How Long OJ Simpson's Trial Lasted
American Manhunt: OJ Simpson reexamines one of the most famous cases in American history, adding new information from people involved in the case. Among Netflix's catalog of entertaining documentaries, the series does well to highlight the importance of this case in American culture and the duration of this impact. The docuseries outlines the events of the night of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman's murders, OJ Simpson's infamous car chase, and Simpson's subsequent trial.
American Manhunt does a great job of detailing the key figures for both the prosecution and defense, along with the main points of their arguments. As a result, the series feels very well-rounded and very informative, making it one of Netflix's best true crime shows. It features interviews with individuals on both sides of the case, along with friends and family members of people involved. While OJ Simpson was ultimately acquitted of the two murders in the criminal trial, this decision was not without months of evidence and testimony outlined for the jury.
The OJ Simpson Trial Lasted 11 Months
The Jury Was Chosen On November 3, 1994
While the trial itself began on January 24, 1995, and lasted over eight months, with all the trial preparations and the selection of the jury, the whole process took nearly a year. The murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman occurred on June 12, 1994, and OJ Simpson was arrested after the car chase on June 17. Several days after that, he pleaded not guilty, and trial preparations began several months later. American Manhunt revealed that the jury selection actually took two months on its own, as 257 people were interviewed before 12 jurors and 12 backups were selected.
After the jury was selected in November, they were sequestered on January 11, 1995, two weeks before the trial started. After both sides gave their opening statements in the initial days, witnesses were brought to the stand over several months. The DNA evidence was presented on May 10, 1995, marking a moment that should have been crucial for the prosecution but was ultimately questioned by the defense (via Biography). The famous leather gloves were tried on by Simpson on June 15. Finally, closing arguments were heard on September 28, and the verdict was read on October 3, 1995.
How Long It Took The Jurors To Reach A Verdict For OJ Simpson's Murder Trial
They Reached A Verdict Shockingly Fast
In the interviews with members of the prosecution and defense involved in American Manhunt, each of them remarked on how they had planned to go out of town for a while as the jury deliberated, indicating that they all expected it to take at least a week. However, to everyone's surprise, deliberations took only four hours. Given that juries for less high-profile cases still deliberate for several days, the defense and prosecution teams expected it to take longer than average. The Netflix series shows that both sides were initially unsure of what to make of the fast turnaround.
The series hints that the fast acquittal of OJ Simpson hinged both on the defense's case of racism and evidence tampering as well as the jury's desire to finally return to their families.
A four-hour deliberation for the verdict of a murder trial is shockingly short, especially given the famous nature of the case. The series hints that the fast acquittal of OJ Simpson hinged both on the defense's case of racism and evidence tampering, as well as the jury's desire to finally return to their families. Ultimately, what American Manhunt: OJ Simpson reminds viewers through its interview with one juror is that she did not feel the prosecution was not able to prove Simpson was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and that is the whole premise of the legal system.
Source: Biography
