[At the appeals hearing]
F. Lee BaileyYour Honors, may I state first what a pleasure it is to be practicing law once again in the great state of North Carolina. My heart gladdens with the promise of justice when I stand in one of the original 13 Colonies. From the Great Smoky Mountains to the Pamlico Sound, I know that fair consideration will be offered to all who set foot in a Tar Heel tribunal. As the Bible tells us, “Seek, and ye shall find,” and I thank the Lord for helping us to find these terribly troubling tapes.
ADAlan Dershowitz
So, then, the first week culminates with Simpson deciding to make a run for it, while under your supervision…
ADAlan Dershowitz
… Leaving behind a letter that sounds like an admission of guilt, that you guys, for some mistifying reason, read aloud on television…
Bob thought it was a good idea.
No, no, no, wait. Why did you say that? You don’t know what it was like that day. You weren’t there.
’Alan Dershowitz: Of course. And I’m here to help, not to judge.
Oh, you are here to judge. What was that? What was all that?
ADAlan Dershowitz
Bob, you have to move fast. Your client, his goodwill, all of his popularity and accomplishments, it’s a depreciating asset.
F. Lee Bailey
What do you mean?
ADAlan Dershowitz
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 see him in a jumpsuit and cuffs, the more mortal he becomes. That’s the clock we’re fighting.
So let’s hit the ground running. Okay, first question. Who thinks O.J. did it? [Everybody freezes and looks at him in shocked disbelief.] Me neither.
[Awkward silence]
F. Lee Bailey
Uh, thank you, Bob. Why don’t we talk big picture strategy? I’d say our priority at this juncture is the jury.
ADAlan Dershowitz
Yes. We know we have a downtown jury, which means a heavy concentration of African Americans.
Indeed. Black men obviously are our allies. Mr. Simpson, a hero in the community. And I’m confident that people will assume he couldn’t have committed such a ghastly crime. But black women, on the other hand, might be a problem. They don’t like their men marrying white girls.
Why’re you looking at me?
[Shawn laughs at his discomfort]
But I believe the generalization is accurate. Black women resent successful black men marrying outside the community. We need to limit that group.
That analysis is smart. The prosecution thinks they have the upper hand, but they don’t. Because we have you. And you know how these people think.
[Johnnie gives him another disbelieving look. Lee and Dershowitz visibly cringe with embarrassment, and Barry Scheck buries his face in his hands. Cochran’s team merely looks amused]
“These people?” Bob, let me give you a helpful piece of advice. On this case, you need to choose your vernacular very, very carefully.
[raising his palms] Mea culpa.
F. Lee Bailey
[On Larry King] Oh, Bob Shapiro is the lead attorney, make no mistake. All that sniping in the media that says Bob Shapiro is in over his head, Bob Shapiro is an empty suit, Bob Shapiro can’t handle a case of this magnitude – well that twaddle is truly unfortunate
[Back in Shapiro’s home, Shapiro is watching the interview]
Well, then don’t say it, asshole! Fuck!
Ms. Lopez, just to confirm your occupation, you are the housekeeper of Mr. Simpson’s neighbour, is that correct?
Mr. Cochran has moved the court to disrupt our schedule because you threatened to leave the country, since you’re being hounded by the press.
RLRosa Lopez
I stay just for today for Mr. Johnnie. Tomorrow, I fly.
Uh-huh. So when did you make this flight reservation for El Salvador?
RLRosa Lopez
This morning.
Really? Yesterday, Mr. Cochran stated that you had had one then.
RLRosa Lopez
I did. And I didn’t. I make it today.
[smiling to herself] Ms. Lopez, we called the airlines. They don’t show any reservation for you, at all. Not for yesterday, not for today, not for tomorrow.
RLRosa Lopez
Because I’m going to reserve it, as soon as I leave here.
So then, Ms. Lopez, could you please explain to the court why you are filing for unemployment when you say you’re leaving the country forever?
[whispering to Johnnie] You need to get this woman off the stand. What the hell is going on?
[continuing] In your first statements, you saw the Bronco at 10pm, but now you say it’s 10:15. So which is it? Did you see the Bronco at 10, or 10:15?
RLRosa Lopez
Does it matter?
Yes, it matters very much. It’s why you’re here. Please answer the question.
[Rosa shrugs]
Ms. Lopez, a shrug is not an answer.
So which is it? 10 or 10:15?
RLRosa Lopez
Whatever Mr. Johnnie says I said.
No. Not what Mr. Cochran says. We need to be told what you saw.
RLRosa Lopez
[after a moment] No me recuerdo.
Ms. Lopez, in English please, unless you need a translator.
RLRosa Lopez
I say I don’t remember.
You don’t remember? Hmm. [smiles] Good enough for me. No further questions.
[She takes a seat, while the Defence team look embarrassed]
F. Lee Bailey
[quietly] “Mister Johnnie?” Jesus.
[Discussing Juror #462’s accusation against her husband of physically abusing her, which she did not disclose]
As she said, this was simply a misunderstanding.
She didn’t lie. She said…
She said no to the question “have you ever been a victim of domestic violence?” Her husband raped her twice.
F. Lee Bailey
Actually, it wasn’t legally rape in ’88. [Darden frowns in confusion] I mean, between a husband and wife.
[Ito rolls his eyes, while Marcia stares at Bailey in disbelief]
You just said that. Out loud.
All right, so let me get this straight. The defence is arguing to keep a victim of domestic abuse, and the People are arguing to dismiss her? Somehow, I get the idea if this juror were white, we’d be having a different conversation right now. I have no choice but to dismiss #462.
American Crime Story · 38 quotes
