American Crime Story (2016) s01e03 Episode Script
The Dream Team
1 It's great that you guys won.
I'm just saying you should pass more.
I think I I don't think I should pass.
- I want to make the goals.
- You're being a ball hog.
- All right I-I said - You're a ball hog.
Oh, man.
Hey, guys, guys.
Are you sure you don't want to eat somewhere else? - No.
Chin Chin! - No, Chin Chin! Daddy, we love Chin Chin! Okay.
All right.
It's just, it's Father's Day, so it's a bit crowded.
Excuse me.
Come on.
- Excuse me.
- Sorry.
Come on.
Excuse me.
- I'm sorry.
- Hi.
We'll get you right Yes? How long would it be for a party of five? Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
You're Richard Cordovian.
My God, you're the O.
J.
guy.
- I'm-I'm Robert Kardashian.
- Oh, my God.
Yes! I knew it! No way! No way! This is so cool.
Come this way.
You can have whatever table you want.
- Oh.
- What? Whoa! We don't even have to wait! Let's go.
What do you say, kids? - Thank you.
- Thank you so much.
You're welcome.
Thank you.
Oh, my God, you're Richard Cordovian! - I knew it! I knew it! - Okay, okay.
Daddy? Do you think O.
J.
did it? No, of course not.
You know Uncle Juice.
You know he would never hurt anyone.
Well, Mom says he did.
Look, your mother your mother's very emotional right now.
And I understand that; she lost Nicole.
We all lost Nicole.
But she shouldn't be talking to you about these things.
Why? The entire universe is talking about it.
And people ask me about it all day.
I mean, he is my godfather.
That's right, he is, and your Uncle Juice your Uncle Juice is a good man.
In fact, I'm gonna tell the whole world exactly that on TV.
Barbara Walters called me.
- Barbara Walters? - Yeah.
Uh-huh.
- She knows you? - She talked to Mom and Bruce, too.
Bruce is famous! He won the Olympics! Bruce and Mom sell Thighmasters on TV, so that means that they're both famous.
- Dad, why are you famous? - I'm not.
L Listen, guys, listen to me.
Look, you know your grandparents.
You know me, and what I try to pass on to you.
We are Kardashians.
And in this family, being a good person and a loyal friend is more important than than being famous.
Fame is fleeting.
It's hollow.
It means nothing at all without a virtuous heart.
'Cause love could never ever Feel so strong Give me two eggrolls.
Don't I-I'm not starting out with one.
One for Dad.
Do you want one, Dad? Yes.
Thank you.
Okay.
This feels like the story of the year.
We all agree the mug shot is our cover? But it'll be in every daily, so by the time we hit the stands, this shot will be old news.
So we need to jazz it up; we need something dramatic.
Okay.
All right, try something like noir, - intrigue.
- Mm.
I could add a bit of chiaroscuro.
Heavy shadow.
Like Rembrandt.
My God, that's great.
Yeah.
That pops.
He really looks trapped.
Haunted.
The falling of an idol.
Good afternoon.
I'm Deputy District Attorney Marcia Clark, and what I will outline for you today are my office's charges against Mr.
Orenthal James Simpson in the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Mr.
Ronald Lyle Goldman on the evening of June 12, 1994.
I think the facts speak for themselves.
Simpson's blood was found at Bundy.
Nicole's blood was found at Rockingham.
And both Nicole and Ronald's blood were found in the Bronco.
Simpson will be charged with the premeditated deaths of both victims, and that is precisely what we will prove.
What about the Bronco chase? Do you think he was escaping to Mexico? Are there plans to charge anyone else? Mr.
Simpson is charged alone, because he is the sole murderer.
Is death penalty on the table? I'd say everything is on the table.
Any other questions? Way to go.
Congratulations.
- A star is born.
- Thank you.
But with this kind of physical evidence and a run for the border, he practically did my job for me.
Oh.
Can I have your autograph? Oh, shut up.
You love all this.
Just think, a year ago, you wouldn't even have been here; - you were a supervisor.
- Gil said I must be the first civil servant to ever ask for a demotion.
- It's back to the courtroom.
- Trial junkie.
Mm, it's better than sex.
Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit! Linda? Get me F.
Lee Bailey on the phone.
It's ringing.
Lee.
It's Bob.
Well, I've been better.
No, I am not crawling.
I'm inquiring.
How soon could you get out here? Lee, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your dropping everything and flying out here.
It means the world to me.
What, and miss the party? Uh wowsie.
You're sure up a creek of high-grade manure.
How are the boys? How is Linell? Everyone's good, they're bad, they're I-I don't know.
I can't think.
There's a streak of blood going from the murder scene right to O.
J.
's carpet in his bedroom; and then there's the gloves, and then he runs.
He gets into that stupid Bronco and he runs.
Yeah, I caught that on the news.
You know, my most famous client ran Sam Sheppard.
He ran because he was innocent.
Everyone prejudged him, but I got him off.
I know.
I saw the movie, Lee.
But this is what I'm up against.
Watch this.
Every channel.
It doesn't matter.
I've never seen a more obvious case of guilt.
Uh, if Simpson is innocent, Geraldo Alan Dershowitz, in all your years, have you ever seen a sensational, tragic case like this? In a short word, Larry, no.
The evidence against Simpson is overwhelming.
All right, Alan, what about a plea deal? Could that be in the cards? Larry, settling is Robert Shapiro's specialty, much more than actually trying cases in a courtroom.
But with a vicious double murder, then Simpson attempting escape, no.
O.
J.
Simpson is gonna stand trial for two counts of murder one, maybe special circumstances.
Aw, go to hell, Dershowitz! Do you see what I'm up against here? They've got me down as the schmuck that'll walk O.
J.
to the gas chamber, and then the most famous lawyer in the whole country is gonna dictate and narrate it on Larry King Live.
You think Alan's the most famous lawyer in the country? Thank God he's so photogenic.
How do I shut him up? How do you shut Dershowitz up? I like Alan, but he's a smug son of a bitch.
Every 15th word is "Harvard.
" Look there's only one way to shut up Dershowitz.
Hire him.
Oh, trust me, it'll be better here.
But he killed them five minutes from the Santa Monica Courthouse.
Yeah, I know, I know, but we can't ask them to move the trial to Santa Monica.
And they're way behind fixing the earthquake damage, and the media room's dinky; it's downtown.
There'll be room for everybody.
That way, we can handle the press, we have our offices and resources down here.
Plus, the optics are a million times better.
The "optics"? What's an optic? Marcia.
I have a black voting base.
I can't risk getting an all-white jury.
I don't want to hear the words "Rodney King" - or "Simi Valley" ever again.
- I don't know.
Doesn't Simpson deserve a jury of his peers? You know, rich, middle-aged white men? - Marcia - I'm kidding.
It's the truth, but I'm kidding.
Anyhow, downtown is fine by me.
I've won 19 out of 20 - homicide trials here.
- Yeah, that's great.
This office tries tens of thousands of cases; people only pay attention to a couple of the loud ones.
We have a winning hand.
Let's make everyone look good.
There he is.
Alan! Come in.
Bob! How are you? Lee! Long time! Alan.
