Simpson after starring in 1967 Rose Bowl win. Wikimedia // Don Cormier
Q1. OJ Simpson died from cancer on Wednesday at age 76. He was a star football player, successful actor, and prominent pitchman, who ultimately was best known for being acquitted of the murder of his former wife.
Do you think he was guilty or innocent of the murder, and do you think his trial and acquittal helped or hindered race relations?
Do you think he was guilty or innocent of the murder, and do you think his trial and acquittal helped or hindered race relations?
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Don't care
1%
2%
0%
1%
2%
2%
3%
2%
1%
1%
1%
Q2. Here are some cases that have been called "The Trial of the Century."
• Sacco and Vanzetti (1921) Italian immigrants, anarchists accused of murder
• Leopold and Loeb (1924) College students murdered 14-yr old committing 'perfect crime'
• Scopes Monkey Trial (1925) Darrow defends teacher charged for teaching evolution
• Lindbergh Kidnapping (1935) 20-month old son of aviator kidnapped and murdered
• The Rosenbergs (1951) Communist civilians sentenced to death for espionage
• Charles Manson (1971) LA cult leader instructed followers to murder
• Patty Hearst (1976) Newspaper heiress joined her kidnappers in bank robbery
• Rodney King Officers (1992) Four LAPD officers tried for excessive force and assault
• OJ Simpson (1995) Athlete, actor tried in murder of his wife.
From among these, which do you think most deserves to be called "Trial of the 20th Century"?
• Sacco and Vanzetti (1921) Italian immigrants, anarchists accused of murder
• Leopold and Loeb (1924) College students murdered 14-yr old committing 'perfect crime'
• Scopes Monkey Trial (1925) Darrow defends teacher charged for teaching evolution
• Lindbergh Kidnapping (1935) 20-month old son of aviator kidnapped and murdered
• The Rosenbergs (1951) Communist civilians sentenced to death for espionage
• Charles Manson (1971) LA cult leader instructed followers to murder
• Patty Hearst (1976) Newspaper heiress joined her kidnappers in bank robbery
• Rodney King Officers (1992) Four LAPD officers tried for excessive force and assault
• OJ Simpson (1995) Athlete, actor tried in murder of his wife.
From among these, which do you think most deserves to be called "Trial of the 20th Century"?
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Sacco and Vanzetti
1%
0%
1%
0%
1%
2%
6%
0%
1%
1%
Leopold and Loeb
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
0%
0%
0%
1%
2%
1%
Scopes Monkey Trial
18%
19%
17%
12%
20%
22%
14%
13%
19%
24%
18%
Lindbergh Kidnapping
4%
4%
5%
7%
4%
2%
0%
3%
6%
8%
4%
The Rosenbergs
10%
10%
9%
12%
14%
7%
5%
13%
8%
13%
10%
Charles Manson
22%
17%
28%
25%
15%
20%
16%
19%
25%
25%
22%
Patty Hearst
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
0%
0%
2%
1%
1%
Rodney King Officers
13%
14%
13%
7%
17%
18%
10%
23%
12%
8%
13%
OJ Simpson
14%
16%
11%
11%
10%
16%
30%
14%
10%
8%
14%
None worthy
4%
5%
4%
7%
6%
2%
1%
4%
6%
5%
4%
Don't know
8%
8%
9%
10%
6%
7%
10%
10%
9%
4%
8%
Don't care
3%
5%
0%
5%
4%
1%
6%
2%
2%
2%
3%
Q3. The following text is taken from a 1998 University of California at Santa Cruz academic paper:
Some commentators describe the acquittal of Simpson in terms of jury nullification, when a jury departs from the judge's instructions on the law and acquits a defendant it believes may have been technically proven guilty.
In cases involving minority defendants, some minority legal scholars argue that despite the overwhelming evidence of guilt, racial minority jurors should possess the moral obligation to acquit "guilty" defendants as a protest against racial discrimination in the criminal justice and court systems.
The Simpson jury was 9 Black people, 1 Hispanic, and 2 white. Do you believe the Simpson verdict was a case of jury nullification?
Some commentators describe the acquittal of Simpson in terms of jury nullification, when a jury departs from the judge's instructions on the law and acquits a defendant it believes may have been technically proven guilty.
In cases involving minority defendants, some minority legal scholars argue that despite the overwhelming evidence of guilt, racial minority jurors should possess the moral obligation to acquit "guilty" defendants as a protest against racial discrimination in the criminal justice and court systems.
The Simpson jury was 9 Black people, 1 Hispanic, and 2 white. Do you believe the Simpson verdict was a case of jury nullification?
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Yes
48%
44%
52%
60%
45%
39%
28%
41%
56%
56%
48%
No, he was not proven guilty
10%
12%
7%
12%
13%
8%
1%
13%
11%
12%
10%
No, the jury made a bad decision
26%
27%
25%
17%
22%
34%
44%
21%
22%
22%
26%
Other
2%
2%
1%
3%
2%
1%
0%
3%
2%
1%
2%
Don't know
12%
10%
14%
5%
16%
17%
17%
21%
7%
7%
12%
Don't care
2%
4%
0%
4%
2%
1%
9%
0%
1%
2%
2%
In Dec 2022, 72% said they believe there are valid reasons at times for jury nullification, though most thought it would be when they considered the law to be unjust, such as harboring a fugitive slave.
In June 2016, 5% said they would play golf of attend dinner with Simpson if invited, another 6% said they would do so if the could bring friends. 63% believed he murdered his former wife, 1% did not.
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