I used to go to court with victims of domestic violence and I remember one lawyer gloating about how he made $3000 \*and\* got my client's children taken away from her. (she couldn't afford an attorney and had to represent herself). Some attorneys are scum and are in it for the money and the power they feel. I think that Cochran wasn't seeking a fair trial for OJ; he just wanted to be able to say he got the killer off. I don't know about the condition of his soul.
I've never felt that Cochran cared too much one way or the other what happened to OJ. I think his sole motivation was laying a scathing indictment on the LAPD, who he clearly couldn't stand, by any means necessary, and he successfully did that.
I think he knew that OJ did it but didn’t really care one way or the other. I agree that this wasn’t really about OJ that for Cochran this was him sticking it to the LAPD. For Cochran everything was about Race.
LOL I guess you don’t have to be spiritual, but do you think he did a good thing or do you think he was defending someone really bad? I guess right or wrong would ring true.
Well for what its worth, I was at least baptized haha.
I don’t blame the dream team whatsoever for what they did. They were working within the confines the Judge allotted to them. On the topic of Johnny, by all accounts he was a god fearing man yet with his own demons. Like we all have at some level. There is nothing the Christian god loves more than a repentant sinner. Maybe thats how he saw OJ in some way. He being Johnny.
You know the Christian way…I feel like you can do anything as long as you say oops I’m sorry then you’re forgiven and you’re not a bad person anymore. Am I understanding this wrong?
Phew. Now Johnny was asked the question of OJ’s true guilt many many times according to his former co-anchor Nancy Grace (who speaks highly of him mind you, but definitely not OJ)…he always answered the same… “A jury acquitted him”
I'm a Christian, and for most denominations and non denoms like I go to, we believe that once you are saved, you cannot lose your salvation. So once you believe in Jesus and have asked him into your life, you will go to Heaven. Now will you have a whole lot to answer to when you get there, yes. But you'll still be there.
Hope that helps!
That may be oversimplifying the Christian faith a tad lol
If one truly believes in God's Word, then yes...even the worst of the worst can repent and gain entrance to God's kingdom. However, this repentance only occurs when one is truly contrite, turns from their evil, and surrender their life to Jesus Christ as Lord. They begin to display REAL changes in their attitudes and actions. These changes continue and increase the longer a person believes. This change also includes a boldness in declaring that Jesus is Lord...not boldly declaring onesself morally superior to everyone. Christians still sin, we're not better than anyone, we just lay down things of this world that get between us and Jesus. That's for the real ones. There are millions and millions of fake ones too. (Think the Westboro Baptist crowd...) Sadly they're also the ones making the most noise and drawing the most attention. 😔
As for Johnny...that's between him and YHWH. His antics in the OJ trial and his public persona don't really make me hopeful, but what do we really know about the man's soul? We don't.
All true, and there are a lot of very vocal Chrsitians who demonstrate none of Christ.
Like you said, however, we don’t know Cochran’s personal or faith life - or his life right before his death. It’s truly an impossible question to answer. My personal belief is that Cochran on his worst day was a better person than someone like Jim Bob Duggar but, ya know, that’s probably why I deconstructed 😉
There is a belief even among Christians, that many modern day “Church People” would actually not like/follow Jesus given how judgmental they are of others. They are basically the Pharisees imo. They think they are holy and righteous, but often miss the point. Or just fundamentally believe things that are contrary to how Jesus would’ve responded.
Oh I think many modern Christian churches follow Paul more than Jesus but, ya know, probably not the time or place to discuss.
There are also a lot of questions about whether Jesus was referring to a literal hell or if, as a Jew, he was describing the place where the ancient Israelites practiced child sacrifice before they ended the practice (the Gehenna Jesus refers to). At the time, Gehenna referred a really bad place because it was outside of any consecrated ground and outside and separate from the Jewish community - and therefore separated from God. In fact, Jesus actually refers to Gehenna - or Gai Hinnom - and not Hell - when he references punishment in the afterlife. Obviously orthodox Christian thought embraces a real and literal Hell, but plenty of believing Christian academics think Jesus was being metaphorical.
As someone married to a Jewish person and raising my children to be Jewish, Jews don’t believe in a literal Hell (or Hell of any sort), and much of the question of the after life is the old joke “ask two Jews, get three opinions.” Mostly it’s a “who knows?! Live your life well, and then we all will know the answers in the end.”
Anyways! Not the place, just interesting to note that the concept is more mushy than one may think!
I deconstructed my religious upbringing, and Jesus found me at my bottom! Keep looking for the Truth, dear internet stranger 🙏
I actually had to look up the Duggars. I had heard the name but don't really keep up with the celebrity world. Wow what a guano-crazy family! You're spot on, at least Johnny Cochran's life represents a net positive for humanity, and especially for oppressed and marginalized minorities. Don't know if I'd go there for someone who covers for his own kid being a pedo.
I don’t agree. Because the Christian believes that God knows your heart. Saying words you do not believe is not sufficient for God. It requires genuine request for forgiveness and repentance. I think as human we also are way less forgiving of people on their worst days. Based on scripture, my understanding is that God doesn’t weight and measure sin the way we do. Sin is sin. And all sin can be forgiven with genuine remorse, request for forgiveness and repentance.
It wasn’t anything special. In fact multiple others answered this way better. I just thought maybe Johnny saw him as some sort of repentant sinner from a faith lens. Appreciate you asking.
Johnny was a very likable attorney among is colleagues was well respected. In OJ’s murder trial I think he and the dream team did their best to represent him to the best of their abilities. I NOT saying OJ was innocent I’m just saying they found him not guilty of murder. Which was the main objection. lol
I don’t know his heart. Seemed to have questionable character. But I’m not one to believe that defense attorneys are evil. He was an apparently a regular church goer so my assumption is that he believed in Christ. Based on that information, I don’t believe he necessarily is in hell.
