[After the hearing regarding Ito’s suitability results in a further delay, the Defence team enter a lift together]
Gotta wait for this judge to get a “comprehensive understanding.” How long? Things cannot be left to whim.
Cochran, you have to trust the system.
We need to turn up the pressure.
[losing his temper, he rounds on him] PRESSURE!? YOU WANNA TURN UP THE PRESSURE!? THIS CITY IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE! WE HAVE ENOUGH PRESSURE!
[In their own lift, Marcia and Chris are standing in an awkward silence. Eventually, Chris loses his temper and throws his briefcase to the floor before rounding on Marcia]
CDChristoper Darden
I told you not to use Fuhrman! Now how many times did I say it? “He’s damaged goods,” I mean, I said it, and I said it, but you just didn’t take me seriously. You know, you put me on this trial because you wanted a black face, but the truth is, you never wanted a black voice.
[Johnnie and a group of civil rights leaders are holding a press conference, demanding that Judge Ito release the Fuhrman tapes]
CRCivil Rights Leader
Release these tapes! (crowd murmurs in affirmation) Because this community is a powder keg capable of repeating the actions of 1992!
[watching on a TV in his office, scared shitless] Jesus! Johnny's threatening another riot.
Truth, Ms. Clark. The truth. The court hides nothing from the people! Nothing!
[Chris loses his temper, slams his hand on the desk, leaps to his feet and rounds on Johnnie]
CDChristoper Darden
The truth? You’ve presented a defence that is based completely on lies and deceptions! Just teasing the public, the media, by throwing them bits of the tapes. Inflaming the public’s passions, in an attempt to exert political pressure over His Honor… [Ito raises his hand] In an attempt to pressure the court into admitting in the Fuhrman tapes!
CDChristoper Darden
[To Ito] This case is a circus! And the defence has made it into a circus! And the court has allowed them to walk all over…
Mr. Darden, you are close to being held in contempt!
CDChristoper Darden
Well, I should be held in contempt! [The defence team starts laughing at this, but are immediately startled into silence] There’s nothing funny here!
[softly, with some concern in his voice] Chris, calm down.
CDChristoper Darden
Don’t.
Mr. Darden! MR. DARDEN! I am warning you. A good piece of advice – take three deep breaths, then contemplate what you are about to say next.
[There is a long silence, as everyone stares at him apprehensively]
I would like counsel, Your Honor.
[after a brief pause, during which everyone reacts with dismay] All right, Mr. Darden, you can have counsel. Do you wish to call your counsel at this time, Mr. Darden?
[Chris sits and locks eyes pleadingly with Marcia, who after a moment gets to her feet]
I would like to be heard on behalf of Mr. Darden, Your Honor.
Ms. Clark, do you represent Mr. Darden in this matter?
I don’t know if I’m legally entitled to, but I would like to be heard. Mr. Darden is simply responding to the unfair events that have occurred in this courtroom today, and other days. The court has been exploited, by counsel for cross-purposes.
Ms. Clark, I think perhaps you need to take ten deep breaths, for you also are about to be held in contempt.
Shall I take off my watch and jewellery?
[Everyone looks shocked by this remark. Chris tenderly takes her hand, and guides her down. After they exchange a long glance, Chris gets to his feet again]
Your Honor? Perhaps some of my comments may have been, um, uh, somewhat inappropriate. I apologise the to the court. I meant no disrespect.
All right, Mr. Darden. I accept your apology. I apologise to you for my reaction as well. You and I have known each other for a number of years, and I know that your response was out of character, so thank you.
[Extracts of the Fuhrman Tapes that the court listens to]
MFDetective Mark Fuhrman
I had 66 allegations of brutality. Like, two of my buddies were shot and ambushed. I was first unit on the scene. Four suspects ran into an apartment in the projects. We kicked the door down, I grabbed a girl that lived there, grabbed her by the hair, and stuck a gun to her head, and used her as a barricade. I walked up, and I said “I’ve got this girl. I’ll blow her fucking brains out if you come out with a gun.” I held her, then I threw the bitch down the stairs.
LMLaura McKinny
Can we use that in the story?
MFDetective Mark Fuhrman
[chuckles] It hasn’t been seven years. Statute of limitations. I have 300-something pages of internal affairs investigation, just on that one incident. We basically tortured those guys. We broke their bones until their faces were mush. There was blood all the way to the ceiling and finger marks, like they were trying to crawl out. It was unbelievable – there was blood everywhere. How do you intellectualise when you punch the hell out of a nigger? He either deserves it, or he doesn’t. Falsifying a report? Whatever. That’s putting a criminal in jail. That’s being a policeman. Does that police station have the smell of niggers? They’ve been beaten and killed in there for 30 years. Immediately after we beat those guys, we found a garden hose in the back. We had blood all over us. With a dark-blue uniform, you don’t see it. But we had to wash our hands. It looked like red paint. We cleaned our badges, we cleaned our faces, then we went out to direct traffic.
