Race and the O.J. Simpson Case

The issue bubbles to the surface, highlighting black distrust of the criminal-justice system

First came the explosive charge. The defense team in the O.J. Simpson murder case, it was leaked, was planning to accuse one of the police investigators, Mark Fuhrman, of being a "racist" cop who may have planted the bloody glove found in the area behind Simpson's guest house the day after the brutal slayings of Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman. Then came the disclaimer. "Race is not and will not be an issue in this defense," said Robert Shapiro, Simpson's lead attorney. "The only thing we are looking at is credibility of witnesses."

Maybe for Shapiro. But for nearly everyone else...

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