- Oh.
And, uh - Robert Kardashian.
Right.
Glad to meet you.
Everyone, this is Barry Scheck.
Best DNA mind in the business.
Ooh, DNA.
To be 30 again.
New guard, meet old guard.
This is Pat McKenna, our lead investigator.
Pat.
He can go down and dirty; he's dug for the best.
All right, enough of the intros.
Alan, made a reservation for lunch at Spago's.
Yeah, do you mind terribly if we skipped lunch and just worked through the afternoon? I got a lot to cover, and I'm on a 5:30 back to Boston.
Oh.
Really? Yeah, that's how this is gonna work.
I'll come out often, but my manpower's back at Harvard.
Harvard.
So, then, the first week culminates with Simpson deciding to make a run for it - while under your supervision - Careful.
Leaving behind a letter that sounds like an admission of guilt, that you guys, for some mystifying reason, read aloud on television.
Bob thought it was a good idea.
No, no, wait, wait.
Why did you say that? You don't know what it was like that day.
You weren't there.
Of course.
And I'm here to help, not to judge.
Oh, you are here to judge.
What was that? - What was all that? - Bob, you have to move fast.
Your client, his goodwill, all of his popularity and accomplishments, it's a depreciating asset.
What do you mean? Right now, he's sort of like this handsome, gifted Greek god laid low.
It's a tragedy.
But he's still a Greek god.
The longer he sits in that cell, the more the public sees him in a jumpsuit and cuffs, the more mortal he becomes.
That's the clock we're fighting.
Excuse me.
He's never gonna stop being The Juice.
All right, you know what, time is short, so let's get to your biggest obstacle: the overwhelming physical evidence, all of which seems to support the conclusion that O.
J.
did it.
Okay, we understand that, so why don't you tell us something we don't know.
Why don't you suggest something.
Barry.
Well, how much do you gentlemen know about DNA evidence? Pretend not much.
That's okay, 'cause not a lot of people do.
But it is on the verge of revolutionizing criminal law.
In a couple years, it will be at the crux of any case of violence without eyewitnesses.
Okay, can you see DNA through a microscope? No, no.
A DNA molecule's about two nanometers in width, whereas, like, a human hair's about 80,000 nanometers, so it presents representationally with electrons and scanning-tunneling, atomic force microscopes Okay, okay, okay, cut to the cut to the quick.
Can you use DNA to show that it's someone else? Not at all.
I mean, the chances of-of one individual's DNA profile matching another person's are extremely small.
It's roughly one in a billion.
Great.
We're screwed.
Wh-What's your contribution here, anyway? - Why-why are you here? - Hold on.
Bob, you're so emotional.
Aw, come on, come on, so are you.
Barry, Barry Barry, clarify your strategy.
Okay.
I'm not going to contest the DNA matches.
I'm going to keep them out of court entirely.
If it can be shown that there may have been errors in the collection or the handling of the samples used for the prosecution's DNA analysis, we can contest the validity of the evidence itself.
At best, we get some of it thrown out, and at worst, we get the jury to question it, the very idea.
We will attack every assumption, question every single molecule of evidence, every aspect of how that molecule was gathered, handled and analyzed.
We will disrupt their presentation of physical evidence at every turn.
We will hack at them.
Make every piece of evidence presented either thrown out, untrustworthy or confusing.
No quarter.
Oh, boy.
I better get going.
I never thought I'd say this, but I like the nerd science guy.
Mm, but he's esoteric, and we also have to think about the things in the physical world, things we can see with our own eyeballs.
What do you got, Pat? So far, nothing I can sink my teeth into.
All I've seen is the LAPD acting like they're O.
J.
's butler.
"Would you like a police escort home?" "Could we get you some juice, Juice?" I do know one of the detectives a little.
Worked with him once doing security for Johnny Carson.
Mark Fuhrman.
Total prick.
Really unpleasant.
Johnny never asked him back.
Really? Johnny never asked him back? That's interesting.
What, Foreman? - Mark Fuhrman.
- Fuhrman.
Yeah.
Yeah, dig deep.
Let me know what happens.
"Dream team"? Give me a break.
Bob Shapiro is a settler.
Gets the big fee, cuts the deal, doesn't go to trial.
And when's the last time Lee Bailey won more than a drinking game? Did you know Shapiro represented Bailey in the longest drunk-driving trial in American history? It's true, 11 days.
Dershowitz appeals expert, which tells you they're assuming conviction.
Kardashian I literally did not realize he was a lawyer.
It's really sad.
The most famous collection of expensive lawyers in the world trying to buy O.
J.
out of trouble.
And everyone's jumping on the gravy train.
Look at this one.
O.
J.
's golf caddy has insight into his state of mind the day of the murders.
If this moron shows up on a witness list, one of you gets fired.
I'm serious.
If they sell their story before they testify, they've got zero credibility on the stand.
We can't have cash-for-trash.
Come on, Marcia, these are just honest, hardworking folks trying to profit from the brutal murder of two innocent people.
It's vile, but they're welcome to it, after I'm done with them.
The first time Ever I saw your face In this case, we must look at all the facts, but we must also look at what's behind all the facts.
That is where we will No, that's That is where we will find the truth.
- Hey.
- Hey.
What are you doing? I'm getting ready for that NBC thing.
You know, they're calling me the "senior O.
J.
analyst" or some such But, Johnnie, you are on your feet.
Taking in the room, putting the jury in the bookcase over there like you do.
Oh, hell no.
I'm on the sidelines.
They're gonna lose.
I-I don't want to be a part of all of that when that happens.
Mm, course not.
But how would you feel if someone else got him off? Ever I saw Hmm.
I wouldn't feel good.
Your face - Mm-mm.
Your face.
Pretty crazy, huh? They made him blacker.
This image plays to the perception that a darker black man is a more dangerous black man.
They're assuming that he's guilty.
Darker is guiltier; black is badder.
- Hold on, George, hold on.
- It's racist and it's vile.
Isn't your interpretation of the cover just as racist? I haven't seen such journalist irresponsibility since Dateline staged that car explosion.
Oh, come on.
That's overstated.
If you take a picture of Simpson in a dark room, are you being racist? Of course it's racially insensitive.
But the real injustice is the way police officers view blacks in Los Angeles.
Even after the riots, even after the Christopher Commission, the LAPD culture has not changed.
You have to understand that this is a city Okay, I went down into the county courts records, found file after file on Detective Mark Fuhrman.
Guy's worse than I remembered.
Actually sued the city.
- Was the plaintiff? - Hang on.
That's not the mind-blowing part.
He sued the city basically claiming that his duties as an LAPD officer made him into a bigot.
- What? - Serving as a cop - gave him violent fantasies.
- Come on.
He describes beating up and attacking black people.
Wait, okay, let me get this straight.
You're saying that the homicide detective that discovered all the evidence on O.
J.
Simpson hates black people? The cop who found the glove at Rockingham.
This is this is a gift.
Imagine.
I-Imagine that O.
J.
Simpson was set up by the cops because he was a black man.
And because the LAPD has a systemic racism problem.