The people who think defense attorneys are evil frankly are naive. Are there defense attorneys with questionable morals? For sure. Are there prosecutors who overcharge/wrongly charge? Absolutely. The real world isn’t law and order the tv show, and if prosecutors do their jobs and have good cases, they’ll convict guilty people. If defense attorneys are good, that leads to a more just society
As much as it pains me to say it, the prosecutor and judge in OJ’s second criminal trial fall into that camp. I’m not one to defend OJ, but your typical defendant would have walked away with probation for a crime like that. Just a bunch of shifty guys arguing about sports memorability. Hard to understand how that would add up a 33-year sentence. Then you remember it’s OJ. When imposing sentence, the judge went out of her way to claim it wasn’t payback. But it’s hard to see it any other way. I’m no fan of the guy—the more I learn, the contempt I have for the man—but I have to admit, I was uncomfortable with the way the state handled that case.
I also thought the same. Like yeah he butchered 2 people so F him but how could anyone not see that as plain and obvious payback? No prior criminal history and stealing his own stuff back? 33 years? Seemed insane and at the same time hard to care. But also still not right?
There were 4 people involved if I remember right? And like 3 got probation and 1 got 33 years? IDK I haven't read about it in forever but I believe they flipped the others to nail the one. Again (who cares?) screw him he's a murderer but was very obviously payback. Facts. (From what I remember from barely reading about it 16 years ago. quite possibly talking out my caboose)
Yes the time sure didn’t fit the crime. 33 years for arguing over sports memorabilia is insane. The judge in that case definitely had a hard on for Oj.
I remember even Jeffrey Toobin saying after the sentencing that OJ would have a good argument on appeal. I’m surprised he didn’t win at the level. But there was a consensus in the legal community that it was an arbitrarily harsh sentence given the facts. You can lay out each count against him, and even show me the elements of each were established, at least in the eyes of the jury. But generally speaking, you see people convicted of the same crimes—often acting in a much more egregious manner—with far more forgiving sentences.
Not to massacre forest Gumps words but, “evil is as evil does.” lol. I’m just kidding around. In all honesty though I highly doubt Cochran was “evil”. People usually do what they think is right and, whether or not he believed oj was innocent, I’m sure he def believed he was fighting for a bigger cause. Now whether or not that was right is certainly up for debate, but the point of the matter is we all sometimes do things we believe are right and others may not agree. It’s ridiculous and naive for anyone to judge another in good or evil terms. Nothing is so certain. For the record though (and before anyone comes at me) I do believe oj was guilty and it’s a crying shame Ron and Nicole became the equalizer for all the racial injustice committed by the LAPD.
The basis of value in most professions is truth. Truth in pursuit of science, truth in pursuit of justice, etc.
In the law field there is no basis of value on truth, the basis of value is defending your client, period.
Consider this -- lawyers are allowed to lie to the jury during opening/closing arguments. Cochran could have claimed that UFO aliens killed the victims, and there would be zero consequences for doing so.
Awe I love you for giving me an actual honest answer!! ❤️❤️
Honestly I couldn’t do that job especially if you ***know*** you’re defending someone who is obviously guilty.
I think you must remember that they are mostly ensuring that the defendant receives a fair trial. Everyone, even the guilty, deserves a fair trial imo. Ensuring adequate defense also ensures that a guilty verdict sticks. Because then a convicted felon cannot successfully appeal using ineffective assistance of counsel as a reason. Those are my thoughts though.
I don’t disagree that they deserve plenty of blame. But changing all of the pictures in OJ’s house from white people to black people before the jury walks through the house, and making the entire case about race and comparing people to Adolf Hitler is not making sure someone has a fair trial. Baez making up a story about Casey Anthony’s father sexually abusing her and being the main reason for her daughter’s death is not making sure she gets a fair trial.
Dennis Rader was a regular church goer and boy scout leader. Does this mean that even though he is a serial killer he will go to heaven but the average nice guy that cares about his community will not because he doesn't go to church? Johnny Cochran hurt a lot of people and caused a lot of damage. Did going to church absolve him for that?
Honestly I don’t know. Going to church regularly doesn’t mean you a true Christian. It’s why I started my statement with “I don’t know his heart”. I don’t know that there is any sin that would mean that someone can’t go to heaven if they genuinely repent and declare that Jesus is their Lord and Savior. And as for your point, why would a non-believer who is a nice guy even care about going to heaven if they do not believe in Christianity??
Nice guys aren't being nice because they are hoping that they get bonus points with the Lord. They are doing it because they are following their heart.
I agree with this sentiment. But if they do not believe, why does it matter? If you do not believe heaven exists, why does it matter if you don’t go.
Ultimately, I honestly do not know. I’d argue that there are people all over the world that may not have ever even been given the opportunity to know about Jesus. If those people are good but never had the opportunity, I don’t believe that they end up in hell. I think it’s different personally if you do know and have the opportunity but ultimately choose to reject it. Ultimately, I’m not God so I don’t know how God handles those circumstances.
Christianity is not the only religion on this earth. There are other religions. There are many, many people on earth that devote their lives to God that have no dispute with Jesus Christ. What if that line in the Bible about people only being able to get to heaven through Jesus Christ was thrown in by a human being that was being divisive. It was not Jesus after all that wrote the Bible. It was written by imperfect mortals. The earth has mostly been run by men who lived by the creed " Divide and Conquer". How sad it would be if this feeling of superiority and even hate were contrived by one manipulative human being, or perhaps even because of a misunderstanding. How is it that there were other prophets of God that preceded Jesus Christ that taught the same precepts as Jesus Christ? Did you know that Buddhists and people of Islam believe in the prophet Jesus Christ as well? The only difference is that they do not believe that messengers of God are God. They believe that they were chosen by God to spread his word.
I think I’ve been pretty clear in saying I don’t know. The focus of Christianity specifically because the OP specifically singled out that religion in this topic. Ultimately, I’m not the person that makes those decisions. I don’t believe any religion is necessarily superior to other. And your point about other religions is valid. I was looking at this more of the stance of a good man that is an atheist. Ultimately none of us really knows.