Ladies and Gentlemen, to grasp this crime, you must first understand Mr. Simpson’s relationship to his ex-wife, Nicole. It was a ticking time bomb. The fuse was lit in 1985, the very year they were married. Officers responded after Mr. Simpson beat Nicole and took a baseball bat to her Mercedes. Then, in 1989, Nicole had to call 911 again, fearing for her life. When officers arrived, Nicole ran towards them, yelling “He’s going to kill me. He’s going to kill me.” She had a black eye, a cut forehead, swollen cheek. In her torn bra, Nicole pleaded with the officers, “You’ve come up here eight times. You never do anything about him.” [scoffs] And they want to tell you that the police conspired against Mr. Simpson. This case is not about the “N” word. It’s It is about O.J. Simpson and the “M” word, “murder.” [points at O.J.] I’m not afraid to point to him and say he did it. Why not? The evidence all points to him. In February 1992, Nicole filed for divorce. She was running away from the man who said he’d kill her. She saw the explosion coming. Why else fill a safe deposit box with threatening letters from the Defendant, a will and police photos of past beatings? She knew that the bomb could go off at any second. And then it did. On June 12, 1994, while their daughter danced, the Defendant kept his eyes fixed on Nicole. Spurned. Now imagine this Defendant in the Bronco. He is full of anger, and he is full of rage, and it is night time and he is driving, and the focus of his anger is Nicole. It is 10 o’clock, and he’s driving as fast as he can. He is out of control, folks. The fact that the kids are in the house means nothing to this man. Simpson has lost Nicole, and he is upset and angry. The fuse is getting shorter. The anger is building. The rage he has, the anger, the hate, flows out of him and into the knife, and from the knife into her. With each thrust of the knife into her body, there’s a release, a small release. And he stabs and cuts and slices until that rage is gone. Until Nicole and Ron are gone. He’s a murderer. Now he was also one hell of a great football player. But he’s still a murderer.
[The post-trial press conference by the Prosecution]
We are all profoundly disappointed with this verdict. But it was clear to me, and to the prosecution, that this was an emotional trial. And apparently, the jury’s decision was based on… emotion, and not reason. None of you will know the sacrifices that this team and their families made. We’re very proud of them. And we stand here in front of you with our heads held high. I’d like to give Marcia the opportunity to say thank you.
[He steps aside and lets Marcia take the podium]
I first want to extend my deepest thanks to the families of the victims. To the Goldmans, and to the Browns. Their strength, their dignity and their support throughout this trial has been a tremendous source of inspiration and strength to all of us. This case was fought as a battle for victims of domestic violence. We hope this verdict does not discourage the victims who are out there, throughout this country, from seeking help. I know there are women who are, at this very moment, living in fear, living in violence. Please, don’t let this make you lose faith in our system. Thank you. [Quietly and encouragingly, to Chris] Chris?
[Slowly, Chris steps up to the podium]
Uh… If there is anything that ever motivated me throughout the trial, it was the, the idea, the notion that one day, I would have to turn and… to the Goldmans, and, uh… with the realisation that he had been acquitted. But that is the verdict, that is the Jury’s decision, uh, position. That’s their voice. And I accept that verdict. Uh… We came here in search of justice. And you’ll have to be the judges, I expect, as to whether or not, uh, any of us found it today. But I’m not bitter. And I’m not angry. But I’d also like to thank the, uh, lawyers on our prosecution team. I am honoured to have, uh…
[Unable to finish his sentence, he goes to embrace the Goldman family, and breaks down in tears. He leaves, and Marcia follows him]
RReporter
Gil, Gil, Gil! You gonna look for the real killer now?
[Gil turns and looks at him with a mixture of shock and anger, but does not respond]
[upon encountering Chris in a hallway] Chris? Got a minute? [Puts his briefcase down] I… I appreciate how hard you fought. Especially that closing. This was war. And you did a superb job. I respect that. I… I know how difficult this has been on you. And when the dust settles… I’d like to help bring you back into the community.
[coldly] Hmm. Well, I never left. You think I don’t understand the situation? I get it. It’s payback. O.J.’s the first black defendant in history to get off because he’s black.
The people will see who the police really are…
All the people saw was how well you can twist the system. This isn’t some civil rights milestone. Police in this country will keep arresting us, keep beating us, keep killing us. You haven’t changed anything for black people here. Unless, of course, you’re a famous rich one in Brentwood.
[He pats his shoulder and leaves]