Bob, there's a reporter from The New Yorker magazine here to see you.
That on the schedule? No, he just showed up.
Well, tell him it doesn't work that way.
Tell him I'm very busy.
Linda, I want to see him.
Don't let him go.
Thanks for taking the time to see me.
Now, you're New York magazine - or New Yorker? - New Yorker.
- New Yorker.
- Yeah.
Alan Dershowitz told me to look you up.
Ah.
I'm doing a piece on cash-for-trash stories, witnesses selling their testimony.
The O.
J.
Simpson trial seemed like a perfect No, no, it's inconsequential.
It's window dressing.
It's not the best use of your time.
It's the story I'm out here to cover, so I know it is, but wouldn't you rather ask me why a man like me would take a case like this? You might be surprised.
I might be surprised if I'm surprised.
Okay.
Tell me.
Because of its far-reaching implications.
I've never seen anything like it.
And I couldn't stand by and let it happen.
Please.
Let what happen, exactly? The systematic railroading of O.
J.
Simpson by a racist LAPD because he is a black man.
Wait, what? The LAPD history is a shameful history.
And everybody knows it; it's no secret.
And this cop, Mark Fuhrman, who discovered everything, he's an admitted racist.
Any evidence he touches is questionable.
So I want to be clear.
You're saying this policeman set up O.
J.
Simpson.
Maybe.
Maybe Mark Fuhrman, maybe others, in a conspiracy.
Wait.
Okay, wait.
So all the blood evidence somehow these cops, a cabal of racist police officers, planted it? From the murder scene to the Bronco - to Rockingham? - Who else could have? Take a step back.
I mean, doesn't it seem odd that this glove just happened to be at Rockingham at the same time that Detective Fuhrman - just happened to find it? - Uh, it isn't odd if Simpson dropped it after he climbed the wall to avoid being seen by the limo driver.
Jeff, you look like a smart kid; don't rush to judgment.
We will show that it is impossible for a black man to get a fair shake with the LAPD.
We will prove this.
So you're gonna say this case is all about race? Yes, because it is.
I'm just simply shedding a light on it.
Sweetie, what are you doing? Uh, nothing.
Yeah.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
No.
Travis, come on! No, I can do it.
Yeah, not with that you can't.
But it's not plugged in.
It's still not safe.
- Here.
Use that.
- Come on.
This isn't fun.
Yeah, well, that way, you'll hold on to your fingers.
- Come on, Mom.
- All of your fingers In the dark, I could see it was O.
J.
Simpson.
How would you describe his expression? O.
J.
's face was like a mask of rage.
I was terrified.
I hope I don't have nightmares for the rest of my life.
Shively's out.
I'm not putting her on the stand.
Marcia She lied She's your only eyewitness.
She ties him to the crime.
She lost all credibility.
The jury won't believe her; the defense will portray her as a media whore, which she is.
They'll say she just made it all up to score some quick money.
It's just a sleazy news show.
They paid her five grand.
It's a slippery slope from Hard Copy to the National Enquirer to the Weekly World News.
We need to set a tone.
That what this is about? We've used witnesses before who did interviews for money.
Gil.
If we don't keep control, then the press can hijack all of it.
We'll end up spending our time responding to them instead of focusing on things that matter.
Come on, guys.
We have all the aces.
Let's hold the high ground.
Where's Craig? Why hasn't he come seen me yet? Or any of the other guys from the golf club.
I'm losing it in here, guys.
They won't even let me shower.
I got dirt on my elbows.
Have your people looked into Faye Resnick yet? Her drugs? Underworld drug connections? I hear a lot of coke moves through Mezzaluna.
Uh, cocaine connections? Yeah.
Sure.
We'll put an investigator on it.
But we have something more pressing to discuss with you.
We need to add a litigator to the team, one who fits the, uh well, the particular developing circumstances in the downtown venue.
What are you saying, Bob? Well, I was thinking someone along the lines of Johnnie Cochran.
What?! No, no, no, that's all wrong.
Just hear him out, Juice.
We need someone who can communicate to the downtown jury.
It's just the, uh it's just the conditions on our football field, that's all.
You want to make this a black thing.
That's why you want Cochran.
Well, I'm not black.
I'm O.
J.
What is that there? Okay, well, I've filed the motion petition Come on, Carl, I-I'm trying to work with this.
I'll tell you what, why don't we go back to this section.
Okay.
What do you got? What do you got? Mr.
Cochran, O.
J.
Simpson is calling for you.
Let me have the room.
Carl, let me have the room.
Diane, patch him through.
Johnnie Cochran.
Johnnie? Johnnie, this is O.
J.
I need you.
I'm calling from jail.
I-I keep telling everyone, Johnnie Cochran is the man I need to speak to.
Well, I appreciate that.
I-I keep telling everyone I'm innocent.
I need the best lawyer in the world to get me out of this jam.
You got to help me, man.
O.
J.
, I'm glad you called me.
You've made a smart decision.
I sure did.
'Cause I killed her.
I killed her good.
Oh, yeah.
Diane next time screen the damn call! It's weird.
I've always been tight with the Simpsons.
Now they say they need their guesthouse back.
Dude, it's not a problem.
You can stay on my couch as long as you want.
You, my friend, are a total pussy magnet.
It's crazy.
Ever since this stuff, you know, my beeper's going off 50 times a day.
TV shows, girls, agents, - managers it's crazy.
- You got any good auditions? I mean, you must be getting offered a ton of parts, right? Well, not really, but I don't want to blow this opportunity.
I have to update my reel.
I only have that Coke commercial from '86.
Oh, yeah.
Kato! Kato! Kato! Oh, look! Whoo-whoo-whoo! They're so friendly! You've got the life.
Hey, Kato! Hey, asshole! Hey, la Go straight to hell with O.
J.
, murderer! Fame's complicated.
A.
D.
A.
Darden, Special Investigations Division.
Oh, actually, this office is in charge of investigating all LAPD officers.
How can I help you? Uh-huh.
Uh yeah, right.
Okay.
What's the name of that detective again? How you doing today? Get the passenger manifests for both Chicago flights, see if anyone can attest to Simpson's demeanor.
Yes.
That is fine.
He can sign it.
And please close the door on your way out, Lisa.
Thank you.
Knock-knock.
Hey, Big-Time.
Darden.
Sorry I can't offer you a chair.
- What's up? - I got a call.
Reporter from The New Yorker asking about Mark Fuhrman.
I know he's a key witness for you, so Mm-hmm.
I just thought you should know.
I sandbagged him.
Told him it would take a week to get the file.
Nice.
Would you do me a favor and shut the door? I need a break.
You mind? No.
What do you think about the case? It's pretty bulletproof.
Strong.
Though it's interesting.
A lot of black people think O.
J.
didn't do it.
What? - Really? - Yeah.
Guess they just don't want it to be true.
Good-looking, charming, talented black kid from the street makes it all the way to the top, then gets pushed off his pedestal and thrown into jail, like black men do.
Oh, come on.
It's not like O.
J.
was a pillar of the black community.
Mm.
Well, and even if he were, would it matter? There would still be the same evidence, the same history, the same facts.
