This article presents an interview with William Hodgman, an assistant district attorney of Los Angeles and a lead prosecutor, who worked on the selection process of the jury for the O. J. Simpson trial. Hodgman admits that the O.J. Simpson case was the collision of “external dynamics of celebrity, of media, of race, of enormous financial resources” (PBS, 2005, para. 1). He was asked to work with a prosecutor due to an early preliminary hearing and participate in the three-month jury-selection process later, regardless of his administrative position. Hodgman states that the prosecution was highly affected by the racial dynamics, and defense attorneys derived their benefits “playing the race card” (PBS, 2005, para. 5). They blamed William that he was asking questions of African-American jurors in a different way in comparison with non-African-American jurors. Later, Johnnie Cochran and Robert Chapiro, defense attorneys, revealed that they were forced by the environment to be focused on the racial aspect as African-Americans felt injustice and experienced inappropriate treatment by the police.
William Hodgman mentions Chris Darden, an investigative attorney, and his prominent role in the legal procedure. The prosecution’s strategy consisted in a progressive and persistent proving of O. J. Simpson’s guilt from the evidence of domestic violence against his spouse, Nicole Brown, to her murder and Ron Goldman’s assassination as well (PBS, 2005). However, the fact of Nicole’s beating by Simpson “did not impress the jury” as well as the accuracy of the DNA test (PBS, 2005, para. 17). Hodgman hoped that the jury would make the right decision, and he went numb when he heard the verdict of acquittal. He believes that it was the result of unity and sentiments in the African-American segment of society.
Reference
Interview William Hodgman. (2005). PBS. Web.