Civil Law vs Criminal Law O.J Simpson Case

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CRIM JUS 105 September 12, 2012 Civil law vs Criminal law O.J Simpson Case November 2 1994, American Football Star and Actor, Orenthal James Simpson was accused by the People of the State of California of murdering Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman. Simpson was found acquitted of the murder in a criminal trial and liable for wrongful death in a civil trial. How could he be responsible for the death of both Brown and Goldman in a civil case but acquitted in a criminal case? By examining how the American criminal justice system works in this case the audience can understand why O.J Simpson received the sentences that were bestowed upon him. Simpson was acquitted, meaning declared not guilty, for the murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman. Simpson hired a team of high-profile lawyers spending about three million dollars and over to represent him in the case. The lawyers who represented Simpson are ; F. Lee Bailey, Johnnie Cochran Jr, Alan Dershowitz, Carl Douglas, Peter Neufeld, Barry Scheck, Robert Shapiro, and Gerald Uelmen, (edition.cnn.com) who were highly trained in DNA evidence presented in courts. Their job was to find a way to discredit the evidence provided by the prosecutors of Simpson. The lawyers’ main claim was that the Police handled the evidence poorly and that the evidence should be considered invalid and that the police planted evidence that led to the conviction of Simpson therefore he was found a not guilty verdict. Even though Simpson was acquitted of the murder of killing his ex-wife Nicole and Ronald he still was held responsible for their wrongful death. Taking about four months to complete, they finally won the case in a civil court. O.J Simpson had to pay the family of Ronald Goldman and O.J Simpson’s children $12.5million dollars (misscivilwar.org). The evidence that was brought up was the polygraph test that he was asked to take.

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