- He obviously did it.
- I hear you.
But right now, it's an emotional thing, not a rational one.
Might be hard for you to understand.
Since you never get emotional about your cases.
Dad's here! - I need to find my phone! - I can't find my shoe! - Hey.
How are you? - Wait here.
- Okay? I'll get them.
- Whoa, what's-what's wrong? You guys have a movie to get to.
I don't really want to get into this right now.
What? No, come on.
No, we don't let stuff go like that.
No, we don't.
You're right.
Jesus, how do you expect me to act? When you're standing by him.
He's my best friend, Kris.
I don't turn my back on people.
You're turning your back on Nicole! He butchered her, Robert.
He murdered her! O-Okay.
Look, come on.
Come on, I'm-I'm devastated about Nicole.
You know that.
I mean, it's-it's horrible.
But he had nothing to do with that.
- I know that.
- Bullshit! You can tell yourself that, but you do not know that.
Would you at least please not tell the kids that their uncle is a killer? Pretend uncle, Robert.
Everything about him is pretend.
Guys, your father's here.
You rang? Yep.
Come on in.
- Hypothetical question.
- Hmm? What do you think about A.
C.
Cowlings aiding and abetting? - Really? - Mm-hmm.
Well, it's complicated.
On one hand, he was the driver in what looked like Simpson's getaway attempt.
There was passports, - fake beard, $8,700 in cash.
- Mm-hmm.
Refused to stop the vehicle for police when ordered.
On the other hand, Simpson was holding a gun to his own head.
He may have pointed it at Cowlings.
I guess it comes down to establishing what the situation was inside that vehicle.
Why? Because we're thinking about pressing charges.
- Oh.
- I've known you forever, and I think you're the one to run with it.
- You do? Wow.
- Mm-hmm.
- Huh.
- You should do it.
You'll have fun.
Marcia, I haven't been in a courtroom in a long time.
Quit hiding in the basement, Chris.
I know you can do it.
Is that right, Big-Time? Yeah.
You should trust me.
Look, I know it doesn't seem like much now, but it could turn out to be crucial to proving O.
J.
's intent and guilt.
And that would be all yours.
Big-Time.
Well I guess I'm all yours, Marcia.
Good.
Because I could use all the help I can get.
- Marcia? - Yeah? You got to come out and see this.
He's back.
Please.
Okay, what does he look like? He's O.
J.
Simpson.
I think you know his record.
Could you just send somebody over here? Okay, what is he doing there? Are these the 911 tapes? Yeah.
The media made a request, and some idiot at county released them.
First of all, he broke the back door down to get in.
Okay, wait a minute.
What is he doing? Is he threatening you? I am freakin' going nuts.
Okay, just stay on the line I don't want to stay on the line.
He's gonna beat the shit out of me.
Oh, my God.
So we can know what's going on till the police get there, okay? Just a moment.
Does he have any weapons? I don't know.
- Has he hit you today or no? - No.
Okay, you don't need any paramedics or anything? Uh-uh.
- Is he inside right now? - Yes.
Okay, just a moment.
This is exactly what I feared.
The tail wagging the dog.
My witnesses are on TV.
My evidence is on TV.
Hey, maybe we should invite Bernard Shaw over to rifle through my files.
Marcia, we'll come through.
We have enough evidence to win five times over.
When Shapiro sees what we've got, he's gonna roll over and play dead.
I hear a sound.
The sound of metal orbs clanging against one another.
Come on, Lee.
Oh, my God.
It's coming from your pants, Bob.
Balls.
Big, brass balls.
God love you.
We are back in this thing! Ah, thank you, thank you.
But, uh, how do I get rid of those 911 tapes? I know.
Those tapes are today.
In a week, they're flotsam over the stern.
If they had to come out, I'm glad they were followed with this.
What you've laid out here, this is an entire case strategy.
Spectacular.
This is masterful.
Bob, you had a car that flew off a cliff.
It's missing two tires, leaking oil and flung into a ravine, yet somehow, you drove us back up the hill.
We're highway-ready again and back in the race.
What is it with this case? Every time I think I get my bearings It's crazy.
They're going racial.
You know, I think this could stick.
No way.
Nobody's gonna buy into this.
It's desperate, transparent, and coming from "Brentwood" Bob Shapiro.
I know a lot of people who would believe it.
Darden's right.
This move may be sleazy and cynical, but it could work.
They're trying to take down the LAPD.
We have to stop looking at this case as a slam dunk.
This article it's a declaration of war.
Then Dershowitz says, "Once I decide to take a case, I have only one agenda: - I want to win.
- Mm! I will try by every fair and legal means to get my client off without regard to the consequences.
" Mm.
So they're saying that this racist cop framed me just because I'm black?! It could explain a lot, Juice.
I mean, th-this Fuhrman cop and-and the glove.
And why not do everything we can to get you out of here if-if you're not supposed to be here? I just want to go home, be with my children, do everything that I can to help find the killer, you know? O.
J.
, these 911 tapes that have been circulating, they've been playing day and night on all the channels, it's an audio recording in which the world can hear you - beating your wife.
- Bob, we was just, you know, tussling.
I-I can I can fix this.
No, no, no, you can't! You can't clear that up! You can't put the genie back in the bottle.
Now, there's hope, but you have to listen, and you have to listen very carefully.
This race defense is the crux of our case.
We need to bring in Johnnie Cochran, and we need to do it now! - No.
- Yes, we do.
His angle is the only angle that you will ever see daylight again, do you hear me? Do you hear me?! He's right, Juice.
Johnnie Cochran.
- Let me be clear - Humm I have always admired you.
And wanted to work with you for years.
Thank you, Bob.
That's kind of you.
I feel a strong emotional connection to this case.
I'm so glad you feel this way.
It's excellent.
But I-I I feel that I owe you the utmost clarity - on one issue.
- Mm-hmm.
Hmm.
And that is, I will remain lead counsel.
Mm.
This case could accomplish a lot of important things.
I know.
I'm so excited.
I'm excited for you, for us.
It's big.
It's big.
Bob, Bob, Bob, hang on, hang on, hang on.
- Before I come aboard - Yes? Yeah? I have to look into O.
J.
's eyes.
I have to look into his eyes.
I need to believe him.
You all right, my brother? No, Johnnie.
No.
Come on, come on, come on, come on.
Talk to me.
Whatever you decide to do, whether you're with me or not, you got to know this I loved her.
I loved Nicole more than you can possibly imagine.
Sh-She was the mother of my children.
I I didn't do it, Johnnie.
I didn't.
I didn't do I couldn't have done it, I swear.
There's no way I could've killed her.
No way.
Nicole was the center of my world, man.
Come on, come on, come on, come on.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You just got to believe me, Johnnie.
You just got to believe me.
Of course.
I believe you.
And I'm gonna get you out of here, but I need you to stay strong.
Come on.
I want to see that strength that I know that's in you.
If it's not enough, then you can have some of mine.
You know what I'm saying? That means a lot to me, Johnnie.
Good, good.
Listen to me.
Listen.
We get one black juror, just one and I'll give you a hung jury.
When I give you a hung jury you are going home.
