American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson

30 years ago we were shocked by the "not guilty" verdict of OJ Simpson after viciously killing his ex wife and an innocent man delivering some left behing goggles. Having read the detailed, informed and meticulous reports by Dominick Dunne in Vanity Fair, plus having seen American Crime Story and ESPN's 30 by 30 documentaries, revisiting that atrocious trial turns my guts inside out, but at the same time shows how rotten and fractured the country that once was the most powerful in the world has become. So rotten that it has just chosen a convicted felon, narcissistic buffoon to be their president. Twice. Watching the awfully distorted defense attorney Carl Douglas spitting out his resentment with his smallpox poked face pretending his client was innocent tells a lot about how hypocrisy permeates this once morally outstanding nation. The fact that Netflix is able to renew my indignation while I'm watching those crooks have the light of day, again, is proof that the series is really well made and to the point. I hope you don't rest in peace, OJ.

The Ezra Edelman series from 2016 was so good I couldn't help but compare the new Netflix series to that. I remember the day the verdict was read I was in Paris, CA at a Walmart watching the verdict being read and the shouts of joy from the people around me. It's hard to believe anyone actually believed he was not guilty at the time. Payback for Rodney King? Perhaps...

This series is very well produced and informative and there were a few things I had not heard before. I wish Marcia Clark was involved with this series besides file tape but I can understand not wanting to go through the story yet again.

It's a story we've all heard a million times by now, so it's nothing particularly groundbreaking. It was interesting to hear from some of the witnesses who never testified. As bad as human memory and eyewitness testimony is, it's still considered good evidence, and may have actually done something impactful in this case. The one thing this documentary did manage to do that I was impressed with was to find the only person in America who seems to still honestly believe OJ was innocent. I get that he has a business and he can't go around saying his former clients were guilty, but come on man. Of course OJ did it.

I remember the verdict and I can honestly say I wasn't surprised at the time. The defense team successfully turned this into a case about race and a referendum on the LA police department. The prosecution had all the evidence necessary, but were totally outclassed. Their bungling, and those of the detectives, made for an easy acquittal.

This documentary puts all of this on display, complete with interviews from many key players. I highly recommend it to those to young to remember as well as those who saw it happening.

In the end, the presentation reminds us of what really happened. All the impressive legal wranglings, race divisions, drama, and emotions aside - OJ killed Ron and Nicole.

Everyone knows the truth - even Carl Douglas.

I enjoyed the way this was set up with commentary from many involved with the case at the time. Even Mark Fuhrman. I took away one star for including Carl Douglas. What an obnoxious tool...I don't know how the man sleeps at night. Ever want to punch someone through a screen? That's him.... Bill Thompson the lawyer/DNA guy was not much better.

They both seemed to revel in the fact that they got OJ out of a murder conviction. I don't know how anyone could feel good about that.

Really felt for Christopher Darden, what a likeable guy. You can see the pain he feels to this day over this case. Ultimately the documentary did what others didn't, put the focus on the actual victims. Not just Ron and Nicole, but the people whose lives this awful event caused so many others. The saddest part is how the LA police dept. Really ended up affecting this case because of the Rodney King beating. The OJ trial turned into a trial about race and it never should have been. Had it not been for that I think this would have all turned out differently. His lawyers should never have referred to as the Dream Team, they were awful humans that spun this thing in the wrong direction. So unfair to the families of Ron and Nicole.