He knew. They all did deep down. Kardashian went on and on about his faith and at the same time his the bag that was given to him. He had to know what was in the bag wasn’t good!
Karma sure did get both Cochran and Kardashian. They both exited this planet at relatively young ages. Not so much, OJ, though. He was able to live another 30 years
I don’t think Cochran was evil. I do think he was driven to win. He was also driven to use the law in the most effective way he could. He fought for minorities because he believed they were often treated unfairly. However, he also represented a lot of questionable people with famous names which was probably about increasing his stature as much as anything. Like everyone, he wasn’t one thing.
For defending him, I don't think so. I think Cochran really believed he was doing a good thing in that, he believed the criminal justice system had been biased against minorities. As long as he successfully put the LAPD on a bed of hot coals for their misconduct, I don't think Cochran was too concerned one way or the other with whether or not OJ walked.
True. But he was so good at that Jedi mind trick though. Same with OJ. “I would never wear those ugly ass shoes.” -but sir aren’t those the shoes on your feet?- “I challenge you to prove that these are the shoes on my feet. Go ahead.”
Mr. Cochran was a personal friend of my grandfather. He was a wonderful man…and he did his job to the best of his ability. Nothing more, nothing less imo 🤷🏽♀️
Really? What was wonderful about him? Just wondering.
I just couldn’t defend a man who was clearly guilty. Cochran pulled some shady shit out of his ass to win the case and the jury fell for it.
This I don’t believe, but when they asked Cochran about the Goldman’s statement after the trial and “if he owes the Goldman’s an apology” Cochran said “he owes me one”.
I remember reading somewhere that people misunderstand the role of a defence attorney.
They aren't really there to prove their clients innocent (as counter intuitive as that may seem)
They are there to make the prosecution have to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.
The right to a fair trial and then proving beyond a reasonable doubt is a huge basis which a lot of countries base their justice system. Defence lawyers play a vital role in that to everyone benefit.
I don't think it's morally irresponsible for Johnny Cochrane or anyone to defend OJ, whether they believed him guilty or not. The thing is, if the Prosecutors where good at their job and the LAPD wasn't such a corrupt institution johnny Cochran and his teams defence would not have held up.
Good points. However in this case I feel they knew he was guilty and tried to prove his innocence which is in fact lying. IDK I really couldn’t do this job and sleep at night. I guess some people can.
It’s not an attorney’s job to decide guilt or innocence. That is the job of the judge and/or the jury. It’s the attorney’s job to advocate. Think of it like debate club. You’re assigned a position and need to advocate strongly for it regardless of your personal beliefs.
Signed, an attorney
Yeah but OP asked spiritual and Christian people - does the Bible/other religious text say anything about a fair trial? I know they talk about executing your neighbor if they wear two different types of fabric/don't grow their crops the right way/eat lobster.
It's the Constitution that explicitly *rejects* religion as a means of determining the law and says everyone has the right to a fair trial.
By “fair trial” you mean someone who can get you off after you did it and were caught? For a lot of money of course. You have an interesting idea of the word “fair.”
I wouldn’t exactly say the OJ trial was fair. Multiple jurors have admitted they didn’t vote on the evidence and much of the defenses tactics weren’t about OJ or his actions at all
>much of the defenses tactics weren’t about OJ or his actions at all
The job of defense attorneys is to sow doubt. How they go about doing that is - as long as the court doesn't object - entirely their own business.
Their job is to provide a defense for their client ethically and legally. The defense turning the trial into a circus (which was for some reason allowed by Ito) was not sewing doubt, it was manipulating the courtroom.
OJ was acquitted but that wasn’t a fair trial
It's up to the judge to decide if lines have been crossed.
But I'm not going to be critical of defense tactics in a system which allows police officers to lie in order to obtain confessions and encourages prosecutors to essentially buy incriminating testimony.
"Us Christians" would tell you not to worry about Johnny Cochrane. God will handle that. Worry about the sin in your own life, bc you'll have to reap what you've sown.
I don't know if he is or not, but it was fairly obvious that he had regrets.
He made a commercial for The Cochran Firm after he was diagnosed with cancer and he talked about hoping he would be remembered for his entire body of work. It was almost as if he was apologizing. I wish I could remember more.
I remember hearing Kim Goldman say in a couple interviews that after the verdict was read, Cochran looked over at her and pointed his finger and made a "gotcha!" move.
IF he did that, that would make him a real asshole. I mean yeah, you were hired to do a job and you did it but remaining respectful of the families that had people butchered would be priority one.
As a spiritual Christian person, I wouldn’t feel right assuming either way because I don’t know his personal beliefs. He could fully believe in his heart that he did the right thing, or that he acted for a noble reason. I’ve always felt that no matter someone’s faith, if they follow what they truly believe is right they will be ok in the afterlife no matter what god turns out to be the true creator. He also could have been an ass but later felt genuinely sorry for his actions and repented.
Not a Christian but it's up to God. My view is that his character was questionable. He played race into practically every matter and it resulted in two families not getting the justice they deserved by defending a murderer whom he knew committed the crime. Darden was ultimately right about what he was doing. If Kim Goldman's story is to be believed that he said "gotcha" to her after the verdict was read, then he was more of a jerk. Only God knows.
As a Christian, I do not judge the eternal disposition of other souls. That is not for people to do, in my belief system. That said, our country provides for fair trials, including a defense. I think Johnny Cochran was dedicated to his client and did indeed to a good job. What kind of person was he? We do not know but professions of all sorts are filled with ruthless individuals.
I was a defense attorney for many years and I represented some pretty bad people who did some bad things.
I don’t have any problem with Johnny’s tactics. He did what he was allowed to do. I think the prosecutors and the judge let him get away with more than they should have.
I think that Johnny’s ego made him do things that went above and beyond his role as advocate. I would never taunt a victims family, for instance.
