O.J. the Last Word: The Death of Justice [Paperback]

Gerry L. Spence (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1998

"O.J.: The Last Word" is perhaps the most controversial and shocking book yet to be written about the O.J. Simpson murder case. Spence, who was O.J.'s first choice to represent him in the criminal trial, and who served as a national commentator throughout one of America's greatest legal traumas, has chosen, after three years without a written word, to write this honest, often caustic assessment of the trial that riveted a nation. What distinguishes this work from the torrent of articles and books that have been written about the case is that Spence has chosen not merely to exhume the facts surrounding the case and reassess whether or not O.J. was guilty, but rather to use the trial to write about America itself. While both the defense and prosecution repeatedly claimed that this was not a case about race, not a murder that revolved around the evidence that a great black football star had murdered his blond ex-wife, Spence argues just the opposite: that this was a case about racial prejudices and bigotry from the start, and that those who choose to ignore these facts fail to understand the burning issues that continue to keep us a great nation divided. Spence also uses the case to attack the media orgy that has helped to create a culture of celebrity obsession and materialistic greed.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"[Spence is a ] tough-minded critic of his trade, a streetwise student of the human heart, and a moralist above all." --THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS

"If you want to read an O.J. book that is not so much about the O.J. Simpson murder case but rather about what is wrong with the judicial system and how it can be corrected, give O.J. THE LAST WORD a try." --SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

"O.J. THE LAST WORD is a tantalizing book. In it, Spence offers a plausible explanation for the jurors' doubts about Simpson's guilt notably, the prosecution's lack of candor. Herein is a valuable lesson for trial lawyers." TRIAL magazine, published by the association of trial lawyers

From the Author

"The last word on this infamous canker on the justice system will never be written, but these are mine." -Gerry Spence

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press (October 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312195192
• ISBN-13: 978-0312195199
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,638,373 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than the rest of the drivel, May 20, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: O.J. the Last Word: The Death of Justice (Paperback)

The Death of Justice is about so much more than O.J. - or the lawyers or the judge or the media. It's an intellectual examination, in a reader-friendly style, that breaks this famous trial down into its component parts so as to examine what went right and what went wrong, what could have been done differently, and what should be done in the future. It's also about tolerance and learning to see things from the other guy's perspective. I found it to be much more important than the other drivel out there, but then again I don't consider an intelligent discussion of both sides of an issue to be boring, or liberal, or conservative. It just is, and we should do more of it.

7 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not good!, March 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: O.J. the Last Word: The Death of Justice (Paperback)

If you loved Mr. Spence on television, you'll hate this book. Why? Because his contrarian insight on television, becomes much too hypocritical in print. He rails against the media's coverage of the trial (of which he was a part), accuses Chris Darden and Marcia Clarke of being more interested in their illicit affair than the trial, and of course informs us how he would have won the case. Save the coin. I've read all OJ books and the three best are Jeffrey Toobin's, Lawrence Schiller's and for something different, Domminick Dunne's.