You're going home.
Cochran.
Motherfucker.
I'm just saying you should pass more.
I think I I don't think I should pass.
- I want to make the goals.
- You're being a ball hog.
- All right I-I said - You're a ball hog.
Oh, man.
Hey, guys, guys.
Are you sure you don't want to eat somewhere else? - No.
Chin Chin! - No, Chin Chin! Daddy, we love Chin Chin! Okay.
All right.
It's just, it's Father's Day, so it's a bit crowded.
Excuse me.
Come on.
- Excuse me.
- Sorry.
Come on.
Excuse me.
- I'm sorry.
- Hi.
We'll get you right Yes? How long would it be for a party of five? Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
You're Richard Cordovian.
My God, you're the O.
J.
guy.
- I'm-I'm Robert Kardashian.
- Oh, my God.
Yes! I knew it! No way! No way! This is so cool.
Come this way.
You can have whatever table you want.
- Oh.
- What? Whoa! We don't even have to wait! Let's go.
What do you say, kids? - Thank you.
- Thank you so much.
You're welcome.
Thank you.
Oh, my God, you're Richard Cordovian! - I knew it! I knew it! - Okay, okay.
Daddy? Do you think O.
J.
did it? No, of course not.
You know Uncle Juice.
You know he would never hurt anyone.
Well, Mom says he did.
Look, your mother your mother's very emotional right now.
And I understand that; she lost Nicole.
We all lost Nicole.
But she shouldn't be talking to you about these things.
Why? The entire universe is talking about it.
And people ask me about it all day.
I mean, he is my godfather.
That's right, he is, and your Uncle Juice your Uncle Juice is a good man.
In fact, I'm gonna tell the whole world exactly that on TV.
Barbara Walters called me.
- Barbara Walters? - Yeah.
Uh-huh.
- She knows you? - She talked to Mom and Bruce, too.
Bruce is famous! He won the Olympics! Bruce and Mom sell Thighmasters on TV, so that means that they're both famous.
- Dad, why are you famous? - I'm not.
L Listen, guys, listen to me.
Look, you know your grandparents.
You know me, and what I try to pass on to you.
We are Kardashians.
And in this family, being a good person and a loyal friend is more important than than being famous.
Fame is fleeting.
It's hollow.
It means nothing at all without a virtuous heart.
'Cause love could never ever Feel so strong Give me two eggrolls.
Don't I-I'm not starting out with one.
One for Dad.
Do you want one, Dad? Yes.
Thank you.
Okay.
This feels like the story of the year.
We all agree the mug shot is our cover? But it'll be in every daily, so by the time we hit the stands, this shot will be old news.
So we need to jazz it up; we need something dramatic.
Okay.
All right, try something like noir, - intrigue.
- Mm.
I could add a bit of chiaroscuro.
Heavy shadow.
Like Rembrandt.
My God, that's great.
Yeah.
That pops.
He really looks trapped.
Haunted.
The falling of an idol.
Good afternoon.
I'm Deputy District Attorney Marcia Clark, and what I will outline for you today are my office's charges against Mr.
Orenthal James Simpson in the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Mr.
Ronald Lyle Goldman on the evening of June 12, 1994.
I think the facts speak for themselves.
Simpson's blood was found at Bundy.
Nicole's blood was found at Rockingham.
And both Nicole and Ronald's blood were found in the Bronco.
Simpson will be charged with the premeditated deaths of both victims, and that is precisely what we will prove.
What about the Bronco chase? Do you think he was escaping to Mexico? Are there plans to charge anyone else? Mr.
Simpson is charged alone, because he is the sole murderer.
Is death penalty on the table? I'd say everything is on the table.
Any other questions? Way to go.
Congratulations.
- A star is born.
- Thank you.
But with this kind of physical evidence and a run for the border, he practically did my job for me.
Oh.
Can I have your autograph? Oh, shut up.
You love all this.
Just think, a year ago, you wouldn't even have been here; - you were a supervisor.
- Gil said I must be the first civil servant to ever ask for a demotion.
- It's back to the courtroom.
- Trial junkie.
Mm, it's better than sex.
Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit! Linda? Get me F.
Lee Bailey on the phone.
It's ringing.
Lee.
It's Bob.
Well, I've been better.
No, I am not crawling.
I'm inquiring.
How soon could you get out here? Lee, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your dropping everything and flying out here.
It means the world to me.
What, and miss the party? Uh wowsie.
You're sure up a creek of high-grade manure.
How are the boys? How is Linell? Everyone's good, they're bad, they're I-I don't know.
I can't think.
There's a streak of blood going from the murder scene right to O.
J.
's carpet in his bedroom; and then there's the gloves, and then he runs.
He gets into that stupid Bronco and he runs.
Yeah, I caught that on the news.
You know, my most famous client ran Sam Sheppard.
He ran because he was innocent.
Everyone prejudged him, but I got him off.
I know.
I saw the movie, Lee.
But this is what I'm up against.
Watch this.
Every channel.
It doesn't matter.
I've never seen a more obvious case of guilt.
Uh, if Simpson is innocent, Geraldo Alan Dershowitz, in all your years, have you ever seen a sensational, tragic case like this? In a short word, Larry, no.
The evidence against Simpson is overwhelming.
All right, Alan, what about a plea deal? Could that be in the cards? Larry, settling is Robert Shapiro's specialty, much more than actually trying cases in a courtroom.
But with a vicious double murder, then Simpson attempting escape, no.
O.
J.
Simpson is gonna stand trial for two counts of murder one, maybe special circumstances.
Aw, go to hell, Dershowitz! Do you see what I'm up against here? They've got me down as the schmuck that'll walk O.
J.
to the gas chamber, and then the most famous lawyer in the whole country is gonna dictate and narrate it on Larry King Live.
You think Alan's the most famous lawyer in the country? Thank God he's so photogenic.
How do I shut him up? How do you shut Dershowitz up? I like Alan, but he's a smug son of a bitch.
Every 15th word is "Harvard.
" Look there's only one way to shut up Dershowitz.
Hire him.
Oh, trust me, it'll be better here.
But he killed them five minutes from the Santa Monica Courthouse.
Yeah, I know, I know, but we can't ask them to move the trial to Santa Monica.
And they're way behind fixing the earthquake damage, and the media room's dinky; it's downtown.
There'll be room for everybody.
That way, we can handle the press, we have our offices and resources down here.
Plus, the optics are a million times better.
The "optics"? What's an optic? Marcia.
I have a black voting base.
I can't risk getting an all-white jury.
I don't want to hear the words "Rodney King" - or "Simi Valley" ever again.
- I don't know.
Doesn't Simpson deserve a jury of his peers? You know, rich, middle-aged white men? - Marcia - I'm kidding.
It's the truth, but I'm kidding.
Anyhow, downtown is fine by me.
I've won 19 out of 20 - homicide trials here.
- Yeah, that's great.
This office tries tens of thousands of cases; people only pay attention to a couple of the loud ones.
We have a winning hand.
Let's make everyone look good.
There he is.
Alan! Come in.
Bob! How are you? Lee! Long time! Alan.
- Oh.