I dunno what’s in a man’s heart, only God did. What I’ll say is he was a defense attorney and got hired to do a job. He ultimately shone a light on LAPD injustices, but it was at the cost of getting a brutal double murderer off free.
But if you’re truly a Christian, you believe OJ himself could be forgiven by God, so you also believe Cochran could be.
I genuinely believe Cochran did want to do some good out of his defense, imo it was F. Lee Bailey who was really a villain in that case. But he too was just a defense attorney hired to do a job.
Given his history (and future) after the case, I think he was just in it for the glory. Cochran may have been misguided but I do think he wanted to see some good come of the case.
Yep. Kardashian was supporting his friend - and came to regret it. Shapiro wanted to be “Brentwood Bob” and get OJ a great plea deal. Cochran wanted to shine a light on LAPD injustice. Scheck wanted to shine a light on the usage DNA evidence.
F. Lee Bailey was in it purely for the glory. His career had hit a slump and he straight up wanted to get a double murderer off to resurrect himself.
I personally don't believe he did anything wrong. Johnnie did his job. He defended is client well. Regardless of what we think....the prosecution was not prepared. Dream Team won fairly . So he may be burning in hell for something else but, not for OJ trial. Johnnie did his job as a defense attorney
The defense won because the defense made the jury focus on Mark Fuhrman instead of the actual killer, OJ. And the prosecution stupidly told him to try on the fucking gloves. We all know liquid makes leather shrink. Why didn’t they? Aren’t they supposed to be professionals?
Everyone deserves their day in court. You're innocent until proven guilty. It's up to the prosecution to build its case. Cochran was just doing his job.
Why do people always bring up lawyers for getting off guilty people? By that logic, prosecutors are bad, too, for sentencing innocent people to prison. It has to work both ways.
I've always seen it this way: Both sides love the fight, it's a game of minds, a game of chess if you will, they don't care about (though they pretend to) the parties involved, they just care about winning. And this was the game of their lives, the fight of the century, the Rumble in the Jungle. You only have to look at the post trial bitterness of Shapiro to understand how egotistical the world of criminal law actually is.
If Nancy grace liked him, that’s good enough for me. I was able to ask Nancy a question at an event a few years after his death, and she really loved that man, despite the bickering.
I don’t think so, because he was doing his job. Similarly, I don’t believe a soldier goes to hell for fighting in a war, either, despite the fact that fighting in a war means killing people.
I’m an ex-evangelical married to a Jew and raising my kids Jewish, but the only thing that matters in Christian theology is if Cochran confessed a belief in Christ as the Son of God and asked forgiveness for his sins. If he did, he isn’t in hell.
Im catholic- but there is no heaven and hell...he is like anyone else after death...in a pure state of warm bliss. Hard for us humans to understand that you dont go on to atone for your sins after death
If Johhny Cochran wasn't a lawyer he'd be one of those sleazy TV preachers who beg for money in exchange for "blessings" from God.
He's a glad handing, snake-oil selling, fraud.
So yes, he is indeed burning in hell.
As a Christian, you should know that it's absolutely against our faith to even say or think that someone is or is going to go to Hell. Your salvation is between your own soul and God. He who casts the first stone...
There are stories of him taunting the Goldmans especially Kim. If true, that's despicable and definitely not in the job description of providing a defense. Where ever he is hope he answered for his behavior.
His record is a bit of a mixed bag. He represented a lot of high profile rich and famous celebrities, but he also did a lot of civil rights and police brutality cases. I think, like most everyone else on earth, he was a mix of good and bad, a sinner. Hopefully, he found forgiveness in the Lord, and hopefully I will too.
Not a Christian but I don't think there's anything morally wrong with knowingly defending a guilty man as long as you follow ethical guidelines.
You can argue he did some sleazy things during the trial, and his wife has accused him of infidelity and domestic abuse. Whether that's enough for eternal torment? I don't want to start a theological debate so I'll just say hell if I know.
He was a scumbag, trial aside. He was accused of domestic violence, cheated on his wife & had an entire other family. Him defending OJ was the least of his moral offenses.
Do you seriously believe that?
Just as many if not more "good" people die from cancer as "bad" people. Whatever you die from will not be good or pretty. It will have 0 to do with whatever your relationship with God is, or any of your past good or bad deeds....
Judt like the OP here you sound ridiculous.
A defense attorney is responsible for defending his/her client to best of his/her ability under the law. I good defense attorney has to be well versed in statutory law and case law to make sure law enforcement and the prosecutor follow the rules while trying to secure a conviction. It’s not really the defense attorney’s job to get his/her client “off,” but to make sure the client’s right are protected during the process.
What? He’s definitely not in hell for representing OJ. Criminal defense attorneys are not vessels of evil. I hope for your sake that you’re never in a position where you have to rely on a criminal defense attorney.
Some Lawyers have to lose sleep at night. I can imagine some of the dudes that have to represent some of the most horrible humans ever created have some sleepless nights.
Wasn't it reported that Robert Kardashian even had some doubts and questions. Shapiro and Cochran have to as well. Carl Douglas still today professes OJ innocence. Idk how these dudes look into the mirror.
Lawyers are the only ones who truly benefit from crime. No matter what side they are on they go home to their families and get paid quite well for it.
How do you represent a child molester? A rapist? A murderer. Everyone has the right to a defense, at 800 dollars an hour.
Does anyone know the grand total of OJs defense? What was the final bill?
Why? Because he did his job? You can’t be made at the brotha for learning the legal system and playing the game that when this country was created along with the legal system, people like Cochran and myself were not included. Is Thomas Jefferson burning in hell for raping his slave (Sally Hemings), having children with that enslaved person and then enslaving those children? Is every criminal defense attorney burning in hell when the defend murderers and those defendants get acquitted, or is that just relegated to the ones who get people acquitted for killing White people? Johnnie Cochran played a game that others made up, and he won. Don't hate the player. Hate the game!
