the Rodney King verdict/issue was still fresh on people's
by jt (2019-06-17 11:27:45)

In reply to: And later that summer  posted by wildesilas


mind and there was that other shooting of an African American woman by (I believe) a Korean store owner and the verdict went against the expected outcome of guilty.

Lots of resentment around that time.


Watching the video of that Koreatown shooting ...
by BIGSKYND  (2019-06-17 18:46:44)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

was bizarre when you look at the verdict.


That was a fact we hadn't considered
by SixShutouts66  (2019-06-17 13:22:44)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

The DA's office seemed to have such confidence that they would win the case that they were willing to move it from a whiter area (Santa Monica) to a downtown court so that a guilty verdict wouldn't be perceived as a "lynching" court. This was after a string of botched high profile murder cases (Menendez brothers and Phil Spector - think they both preceded OJ).

It was very clear that the jury was looking for a reason to acquit (and crucify Chris Darden). If the flying DNA wouldn't suffice, the glove spectacle sure did the rest. Apparently California DA's don't realize that winter gloves are supposed to fit snugly and the human hand is thinner in the cold sand swells in an LA courtroom.

I always wonder in the Vegas charges were more severe than needed as a payback of sorts. The case certainly brought some ugliness together - race, the pampered athlete/celebrity, the sudden reappearance of OJ with his bros in South Central.

I've often wondered what the jurors and African American community think about the verdict now, and sadly would 2019 be much different if another AA celebrity was accused of something similar.