And, uh - Robert Kardashian.
Right.
Glad to meet you.
Everyone, this is Barry Scheck.
Best DNA mind in the business.
Ooh, DNA.
To be 30 again.
New guard, meet old guard.
This is Pat McKenna, our lead investigator.
Pat.
He can go down and dirty; he's dug for the best.
All right, enough of the intros.
Alan, made a reservation for lunch at Spago's.
Yeah, do you mind terribly if we skipped lunch and just worked through the afternoon? I got a lot to cover, and I'm on a 5:30 back to Boston.
Oh.
Really? Yeah, that's how this is gonna work.
I'll come out often, but my manpower's back at Harvard.
Harvard.
So, then, the first week culminates with Simpson deciding to make a run for it - while under your supervision - Careful.
Leaving behind a letter that sounds like an admission of guilt, that you guys, for some mystifying reason, read aloud on television.
Bob thought it was a good idea.
No, no, wait, wait.
Why did you say that? You don't know what it was like that day.
You weren't there.
Of course.
And I'm here to help, not to judge.
Oh, you are here to judge.
What was that? - What was all that? - Bob, you have to move fast.
Your client, his goodwill, all of his popularity and accomplishments, it's a depreciating asset.
What do you mean? Right now, he's sort of like this handsome, gifted Greek god laid low.
It's a tragedy.
But he's still a Greek god.
The longer he sits in that cell, the more the public sees him in a jumpsuit and cuffs, the more mortal he becomes.
That's the clock we're fighting.
Excuse me.
He's never gonna stop being The Juice.
All right, you know what, time is short, so let's get to your biggest obstacle: the overwhelming physical evidence, all of which seems to support the conclusion that O.
J.
did it.
Okay, we understand that, so why don't you tell us something we don't know.
Why don't you suggest something.
Barry.
Well, how much do you gentlemen know about DNA evidence? Pretend not much.
That's okay, 'cause not a lot of people do.
But it is on the verge of revolutionizing criminal law.
In a couple years, it will be at the crux of any case of violence without eyewitnesses.
Okay, can you see DNA through a microscope? No, no.
A DNA molecule's about two nanometers in width, whereas, like, a human hair's about 80,000 nanometers, so it presents representationally with electrons and scanning-tunneling, atomic force microscopes Okay, okay, okay, cut to the cut to the quick.
Can you use DNA to show that it's someone else? Not at all.
I mean, the chances of-of one individual's DNA profile matching another person's are extremely small.
It's roughly one in a billion.
Great.
We're screwed.
Wh-What's your contribution here, anyway? - Why-why are you here? - Hold on.
Bob, you're so emotional.
Aw, come on, come on, so are you.
Barry, Barry Barry, clarify your strategy.
Okay.
I'm not going to contest the DNA matches.
I'm going to keep them out of court entirely.
If it can be shown that there may have been errors in the collection or the handling of the samples used for the prosecution's DNA analysis, we can contest the validity of the evidence itself.
At best, we get some of it thrown out, and at worst, we get the jury to question it, the very idea.
We will attack every assumption, question every single molecule of evidence, every aspect of how that molecule was gathered, handled and analyzed.
We will disrupt their presentation of physical evidence at every turn.
We will hack at them.
Make every piece of evidence presented either thrown out, untrustworthy or confusing.
No quarter.
Oh, boy.
I better get going.
I never thought I'd say this, but I like the nerd science guy.
Mm, but he's esoteric, and we also have to think about the things in the physical world, things we can see with our own eyeballs.
What do you got, Pat? So far, nothing I can sink my teeth into.
All I've seen is the LAPD acting like they're O.
J.
's butler.
"Would you like a police escort home?" "Could we get you some juice, Juice?" I do know one of the detectives a little.
Worked with him once doing security for Johnny Carson.
Mark Fuhrman.
Total prick.
Really unpleasant.
Johnny never asked him back.
Really? Johnny never asked him back? That's interesting.
What, Foreman? - Mark Fuhrman.
- Fuhrman.
Yeah.
Yeah, dig deep.
Let me know what happens.
"Dream team"? Give me a break.
Bob Shapiro is a settler.
Gets the big fee, cuts the deal, doesn't go to trial.
And when's the last time Lee Bailey won more than a drinking game? Did you know Shapiro represented Bailey in the longest drunk-driving trial in American history? It's true, 11 days.
Dershowitz appeals expert, which tells you they're assuming conviction.
Kardashian I literally did not realize he was a lawyer.
It's really sad.
The most famous collection of expensive lawyers in the world trying to buy O.
J.
out of trouble.
And everyone's jumping on the gravy train.
Look at this one.
O.
J.
's golf caddy has insight into his state of mind the day of the murders.
If this moron shows up on a witness list, one of you gets fired.
I'm serious.
If they sell their story before they testify, they've got zero credibility on the stand.
We can't have cash-for-trash.
Come on, Marcia, these are just honest, hardworking folks trying to profit from the brutal murder of two innocent people.
It's vile, but they're welcome to it, after I'm done with them.
The first time Ever I saw your face In this case, we must look at all the facts, but we must also look at what's behind all the facts.
That is where we will No, that's That is where we will find the truth.
- Hey.
- Hey.
What are you doing? I'm getting ready for that NBC thing.
You know, they're calling me the "senior O.
J.
analyst" or some such But, Johnnie, you are on your feet.
Taking in the room, putting the jury in the bookcase over there like you do.
Oh, hell no.
I'm on the sidelines.
They're gonna lose.
I-I don't want to be a part of all of that when that happens.
Mm, course not.
But how would you feel if someone else got him off? Ever I saw Hmm.
I wouldn't feel good.
Your face - Mm-mm.
Your face.
Pretty crazy, huh? They made him blacker.
This image plays to the perception that a darker black man is a more dangerous black man.
They're assuming that he's guilty.
Darker is guiltier; black is badder.
- Hold on, George, hold on.
- It's racist and it's vile.
Isn't your interpretation of the cover just as racist? I haven't seen such journalist irresponsibility since Dateline staged that car explosion.
Oh, come on.
That's overstated.
If you take a picture of Simpson in a dark room, are you being racist? Of course it's racially insensitive.
But the real injustice is the way police officers view blacks in Los Angeles.
Even after the riots, even after the Christopher Commission, the LAPD culture has not changed.
You have to understand that this is a city Okay, I went down into the county courts records, found file after file on Detective Mark Fuhrman.
Guy's worse than I remembered.
Actually sued the city.
- Was the plaintiff? - Hang on.
That's not the mind-blowing part.
He sued the city basically claiming that his duties as an LAPD officer made him into a bigot.
- What? - Serving as a cop - gave him violent fantasies.
- Come on.
He describes beating up and attacking black people.
Wait, okay, let me get this straight.
You're saying that the homicide detective that discovered all the evidence on O.
J.
Simpson hates black people? The cop who found the glove at Rockingham.
This is this is a gift.
Imagine.
I-Imagine that O.
J.
Simpson was set up by the cops because he was a black man.
And because the LAPD has a systemic racism problem.
Bob, there's a reporter from The New Yorker magazine here to see you.