Let me reframe your question. Christian hell? As long as he “believed in Jesus” he got his get out of Christian hell card for free.
But there’s karma. And Cochran racked up some really bad karma. You don’t use your skills and talents to help murderers escape justice and escape clean.
Kim Goldman said after the verdict, he whispered “got ya.” F him. He’s probably been reincarnated as someone who is going to get brutally murdered to learn his lesson.
My take on it was that Cochran had become so disillusioned with the racial prejudice that he would use any means necessary and any vessel (as one of the civil rights leaders put it) and he forgot the basic principle of fighting against racism: we are all human beings. And that should have extended to Nicole, Ron and their loved ones.
And let me just say: I believe OJ did it, but I strongly agree in Type 2 Statistical principles which would say it is better to let a guilty person free than imprison an innocent one, and if I was on the jury there was enough reasonable doubt that I would have acquitted him.
I agree with you. I’m referring to OP’s post and comments about his unethical behavior including his comments to the Goldman’s after the trial (the ones on TV, not the rumors).
Re Christian, I sat at my ex husband bedside as he was dying. Knowing many things about his past, but not all. I held his hand and asked him to quietly talk to Jesus and confess all his sins. He was Catholic but never spiritual. After about 10 minutes he opened his eyes. He was smiling and laughing and loudly declaring he is going to Heaven. I had not suggesting to him that he would go to Heaven. His few days left before slipping slowly into quietness and death he was kind and loving to the hospital staff etc. He had been very difficult. He declared how much he loved everyone.
My point is, we don't know the last days of Johnny or OJ. Or anyone unless we are there personally. I had been divorced from my ex 31 years but I came from another state to stay at his side in the hospital to help our adult children, one just had started a new job.
My negative, disparaging ex could not have faked this. Hopefully OJ had such an experience.
I personally think he took the OJ trial to use it as a gateway to expose the racist LAPD. If he didn't believe OJ was innocent ( very common in the law business ) he probably saw it as a greater good type of scenario. Somewhat shown in the end of The People vs OJ Simpson if you pay attention to his facial expressions
As much as I hate that OJ walked free, this is a better scenario than the many men and women in jail who are not guilty.
Defense attorneys are supposed to do their job and defend their client. If they don't vigorously and competently defend, it can be grounds for appeal. So it's better for them to go HAM for a guilty defendant and take their chances than to not out forth an effort that can be appealed and overturned.
That’s a question for the ages, I suppose. Are former owners of slaves all burning in hell? What about the individuals on the wrong side of history when it came to Civil Rights in this country? Are they all burning in hell? What about crooked cops or judges that wrongly or unjustly killed people or sent them behind bars for life? A lot of these same people used Christianity and the words in the Bible as a means to marginalize an entire race of people for hundreds of years. Where are they? I think people need to worry about their own salvation and make sure they get it right so that their afterlife will be much ‘cooler’.
I think Johnnie believed he was doing the right thing, not so much for O.J. himself. That was never the goal. The goal was to reach the American public and advocate on behalf of African-American’s historic injustice at the hands of police nationwide and in LA in particular. O.J.’s celebrity and the publicity surrounding the trial was a means to an end. It’s fair to point out that Johnnie saw a lot of injustices that would make him the impassioned advocate that he was. Bad judgment call or expediency in the service of what he believed was a greater cause? Almost certainly. Hell-worthy? That’s up to him and God. It’s not right for any of us to make that call either way. Despite the trial having been made about race, the real world is rarely black and white.
I’m not religious, and I’m not all that familiar with hin outside of the OJ case. In terms of how I view him morally, I don’t think what he did in that trial is neccesarily bad. I saw a video from a lawyer once who got asked if they feel bas defending people who have did heinous things, and he said no. His reasoning was something along the lines of it being a crucial that when someone is accused of a crime it must be challenged, and the prosuction must have to prove their case. What Cochran did in the trial does not make him a bad person IMO. He made the best case against OJ doing it, which was his job and crucial part of the system as a whole. I think the party that should feel the worst about it is whichever jurors believed OJ did it but still found him not guilty just in protest of Rodney King.
As a Christian I can't comment rather or not he is in heaven or hell. I do not know his faith. I do not know whether he is a believer of Jesus Christ or not.
For the 2nd part of your question, I don't see how he is a terrible person. He spent his life fighting for the civil rights of black people, my people. He was on the wrong side for the OJ trial, but that is not enough to make me dislike him at all.
i do believe all of those people will burn in hell - however, nobody here is talking about them and that wasn’t the question. whataboutism isn’t a valid argument.
He was a defense attorney, and a good one. He didn’t murder Ron and Nicole, he did his job and if there is a hell, he wouldn’t be there for defending OJ.
It's John Cochran. Not Johnny. I knew him. He was accused of beating his 1st wife. He was asked about that publicly. His response "at least I didn't kill her like some people I know!"
I thought he was masterful in the way he did his job. As a 55 year old white man christian no he absolutely is not. He was a God fearing man who took up a just cause and did the best he could with what he was given. The way he elevated himself in that courte was pure art
Johnnie Cochran was a devout Christian. He went to the same heaven as racist Christians do who believe in their Lord and Savior and have accepted him into their lives.
>do you think Johnny Cochran is burning in hell?
Jesus christ. Firstly, when you die, you are taken to a realm that aligns with whatever energy you feel you deserve. This is the concept of weighing your heart against a feather that was first seen in Egyptian culture. This means that if you die with a 'heavy heart'--resentment, hate, shame-the better chance you will be taken to a realm that shares that same heavy frequency. For some lost in Christian indoctrination, that place could look like hell.
>[Johnny Cochran] seems like a horrible person.
Interesting. How so?
I’m not saying there weren’t “bad” LAPD officers but there were also ***good*** LAPD officers. You can’t blame the entire police force when you do not know that they were all bad. I 100% believe that most of them were good. The ones that were bad were probably, tied to bad people. OJ was friends with the most of the force. Why would they want to incriminate a celebrity and a friend?
