Rating  - A good read, if a bit biased against O.J.
Jeff Toobin is an engaging writer who draws you into his narrative and makes you want to turn pages. His book is chatty and "dishes" about all the internecine fighting between lawyers both on the prosecution and defense sides.
As an O.J. trial junkie, I have read many books on the subject, and Toobin's certainly falls into the "he was guilty" school of thought. Toobin doesn't really hide his bias, but that doesn't detract much from his examination of why O.J. was acquitted.
I recommend the book to anyone who has an interest in the "trial of the century", but "The Run Of His Life" probably shouldn't be the only book you read on the subject. For the definitive account of the trial, read "American Tragedy" by Schiller.
As for whether O.J. did it or not, I tend towards the guilty opinion myself. I do have one nagging question, however: how did he dispose of the knife and clothes so that they were never recovered, yet took one glove back with him and dropped it on his lawn? The theory that he left both gloves at the scene (a smart thing to do) and then someone took one and "planted" it on his property has at least some measure of plausibility. I can't imagine O.J. being so savvy and stupid at the same time!
Rating  - A great read...
Like all good writers, Jeffrey Toobin seeks to understand human nature. In "The Run of His Life", my favorite of his books, he brilliantly distills the OJ Simpson case into an insightful examination of what drives people to do what they do.
This isn't just the story of a murder. It is a story about Los Angeles, a brutal and corrupt police force, and the dangerous allure of fame and money. Although Toobin believes that OJ Simpson committed double murder and got away with it, he also makes the case that a history of abuse by the LAPD in black communities created a political climate that allowed the aquittal to happen.
Very few people come off well in this story, and the flawed nature of the participants makes for compelling reading. The media spectacle that surrounded the case brought out the worst in human nature, and every excess is documented here. In the end, very few principles (the defendant, lawyers, jurors, witnesses, police, even the friends and family of the victims) seem untouched by hubris and self-centered motivation. Toobin understands something that many do not: that the entire thing - the crime, the trial, and the aftermath- was a metaphor for American decadence and social decay.
Rating  - Following the Lemmings Over the Cliff
This well written and edited book promises to provide "a new understanding ... as well as an insightful examination". But like others, Toobin fails to quote the coroner who did the autopsies: "the forensic evidence says the murders occurred after 11pm". This chatty, gossipy book begins with the lawyer's meeting of 6/25/1994; Shapiro would go to trial and get an acquittal. The autopsies suggested that more than one killer was involved (p.7). Toobin quickly exposes his prejudice: anyone could see that OJ was guilty because of "over whelming evidence" (p.10). Toobin claims this resulted from over "two years reporting", and justifies his opinion as based on the "full documentary record of the case" (p.11). Toobin claims OJ was not framed (p.12).
Did lawyer Toobin misinterpret that June 6 letter (p.20)? If OJ let Nicole use his home address that could be a conspiracy to defraud the IRS. Nicole's response was to telephone the Sojourn shelter and claim stalking; then she found a new house on June 10 (p.19). Then some dog wailed in the night. A loose white dog followed a man; he passed it to another couple who followed the dog to the murder scene. The bodies were discovered at midnight. Toobin carefully omits the evidentiary fact that red blood was trickling down the sidewalk. This times the deaths to around 11:30pm. Who failed to call the coroner until nine hours later? Page 71 tells of 'TIME's trickery with the photo, but does not mention darkening the skin color hid the fact that OJ had no bruises or marks on his face! Paula's actions after June 12 were inconsistent with a break-up (p.88). Pages 97-102 discuss OJ's "suicide note" without telling if he was on a drug like Prozac. Marcia Clark appointed herself prosecutor (pp.114-5). Preliminary hearings record the testimony and facts when the events are fresh; this prevents prosecutors from creating new scenarios from their theories. Toobin failed to mention that witness Jill Shively had no corroboration (p.128). Toobin claimed prosecutors "never have the funds to hire jury consultants" (p.188). Pages 190-4 tell of the mock juries in LA and Phoenix; they correctly rated the people in the case (p.193)!
Toobin described Faye Resnick as having "an expensive lifestyle" (p.199)! And her book helped the defense (p.201)! Page 220 shows F Lee Bailey's knowledge of the case. Judge Ito belonged to the "truth school" where the important thing is to protect innocent defendants from being wrongly convicted (p.235). The murders did not fit the pattern of domestic violence (p.237). The 25 to 30 stab wounds on Ron Goldman say he was the real target, and Nicole the innocent bystander (p.238). The Prosecution began with "a great edifice built on a foundation of little evidence" (p.245). Toobin doesn't believe the murders occurred at 10:15, but later (p.247)! Cochran said "this case is a rush to judgment", "an obsession to win at any cost and by any means necessary" (p.250). Pages 272-3 tell of the 10/25/93 tape: OJ, however angry, did not commit domestic violence! Was this a mistake by the Prosecution? Denise Brown's testimony backfired (p.278). Toobin claims Clark's examination of Fuhrman was her biggest miscalculation (p.314). This again demonstrated his prejudice (p.315). Allan Park's testimony was most important; this convince the remaining jurors to vote "not guilty". Park saw no one enter or leave OJ's residence from 10:22 to 11pm (p.331-2). The gloves that wouldn't fit was the high point of this trial. The recall of Mark Fuhrman served as a deus ex machina to end this show.
Toobin would have learned more if he rad Stephen Singular's "Legacy of Deception", and Freed & Briggs "Killing Time" before writing this book. Clark and Vannatter met on an earlier case, when they found a fingernail sized blood spot under a car seat. I wonder how they discovered what everyone else missed?
Rating - The Final Verdict
For OJ to be guilty, you must believe that he quickly disposed of the bloody clothes, shoes, and knives so they would NEVER be found, yet brought the socks and glove back to his home! And then smeared blood all over the console!
The coroner who did the autopsies testified "the forensic evidence says the murders occurred after 11PM". The limousine driver testified he brought OJ to the airport at that time. When you read this book, note how they avoid discussing these facts.
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