Posted on 11/19/2005 9:46:12 AM PST by John W
LOS ANGELES - O.J. Simpson on Friday questioned the system that allowed both him and actor Robert Blake to be found liable for murder after being acquitted in criminal court, calling it "double jeopardy."
"I still don't get how anyone can be found not guilty of a murder and then be found responsible for it in any way shape or form," Simpson said in a phone interview from his Florida home. "... If you're found not guilty, how can you be found responsible? I'd love to hear how that's not double jeopardy."
Simpson said he had no opinion about Blake's guilt or innocence in the murder of his wife, Bonny Lee Bakley, because he did not follow either trial closely.
Simpson said Blake was subjected to an unfair system in which a civil jury can essentially reverse a criminal jury's finding by using a lesser standard of proof in which jurors need be convinced only by "a preponderance of the evidence," meaning at least 51 percent.
"If that was the standard in criminal trials, only 51 percent, then so many people would be convicted that we'd have to build more jails," Simpson said. "The standard is the difference."
Simpson was acquitted of the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, then was sued in civil court where a jury found him liable for their deaths and awarded damages of $33.5 million. In Blake's case, the jury awarded $30 million, a figure Simpson said was suspiciously similar.
"It was too coincidental," he said.
In both trials, he said, lawyers were aware that the acquitted defendants were out of money and would not be able to pay the damages. Blake has said he's broke and owes money to the Internal Revenue Service. Before the trial began, Blake tried to settle with the family for $250,000, which he said was the remainder of his once-large fortune. They rejected the offer.
Simpson, a former football star at the University of Southern California and in the NFL, moved to Florida where he lives on a pension that is untouchable to satisfy court judgments.
"Trust me," Simpson said. "I'm happy with my life. I'm not complaining."
Simpson said he hopes that someone eventually will go the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge the system that allows double trials.
"I'd love to see the Supreme Court rule on one of these cases," he said. He also noted that a defendant must have the money to post a bond to appeal the judgment, which is usually beyond their financial ability.
Asked if he had any advice for Blake, he said, "If Robert Blake has friends and family around him, he'll do fine. I would give him the same advice I gave Michael (Jackson). You've got your kid. Go and raise your kid."
He added, "To me, the thing that's most disturbing is to watch these lawyers grand standing. It's all for TV and for the book deals. I predict they will make a book deal. They did it in my case."
Could OJ's real killers be Blake's real killers? MAybe they did Thelma Todd too!
California has set a precident that the going rate (if you can afford it) to murder your spouse is around $30 million.
O.J. Simpson should become a lawyer. That way, he could save money on his next murder.
Maybe your lawyer can explain it.
Double jeapardy prohibits the government from coming at you a second time. It does not prohibit a private citizen from suing you for damages, if the preponderance of the evidence clearly show that you are guilty, which, by the way, it clearly does, and you clearly are.
Judges shouldn't even allow law suits such as that to go to trial. It IS double jeopardy.
OJ, you shi ite for brains, one was civil the other was felonious. Very different, as you found out, jack.
Eh.
OJ was guilty. Blake, well, I'm not so sure. If a woman (apparently) makes a career out of conning men out of money, it's not at all implausible that someone else would want to kill her.
And, in any case, from what I know of the case, it would seem that Bonnie Lee Bakley had it coming to her anyways.
Federal law needs to change: if someone is liable for a violent felony, their pension should be assigned to the victim or victim’s family.
I say they get together and have a million murderers march against injustice.
Suggested marching rant?
Hey Hey
SLash Slash
We arent giving them any cash!
Hey Hey
Stab Stab
We didnt put our wives on the slab!
Blake's defense said that he went back into the restaurant to get the gun he was using to protect his wife as it had fallen out of his pocket. Sadly, his wife was shot dead with the exam same caliber weapon during those 90 seconds or so that he was gone. I couldn't find 12 people stupid enough to believe that in Texas if I searched for 10 years. I guess we know where all the stupid people are.
Diagnosis: The black calling the pot, kettle..
That don't make sense.. I see, you understood the comment..
heres another one:
hey hey
slay slay
we will find the killers someday
Gee. After ALL the money he spent on lawyers, you'd think at least ONE of them woulda explained the difference between criminal law and civil law..
I'd explain it to him, but I don't think he could afford me.
Leave it to OJ to brag about being happy that his wife was murdered. That he murdered an innocent young man as well seems not to phase him or his fans.
Are you on drugs, or did just did just not bother to finish high school?
And you got your law degree from where?
If a murderer could ever claim innocence by reason of public service, this was the case for it.
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