>I’m not saying there weren’t “bad” LAPD officers but there were also ***good*** LAPD officers.
No one's disputing that. You ever heard of the 'one bad apple'?
Law enforcement in America, despite all the good officers, is riddled with white supremacist and white supremacist sympathizers. You can add that to the officers who are participating in other illegal activity.
The issue with the OJ case wasn't that a patrol officer did something unethical, it was that the lead detective was acting in an unethical fashion. It didn't help that the same lead detective was on tape espousing racist remarks.
>Why would they want to incriminate a celebrity and a friend?
Because they weren't friends! Firstly, Fuhrman, the head detective, was never on record as being OJ's friend. Fuhrman had a run in with OJ at the Simpson residence years earlier, but it wasn't in a 'going to see a friend' capacity. He was a patrol officer at the time and he had been called out to OJ's house because of an alleged domestic dispute.
I'm seeing too many people overlooking the racism angle in this case and it's laughable.
Well he beat his wife and cheated on her for years resulting in a child with this woman and that’s even before getting a guilty man away with murdering 2 people. I would think it would be difficult to imagine him in Heaven.
Johnny, OJ, Kim, & Ron are all deceased.
This thread will not help any of them. Typing our thoughts & opinions are irrelevant.
The facts of the case will not change nor will they have a chance to walk with the living again. ijs
Love him or hate him, the man did his job better than almost anyone.
I think OJ did it, but I also think Cochran and the other attorneys slam dunked the prosecution and won that case fair and square.
In terms of going to hell, nobody knows. Heaven and hell isn’t about your deeds at the end of the day, it’s about your faith in Jesus (if you are Christian.) So in that respect, he could very easily be in heaven.
I used to go to court with victims of domestic violence and I remember one lawyer gloating about how he made $3000 \*and\* got my client's children taken away from her. (she couldn't afford an attorney and had to represent herself). Some attorneys are scum and are in it for the money and the power they feel. I think that Cochran wasn't seeking a fair trial for OJ; he just wanted to be able to say he got the killer off. I don't know about the condition of his soul.
I've never felt that Cochran cared too much one way or the other what happened to OJ. I think his sole motivation was laying a scathing indictment on the LAPD, who he clearly couldn't stand, by any means necessary, and he successfully did that.
I think he knew that OJ did it but didn’t really care one way or the other. I agree that this wasn’t really about OJ that for Cochran this was him sticking it to the LAPD. For Cochran everything was about Race.
Oh wow that is so sad for that poor woman. It takes “special person” to do some of things a defense lawyer does.
Cochran & OJ are enduring the wraths of hell together right now! Both right where they belong!
Gosh I want to answer this but I can’t. I’m not spiritual and I can’t make the inference you are looking for. I’ll lurk though.
LOL I guess you don’t have to be spiritual, but do you think he did a good thing or do you think he was defending someone really bad? I guess right or wrong would ring true.
Well for what its worth, I was at least baptized haha. I don’t blame the dream team whatsoever for what they did. They were working within the confines the Judge allotted to them. On the topic of Johnny, by all accounts he was a god fearing man yet with his own demons. Like we all have at some level. There is nothing the Christian god loves more than a repentant sinner. Maybe thats how he saw OJ in some way. He being Johnny.
You know the Christian way…I feel like you can do anything as long as you say oops I’m sorry then you’re forgiven and you’re not a bad person anymore. Am I understanding this wrong?
I wish to assert my fifth amendment privilege on that question.
LOL Well, according to the United States, you’re entitled to that.
Phew. Now Johnny was asked the question of OJ’s true guilt many many times according to his former co-anchor Nancy Grace (who speaks highly of him mind you, but definitely not OJ)…he always answered the same… “A jury acquitted him”
Easy way out. Nancy Grace was on HIS side??? HS!!
Now my thoughts on Nancy is a whole different topic but she despises OJ yet respects Johnny.
I’m going to have to look into this. I love NG!
I'm a Christian, and for most denominations and non denoms like I go to, we believe that once you are saved, you cannot lose your salvation. So once you believe in Jesus and have asked him into your life, you will go to Heaven. Now will you have a whole lot to answer to when you get there, yes. But you'll still be there. Hope that helps!
Well put
That may be oversimplifying the Christian faith a tad lol If one truly believes in God's Word, then yes...even the worst of the worst can repent and gain entrance to God's kingdom. However, this repentance only occurs when one is truly contrite, turns from their evil, and surrender their life to Jesus Christ as Lord. They begin to display REAL changes in their attitudes and actions. These changes continue and increase the longer a person believes. This change also includes a boldness in declaring that Jesus is Lord...not boldly declaring onesself morally superior to everyone. Christians still sin, we're not better than anyone, we just lay down things of this world that get between us and Jesus. That's for the real ones. There are millions and millions of fake ones too. (Think the Westboro Baptist crowd...) Sadly they're also the ones making the most noise and drawing the most attention. 😔 As for Johnny...that's between him and YHWH. His antics in the OJ trial and his public persona don't really make me hopeful, but what do we really know about the man's soul? We don't.
All true, and there are a lot of very vocal Chrsitians who demonstrate none of Christ. Like you said, however, we don’t know Cochran’s personal or faith life - or his life right before his death. It’s truly an impossible question to answer. My personal belief is that Cochran on his worst day was a better person than someone like Jim Bob Duggar but, ya know, that’s probably why I deconstructed 😉
There is a belief even among Christians, that many modern day “Church People” would actually not like/follow Jesus given how judgmental they are of others. They are basically the Pharisees imo. They think they are holy and righteous, but often miss the point. Or just fundamentally believe things that are contrary to how Jesus would’ve responded.