That on the schedule? No, he just showed up.
Well, tell him it doesn't work that way.
Tell him I'm very busy.
Linda, I want to see him.
Don't let him go.
Thanks for taking the time to see me.
Now, you're New York magazine - or New Yorker? - New Yorker.
- New Yorker.
- Yeah.
Alan Dershowitz told me to look you up.
Ah.
I'm doing a piece on cash-for-trash stories, witnesses selling their testimony.
The O.
J.
Simpson trial seemed like a perfect No, no, it's inconsequential.
It's window dressing.
It's not the best use of your time.
It's the story I'm out here to cover, so I know it is, but wouldn't you rather ask me why a man like me would take a case like this? You might be surprised.
I might be surprised if I'm surprised.
Okay.
Tell me.
Because of its far-reaching implications.
I've never seen anything like it.
And I couldn't stand by and let it happen.
Please.
Let what happen, exactly? The systematic railroading of O.
J.
Simpson by a racist LAPD because he is a black man.
Wait, what? The LAPD history is a shameful history.
And everybody knows it; it's no secret.
And this cop, Mark Fuhrman, who discovered everything, he's an admitted racist.
Any evidence he touches is questionable.
So I want to be clear.
You're saying this policeman set up O.
J.
Simpson.
Maybe.
Maybe Mark Fuhrman, maybe others, in a conspiracy.
Wait.
Okay, wait.
So all the blood evidence somehow these cops, a cabal of racist police officers, planted it? From the murder scene to the Bronco - to Rockingham? - Who else could have? Take a step back.
I mean, doesn't it seem odd that this glove just happened to be at Rockingham at the same time that Detective Fuhrman - just happened to find it? - Uh, it isn't odd if Simpson dropped it after he climbed the wall to avoid being seen by the limo driver.
Jeff, you look like a smart kid; don't rush to judgment.
We will show that it is impossible for a black man to get a fair shake with the LAPD.
We will prove this.
So you're gonna say this case is all about race? Yes, because it is.
I'm just simply shedding a light on it.
Sweetie, what are you doing? Uh, nothing.
Yeah.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
No.
Travis, come on! No, I can do it.
Yeah, not with that you can't.
But it's not plugged in.
It's still not safe.
- Here.
Use that.
- Come on.
This isn't fun.
Yeah, well, that way, you'll hold on to your fingers.
- Come on, Mom.
- All of your fingers In the dark, I could see it was O.
J.
Simpson.
How would you describe his expression? O.
J.
's face was like a mask of rage.
I was terrified.
I hope I don't have nightmares for the rest of my life.
Shively's out.
I'm not putting her on the stand.
Marcia She lied She's your only eyewitness.
She ties him to the crime.
She lost all credibility.
The jury won't believe her; the defense will portray her as a media whore, which she is.
They'll say she just made it all up to score some quick money.
It's just a sleazy news show.
They paid her five grand.
It's a slippery slope from Hard Copy to the National Enquirer to the Weekly World News.
We need to set a tone.
That what this is about? We've used witnesses before who did interviews for money.
Gil.
If we don't keep control, then the press can hijack all of it.
We'll end up spending our time responding to them instead of focusing on things that matter.
Come on, guys.
We have all the aces.
Let's hold the high ground.
Where's Craig? Why hasn't he come seen me yet? Or any of the other guys from the golf club.
I'm losing it in here, guys.
They won't even let me shower.
I got dirt on my elbows.
Have your people looked into Faye Resnick yet? Her drugs? Underworld drug connections? I hear a lot of coke moves through Mezzaluna.
Uh, cocaine connections? Yeah.
Sure.
We'll put an investigator on it.
But we have something more pressing to discuss with you.
We need to add a litigator to the team, one who fits the, uh well, the particular developing circumstances in the downtown venue.
What are you saying, Bob? Well, I was thinking someone along the lines of Johnnie Cochran.
What?! No, no, no, that's all wrong.
Just hear him out, Juice.
We need someone who can communicate to the downtown jury.
It's just the, uh it's just the conditions on our football field, that's all.
You want to make this a black thing.
That's why you want Cochran.
Well, I'm not black.
I'm O.
J.
What is that there? Okay, well, I've filed the motion petition Come on, Carl, I-I'm trying to work with this.
I'll tell you what, why don't we go back to this section.
Okay.
What do you got? What do you got? Mr.
Cochran, O.
J.
Simpson is calling for you.
Let me have the room.
Carl, let me have the room.
Diane, patch him through.
Johnnie Cochran.
Johnnie? Johnnie, this is O.
J.
I need you.
I'm calling from jail.
I-I keep telling everyone, Johnnie Cochran is the man I need to speak to.
Well, I appreciate that.
I-I keep telling everyone I'm innocent.
I need the best lawyer in the world to get me out of this jam.
You got to help me, man.
O.
J.
, I'm glad you called me.
You've made a smart decision.
I sure did.
'Cause I killed her.
I killed her good.
Oh, yeah.
Diane next time screen the damn call! It's weird.
I've always been tight with the Simpsons.
Now they say they need their guesthouse back.
Dude, it's not a problem.
You can stay on my couch as long as you want.
You, my friend, are a total pussy magnet.
It's crazy.
Ever since this stuff, you know, my beeper's going off 50 times a day.
TV shows, girls, agents, - managers it's crazy.
- You got any good auditions? I mean, you must be getting offered a ton of parts, right? Well, not really, but I don't want to blow this opportunity.
I have to update my reel.
I only have that Coke commercial from '86.
Oh, yeah.
Kato! Kato! Kato! Oh, look! Whoo-whoo-whoo! They're so friendly! You've got the life.
Hey, Kato! Hey, asshole! Hey, la Go straight to hell with O.
J.
, murderer! Fame's complicated.
A.
D.
A.
Darden, Special Investigations Division.
Oh, actually, this office is in charge of investigating all LAPD officers.
How can I help you? Uh-huh.
Uh yeah, right.
Okay.
What's the name of that detective again? How you doing today? Get the passenger manifests for both Chicago flights, see if anyone can attest to Simpson's demeanor.
Yes.
That is fine.
He can sign it.
And please close the door on your way out, Lisa.
Thank you.
Knock-knock.
Hey, Big-Time.
Darden.
Sorry I can't offer you a chair.
- What's up? - I got a call.
Reporter from The New Yorker asking about Mark Fuhrman.
I know he's a key witness for you, so Mm-hmm.
I just thought you should know.
I sandbagged him.
Told him it would take a week to get the file.
Nice.
Would you do me a favor and shut the door? I need a break.
You mind? No.
What do you think about the case? It's pretty bulletproof.
Strong.
Though it's interesting.
A lot of black people think O.
J.
didn't do it.
What? - Really? - Yeah.
Guess they just don't want it to be true.
Good-looking, charming, talented black kid from the street makes it all the way to the top, then gets pushed off his pedestal and thrown into jail, like black men do.
Oh, come on.
It's not like O.
J.
was a pillar of the black community.
Mm.
Well, and even if he were, would it matter? There would still be the same evidence, the same history, the same facts.
- He obviously did it.
- I hear you.
