Widely recognized as America's leading appeal lawyer, Alan Dershowitz was the man chosen to prepare the appeal should O.J. Simpson have been convicted. In this book he uses this case to examine the larger issues and to identify the social forces - media, money, gender and race - that shape the criminal justice system in America today. How could one of the longest trials in the history of America's judicial system produce a verdict after only hours of jury deliberation? Was this really a case of circumstantial evidence? And finally, is it possible that some jurors, who believed that O.J. Simpson did indeed murder Nicole Brown and Ronald Goodman, could properly have found him not guilty as a matter of law - and of justice? The crucial questions raised by the O.J. Simpson case, and Professor Dershowitz's surprising answers, reassess the case and the strengths and weaknesses of the legal system in America.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Alan Dershowitz, arguably one of the foremost legal thinkers of our time, gives an eye-opening account of the O.J. Simpson case and examines the larger issues of race, money, media, and gender that shape the criminal justice system in America.
From Publishers Weekly
Despite the hoopla surrounding the Simpson trial book deals, this is a solid piece of reflection and argument by Dershowitz (Reversal of Fortune), who was chosen to prepare the appeal had Simpson been convicted. Dershowitz believes that Simpson lawyer Robert Shapiro, not the flamboyant orator Johnnie Cochran, was the most crucial to the defense, because Shapiro hired top forensic experts to challenge the prosecution and insisted on a preliminary hearing (not a closed grand jury) to evaluate the prosecution's case. He also suggests that the verdict "is a wake-up call about police perjury"; some jurors might have concluded that the police tried to frame a murderer; the jury and the public saw very different pictures of Simpson's history of spouse abuse; Judge Ito's exclusion of most of the Fuhrman tapes would have highlighted on appeal. The media circus, Dershowitz warns, took place outside the courtroom; the issue is not cameras in the court but whether we should restrict media coverage of trials, as in Canada. While Dershowitz lapses into score-settling with his critics and sniping about Marcia Clark's hyperbole, he makes a strong case against conventional perceptions of the trial. Author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Authors
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
No Doubt on Not Guilty,
This review is from: Reasonable Doubts the O.J. Simpson Case and the Criminal Justice System (Audio Cassette)
The testimony of the two witnesses who cannot lie say that OJ Simpson is not guilty.Blood and flesh were found under Nicole Brown's fingernails; the blood type did not match OJ (or Nicole or Ron). Ron Goldman walked to work, worked out, and practiced karate; his hands showed bruises from punching someone in the face or head more than once. OJ had no scratches or bruises on his hands, arms, face, or body: he could not have been a lone murderer. The newspapers said that when the bodies were found after 12:15 AM their red blood was trickling down the sidewalk. The crime scene pictures printed in the National Enquirer showed the red blood. This says they were freshly killed, around 11:30, because their blood would be black and clotted if dead for over an hour (as in the Borden Murders). The above physical evidence proves OJ Simpson to be innocent of these murders. Some say the 25 to 30 stab wounds on Ron Goldman suggest an emotional frenzy from a personal enemy, and Nicole Brown was the innocent bystander. The book "Killing Time" is the first and only objective book (arguments for both sides) to discuss all the evidence. I hope that those who want to know the facts will read this, and reconsider any prejudgments that they made in June 1994.
4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Reasonable Facts,
This review is from: Reasonable Doubts: The O.J. Simpson Case and the Criminal Justice System (Hardcover)
OJ Simpson - Not GuiltyThe testimony of the two witnesses who cannot lie say that OJ Simpson is not guilty. Blood and flesh were found under Nicole Brown's fingernails; the blood type did not match OJ (or Nicole or Ron). Ron Goldman walked to work, worked out, and practiced karate; his hands showed bruises from punching someone in the face or head more than once. OJ had no scratches or bruises on his hands, arms, face, or body: he could not have been a lone murderer. The newspapers said that when the bodies were found after 12:15 AM their red blood was trickling down the sidewalk. The crime scene pictures printed in the National Enquirer showed the red blood. This says they were freshly killed, around 11:30, because their blood would be black and clotted if dead for over an hour (as in the Borden Murders). The above physical evidence proves OJ Simpson to be innocent of these murders. Some say the 25 to 30 stab wounds on Ron Goldman suggest an emotional frenzy from a personal enemy, and Nicole Brown was the innocent bystander. The book "Killing Time" is the first and only objective book (arguments for both sides) to discuss all the evidence. I hope that those who want to know the facts will read this, and reconsider any prejudgments that they made in June 1994.
3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
No doubt,
This review is from: REASONABLE DOUBTS: The O.J. Simpson Case and the Criminal Justice System (Hardcover)
This is just another lawyer capitalizing on the infamy of this trial to make a ton of money. He doesn't even try to convince of O.J.'s innocence because that would be impossible.
Regarding the two pieces of evidence the other reviewer mentioned 'proving' O.J.'s innocence, neither is pertinent. Neither was featured prominently by the defense, nor mentioned by the jurors as a reason for acquittal. The defense itself put the time of the murders at 10:45, rendering the 'red blood''evidence' as unimportant since their OWN time-line would have been made a lie of. The blood under the fingernails was degraded blood which can not be typed-but the fingers were found in a pool of her own blood making it extraordinarily likely that it was her own blood. Consider the following: --Simpson had a fresh cut on his finger and his blood was found in his home, in the Bronco and at Nicole's residence. If he hadn't had a cut big enough to bleed there would have been no case. A pretty extraordinary coincidence. --Simpson had been given gloves, like the ones found, by Nicole and had been photographed wearing them. He said he had never owned those "ugly as# shoes" (Bruno Magli) but then a photo was found with him wearing those exact shoes. He had bought a knife the size of the one used, which was never found. --The limo driver never saw a white Bronco before 11:00 despite going to both entrances. He rang the door bell many times but received no answer until almost 11:00. --Kato heard a VERY loud bump behind his room at the very time Simpson was alleged to have been there, and at the exact place where the glove was found. --MANY police officers were alleged to have been in on the 'plot', but neither the defense nor Simpson ever pushed for an investigation, nor did they put any effort into finding the 'real' killer. --Furman, the supposed 'leader' of the plot, only arrived long after many other police officers, none of which saw a second glove at the crime scene. This is only the tip of the iceberg but should be enough to convince any honest person. One of the real low points in U.S. legal history.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