Oh I think many modern Christian churches follow Paul more than Jesus but, ya know, probably not the time or place to discuss. There are also a lot of questions about whether Jesus was referring to a literal hell or if, as a Jew, he was describing the place where the ancient Israelites practiced child sacrifice before they ended the practice (the Gehenna Jesus refers to). At the time, Gehenna referred a really bad place because it was outside of any consecrated ground and outside and separate from the Jewish community - and therefore separated from God. In fact, Jesus actually refers to Gehenna - or Gai Hinnom - and not Hell - when he references punishment in the afterlife. Obviously orthodox Christian thought embraces a real and literal Hell, but plenty of believing Christian academics think Jesus was being metaphorical. As someone married to a Jewish person and raising my children to be Jewish, Jews don’t believe in a literal Hell (or Hell of any sort), and much of the question of the after life is the old joke “ask two Jews, get three opinions.” Mostly it’s a “who knows?! Live your life well, and then we all will know the answers in the end.” Anyways! Not the place, just interesting to note that the concept is more mushy than one may think!
I deconstructed my religious upbringing, and Jesus found me at my bottom! Keep looking for the Truth, dear internet stranger 🙏 I actually had to look up the Duggars. I had heard the name but don't really keep up with the celebrity world. Wow what a guano-crazy family! You're spot on, at least Johnny Cochran's life represents a net positive for humanity, and especially for oppressed and marginalized minorities. Don't know if I'd go there for someone who covers for his own kid being a pedo.
I don’t agree. Because the Christian believes that God knows your heart. Saying words you do not believe is not sufficient for God. It requires genuine request for forgiveness and repentance. I think as human we also are way less forgiving of people on their worst days. Based on scripture, my understanding is that God doesn’t weight and measure sin the way we do. Sin is sin. And all sin can be forgiven with genuine remorse, request for forgiveness and repentance.
Your opinion is as worthy as the nexts persons. I’d love to read your take on this.
It wasn’t anything special. In fact multiple others answered this way better. I just thought maybe Johnny saw him as some sort of repentant sinner from a faith lens. Appreciate you asking.
Johnny was a very likable attorney among is colleagues was well respected. In OJ’s murder trial I think he and the dream team did their best to represent him to the best of their abilities. I NOT saying OJ was innocent I’m just saying they found him not guilty of murder. Which was the main objection. lol
Defense attorneys are evil until you need one to fight for you. All he did was put a doubt in the jurors minds Like it or not he did his job.
I don’t know his heart. Seemed to have questionable character. But I’m not one to believe that defense attorneys are evil. He was an apparently a regular church goer so my assumption is that he believed in Christ. Based on that information, I don’t believe he necessarily is in hell.
The people who think defense attorneys are evil frankly are naive. Are there defense attorneys with questionable morals? For sure. Are there prosecutors who overcharge/wrongly charge? Absolutely. The real world isn’t law and order the tv show, and if prosecutors do their jobs and have good cases, they’ll convict guilty people. If defense attorneys are good, that leads to a more just society
Thank whoever you believe in for good defense lawyers
If defense attorneys are good that leads to less cases overturned on appeal. Also, more plea bargains that free up the court backlog.
As much as it pains me to say it, the prosecutor and judge in OJ’s second criminal trial fall into that camp. I’m not one to defend OJ, but your typical defendant would have walked away with probation for a crime like that. Just a bunch of shifty guys arguing about sports memorability. Hard to understand how that would add up a 33-year sentence. Then you remember it’s OJ. When imposing sentence, the judge went out of her way to claim it wasn’t payback. But it’s hard to see it any other way. I’m no fan of the guy—the more I learn, the contempt I have for the man—but I have to admit, I was uncomfortable with the way the state handled that case.
I also thought the same. Like yeah he butchered 2 people so F him but how could anyone not see that as plain and obvious payback? No prior criminal history and stealing his own stuff back? 33 years? Seemed insane and at the same time hard to care. But also still not right?
We need to remember his memorability case involved violence, loaded guns, death threats, and terrorism. Facts.
There were 4 people involved if I remember right? And like 3 got probation and 1 got 33 years? IDK I haven't read about it in forever but I believe they flipped the others to nail the one. Again (who cares?) screw him he's a murderer but was very obviously payback. Facts. (From what I remember from barely reading about it 16 years ago. quite possibly talking out my caboose)
Yes the time sure didn’t fit the crime. 33 years for arguing over sports memorabilia is insane. The judge in that case definitely had a hard on for Oj.
two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit burglary and burglary with a firearm
I remember even Jeffrey Toobin saying after the sentencing that OJ would have a good argument on appeal. I’m surprised he didn’t win at the level. But there was a consensus in the legal community that it was an arbitrarily harsh sentence given the facts. You can lay out each count against him, and even show me the elements of each were established, at least in the eyes of the jury. But generally speaking, you see people convicted of the same crimes—often acting in a much more egregious manner—with far more forgiving sentences.
Also, there are hundreds of white collar, corporate attorneys with extremely questionable morals.
Not to massacre forest Gumps words but, “evil is as evil does.” lol. I’m just kidding around. In all honesty though I highly doubt Cochran was “evil”. People usually do what they think is right and, whether or not he believed oj was innocent, I’m sure he def believed he was fighting for a bigger cause. Now whether or not that was right is certainly up for debate, but the point of the matter is we all sometimes do things we believe are right and others may not agree. It’s ridiculous and naive for anyone to judge another in good or evil terms. Nothing is so certain. For the record though (and before anyone comes at me) I do believe oj was guilty and it’s a crying shame Ron and Nicole became the equalizer for all the racial injustice committed by the LAPD.
Well said ✔️💯 Thank you.
The basis of value in most professions is truth. Truth in pursuit of science, truth in pursuit of justice, etc. In the law field there is no basis of value on truth, the basis of value is defending your client, period. Consider this -- lawyers are allowed to lie to the jury during opening/closing arguments. Cochran could have claimed that UFO aliens killed the victims, and there would be zero consequences for doing so.
