on the details, LOL!

"Cochran skillfully played the race card in the criminal trial and got his acquittal, but set back race relations in this country thirty years, IMO."

You're absolutely right.

It's a lawyer's nature (and duty, really), to bring out every trick in the book that he ethically can to defend his client, but it is sad that this happened in such a high-profile case and resulted in such animosity and inflamed passions about race.

[Ole Okie]

Lotsa lawsuits still to be filed.

So many tortfeasors.

So little time!

[xrp]

Prayers for his family.

[blaquebyrd]

Defending a man guilty of double murder is hardly innocent.

Thankfully I was out of the country during the entire circus of a trial. So are you saying that OJ was found guilty before Cochran took the case? If not the man did his damn job. It's the prosecution's job to win a conviction. I guess you'll have to dance on their graves now.

[cyborg]

I agree. I could think of worse people than Johnny Cochran who was doing his JOB as a lawyer whether people like it or not. Rush hired Roy Black didn't he?

[7.62 x 51mm]

Good riddance, rot in hell and burn in The Lake Of Sulphur, Cockroach. As one who helped destroy The Rule Of Law in America, you truly deserve eternal damnation. IMO.

[humblegunner]

Well there goes the Chewbacca defense down the drain.

[exnavychick]

Wow. That's a little too much bitterness for me to handle. Sounds like you took him quite personally...there is no arguing with that.

I still think it's a pretty nasty thing to say, and I'll stand by it, no matter what you may think.

[ErnBatavia]

I'll agree that he flim-flammed that jury every which way, but then you'll have to agree that he fully knew he was defending a murderer.

Deal?

[traumer]

[CaptSkip]

...FReepers laughing and disrespecting me...

How can you have respect for a lawyer who blatantly played the race card before a willing race motivated jury to insure that a double murderer go free?

Johnnie C. did more to insure a solid racial divide in this country than any one man in recent history.

Remember the image on CNN of the glorious celebration at an all-black college at the moment the verdict was announced?

You would have thought it was a sporting event being decided. Not the trial outcome of the butchering of two innocent people.

Yeah Jonnie did a great job...he really made it.

[hamboy]

How did he die? Did they disconnect his NG tube?

[lintguard]

good golly, Bruno magli

[Chieftain]

I wonder how he'll do with this jury!?!??

[cyborg]

If it was you, you'd want a lawyer like Cochran too and guess what? If all that stood between you going free and the death penalty was a little noisome thing called the 'race card' you'd play it too. Sad as it is... I think OJ is guilty.

[Chieftain]

"If he doesn't stir, you must inter!"