But right now, it's an emotional thing, not a rational one.
Might be hard for you to understand.
Since you never get emotional about your cases.
Dad's here! - I need to find my phone! - I can't find my shoe! - Hey.
How are you? - Wait here.
- Okay? I'll get them.
- Whoa, what's-what's wrong? You guys have a movie to get to.
I don't really want to get into this right now.
What? No, come on.
No, we don't let stuff go like that.
No, we don't.
You're right.
Jesus, how do you expect me to act? When you're standing by him.
He's my best friend, Kris.
I don't turn my back on people.
You're turning your back on Nicole! He butchered her, Robert.
He murdered her! O-Okay.
Look, come on.
Come on, I'm-I'm devastated about Nicole.
You know that.
I mean, it's-it's horrible.
But he had nothing to do with that.
- I know that.
- Bullshit! You can tell yourself that, but you do not know that.
Would you at least please not tell the kids that their uncle is a killer? Pretend uncle, Robert.
Everything about him is pretend.
Guys, your father's here.
You rang? Yep.
Come on in.
- Hypothetical question.
- Hmm? What do you think about A.
C.
Cowlings aiding and abetting? - Really? - Mm-hmm.
Well, it's complicated.
On one hand, he was the driver in what looked like Simpson's getaway attempt.
There was passports, - fake beard, $8,700 in cash.
- Mm-hmm.
Refused to stop the vehicle for police when ordered.
On the other hand, Simpson was holding a gun to his own head.
He may have pointed it at Cowlings.
I guess it comes down to establishing what the situation was inside that vehicle.
Why? Because we're thinking about pressing charges.
- Oh.
- I've known you forever, and I think you're the one to run with it.
- You do? Wow.
- Mm-hmm.
- Huh.
- You should do it.
You'll have fun.
Marcia, I haven't been in a courtroom in a long time.
Quit hiding in the basement, Chris.
I know you can do it.
Is that right, Big-Time? Yeah.
You should trust me.
Look, I know it doesn't seem like much now, but it could turn out to be crucial to proving O.
J.
's intent and guilt.
And that would be all yours.
Big-Time.
Well I guess I'm all yours, Marcia.
Good.
Because I could use all the help I can get.
- Marcia? - Yeah? You got to come out and see this.
He's back.
Please.
Okay, what does he look like? He's O.
J.
Simpson.
I think you know his record.
Could you just send somebody over here? Okay, what is he doing there? Are these the 911 tapes? Yeah.
The media made a request, and some idiot at county released them.
First of all, he broke the back door down to get in.
Okay, wait a minute.
What is he doing? Is he threatening you? I am freakin' going nuts.
Okay, just stay on the line I don't want to stay on the line.
He's gonna beat the shit out of me.
Oh, my God.
So we can know what's going on till the police get there, okay? Just a moment.
Does he have any weapons? I don't know.
- Has he hit you today or no? - No.
Okay, you don't need any paramedics or anything? Uh-uh.
- Is he inside right now? - Yes.
Okay, just a moment.
This is exactly what I feared.
The tail wagging the dog.
My witnesses are on TV.
My evidence is on TV.
Hey, maybe we should invite Bernard Shaw over to rifle through my files.
Marcia, we'll come through.
We have enough evidence to win five times over.
When Shapiro sees what we've got, he's gonna roll over and play dead.
I hear a sound.
The sound of metal orbs clanging against one another.
Come on, Lee.
Oh, my God.
It's coming from your pants, Bob.
Balls.
Big, brass balls.
God love you.
We are back in this thing! Ah, thank you, thank you.
But, uh, how do I get rid of those 911 tapes? I know.
Those tapes are today.
In a week, they're flotsam over the stern.
If they had to come out, I'm glad they were followed with this.
What you've laid out here, this is an entire case strategy.
Spectacular.
This is masterful.
Bob, you had a car that flew off a cliff.
It's missing two tires, leaking oil and flung into a ravine, yet somehow, you drove us back up the hill.
We're highway-ready again and back in the race.
What is it with this case? Every time I think I get my bearings It's crazy.
They're going racial.
You know, I think this could stick.
No way.
Nobody's gonna buy into this.
It's desperate, transparent, and coming from "Brentwood" Bob Shapiro.
I know a lot of people who would believe it.
Darden's right.
This move may be sleazy and cynical, but it could work.
They're trying to take down the LAPD.
We have to stop looking at this case as a slam dunk.
This article it's a declaration of war.
Then Dershowitz says, "Once I decide to take a case, I have only one agenda: - I want to win.
- Mm! I will try by every fair and legal means to get my client off without regard to the consequences.
" Mm.
So they're saying that this racist cop framed me just because I'm black?! It could explain a lot, Juice.
I mean, th-this Fuhrman cop and-and the glove.
And why not do everything we can to get you out of here if-if you're not supposed to be here? I just want to go home, be with my children, do everything that I can to help find the killer, you know? O.
J.
, these 911 tapes that have been circulating, they've been playing day and night on all the channels, it's an audio recording in which the world can hear you - beating your wife.
- Bob, we was just, you know, tussling.
I-I can I can fix this.
No, no, no, you can't! You can't clear that up! You can't put the genie back in the bottle.
Now, there's hope, but you have to listen, and you have to listen very carefully.
This race defense is the crux of our case.
We need to bring in Johnnie Cochran, and we need to do it now! - No.
- Yes, we do.
His angle is the only angle that you will ever see daylight again, do you hear me? Do you hear me?! He's right, Juice.
Johnnie Cochran.
- Let me be clear - Humm I have always admired you.
And wanted to work with you for years.
Thank you, Bob.
That's kind of you.
I feel a strong emotional connection to this case.
I'm so glad you feel this way.
It's excellent.
But I-I I feel that I owe you the utmost clarity - on one issue.
- Mm-hmm.
Hmm.
And that is, I will remain lead counsel.
Mm.
This case could accomplish a lot of important things.
I know.
I'm so excited.
I'm excited for you, for us.
It's big.
It's big.
Bob, Bob, Bob, hang on, hang on, hang on.
- Before I come aboard - Yes? Yeah? I have to look into O.
J.
's eyes.
I have to look into his eyes.
I need to believe him.
You all right, my brother? No, Johnnie.
No.
Come on, come on, come on, come on.
Talk to me.
Whatever you decide to do, whether you're with me or not, you got to know this I loved her.
I loved Nicole more than you can possibly imagine.
Sh-She was the mother of my children.
I I didn't do it, Johnnie.
I didn't.
I didn't do I couldn't have done it, I swear.
There's no way I could've killed her.
No way.
Nicole was the center of my world, man.
Come on, come on, come on, come on.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You just got to believe me, Johnnie.
You just got to believe me.
Of course.
I believe you.
And I'm gonna get you out of here, but I need you to stay strong.
Come on.
I want to see that strength that I know that's in you.
If it's not enough, then you can have some of mine.
You know what I'm saying? That means a lot to me, Johnnie.
Good, good.
Listen to me.
Listen.
We get one black juror, just one and I'll give you a hung jury.
When I give you a hung jury you are going home.
You're going home.
Cochran.
Motherfucker.