Twenty years ago the OJ Simpson media circus began.
OJ Simpson was accused of brutally killing his former wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ron Goldman, outside Nicole's Brentwood condo.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent during the trial by the Simpson camp, and a attorney dream team soon put the LAPD and DNA evidence on trial.
The trial split innocence and guilt to many Angelenos by race.
OJ was found not-guilty in the criminal proceedings, but was eventually found responsible for killings in a civil trial held in Santa Monica.
Covering the trials were both exhausting and strange. Met many weird and wonderful people out front of the courthouse. Most of my colleagues wanted to shoot inside the trial for the pool, I thought outside the courthouse is where the real trial was being held.
I first photographed OJ at his arraignment. He looked completely out of it and he never looked at the camera. His eyes were red and glazed over, he faced downwards during the proceedings. His tie and shoe laces were taken from him because the jailers thought he may commit suicide during custody. Earlier in the day he told the LAPD he had killed Nicole and Ron. His statement was not allowed in court due to legal procedures.
To this day no one else but OJ was ever arrested or put on trial for the killings of Nicole and Ron.
OJ remains in custody at a jail in Nevada on a unrelated charge.
LA Weekly slideshow of images.
Photos by Ted Soqui © 1994
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| OJ Simpson and his attorney Robert Shapiro. |
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| First contact. |