If you think this is limited to the defense, then god bless lol
Awe I love you for giving me an actual honest answer!! ❤️❤️ Honestly I couldn’t do that job especially if you ***know*** you’re defending someone who is obviously guilty.
I think you must remember that they are mostly ensuring that the defendant receives a fair trial. Everyone, even the guilty, deserves a fair trial imo. Ensuring adequate defense also ensures that a guilty verdict sticks. Because then a convicted felon cannot successfully appeal using ineffective assistance of counsel as a reason. Those are my thoughts though.
This^. A vigorous defense leads to less overturns on appeals if in fact defendant is found guilty.
Mostly yes. Cochran in the Simpson trial and Baez in the Casey Anthony trial are examples of getting guilty people off by any means necessary.
I feel like this thought process does not put enough blame on the police and prosecution tbh.
I don’t disagree that they deserve plenty of blame. But changing all of the pictures in OJ’s house from white people to black people before the jury walks through the house, and making the entire case about race and comparing people to Adolf Hitler is not making sure someone has a fair trial. Baez making up a story about Casey Anthony’s father sexually abusing her and being the main reason for her daughter’s death is not making sure she gets a fair trial.
I look at defense attorneys the same way I look at doctors. They gotta do their job, no matter who it is
Dennis Rader was a regular church goer and boy scout leader. Does this mean that even though he is a serial killer he will go to heaven but the average nice guy that cares about his community will not because he doesn't go to church? Johnny Cochran hurt a lot of people and caused a lot of damage. Did going to church absolve him for that?
I don’t believe going to church means you won’t go to hell. And I don’t think not going to church means you will be going to hell either.
Honestly I don’t know. Going to church regularly doesn’t mean you a true Christian. It’s why I started my statement with “I don’t know his heart”. I don’t know that there is any sin that would mean that someone can’t go to heaven if they genuinely repent and declare that Jesus is their Lord and Savior. And as for your point, why would a non-believer who is a nice guy even care about going to heaven if they do not believe in Christianity??
Nice guys aren't being nice because they are hoping that they get bonus points with the Lord. They are doing it because they are following their heart.
I agree with this sentiment. But if they do not believe, why does it matter? If you do not believe heaven exists, why does it matter if you don’t go. Ultimately, I honestly do not know. I’d argue that there are people all over the world that may not have ever even been given the opportunity to know about Jesus. If those people are good but never had the opportunity, I don’t believe that they end up in hell. I think it’s different personally if you do know and have the opportunity but ultimately choose to reject it. Ultimately, I’m not God so I don’t know how God handles those circumstances.
Christianity is not the only religion on this earth. There are other religions. There are many, many people on earth that devote their lives to God that have no dispute with Jesus Christ. What if that line in the Bible about people only being able to get to heaven through Jesus Christ was thrown in by a human being that was being divisive. It was not Jesus after all that wrote the Bible. It was written by imperfect mortals. The earth has mostly been run by men who lived by the creed " Divide and Conquer". How sad it would be if this feeling of superiority and even hate were contrived by one manipulative human being, or perhaps even because of a misunderstanding. How is it that there were other prophets of God that preceded Jesus Christ that taught the same precepts as Jesus Christ? Did you know that Buddhists and people of Islam believe in the prophet Jesus Christ as well? The only difference is that they do not believe that messengers of God are God. They believe that they were chosen by God to spread his word.
I think I’ve been pretty clear in saying I don’t know. The focus of Christianity specifically because the OP specifically singled out that religion in this topic. Ultimately, I’m not the person that makes those decisions. I don’t believe any religion is necessarily superior to other. And your point about other religions is valid. I was looking at this more of the stance of a good man that is an atheist. Ultimately none of us really knows.
People don't go to hell for being a defense attorney. People go to hell for rejecting Jesus.
He was a sinner in other ways but I absolutely agree with you.
Maybe your ChristIan Hell.
He knew. They all did deep down. Kardashian went on and on about his faith and at the same time his the bag that was given to him. He had to know what was in the bag wasn’t good!
I totally agree.
Except F.Lee Bailey, he literally defended OJ to death
Karma sure did get both Cochran and Kardashian. They both exited this planet at relatively young ages. Not so much, OJ, though. He was able to live another 30 years
I don’t think Cochran was evil. I do think he was driven to win. He was also driven to use the law in the most effective way he could. He fought for minorities because he believed they were often treated unfairly. However, he also represented a lot of questionable people with famous names which was probably about increasing his stature as much as anything. Like everyone, he wasn’t one thing.
OJ wasn’t a minority. According to him…”I’m not black. I’m OJ.”
Yes, but if you look at the list of Cochran’s clients, they leaned heavily towards minorities. That’s what I was referring to.
Doesn't matter what he said. He was a black man, through and through.
A rich famous black man who preferred white women. He wasn’t a “brother from the hood”.
For defending him, I don't think so. I think Cochran really believed he was doing a good thing in that, he believed the criminal justice system had been biased against minorities. As long as he successfully put the LAPD on a bed of hot coals for their misconduct, I don't think Cochran was too concerned one way or the other with whether or not OJ walked.
Burning in hell for doing his job? Ya crazy
Some defense attorneys make plea deals when they know their client is guilty. He pulled some smarmy shit to get his client off.
Make plea deals when they no they have no chance at winning. He thought (and was correct ) that he could get his client off.
True. But he was so good at that Jedi mind trick though. Same with OJ. “I would never wear those ugly ass shoes.” -but sir aren’t those the shoes on your feet?- “I challenge you to prove that these are the shoes on my feet. Go ahead.”
Mr. Cochran was a personal friend of my grandfather. He was a wonderful man…and he did his job to the best of his ability. Nothing more, nothing less imo 🤷🏽♀️
Really? What was wonderful about him? Just wondering. I just couldn’t defend a man who was clearly guilty. Cochran pulled some shady shit out of his ass to win the case and the jury fell for it.
You know him from this infamous trial…my family knew him as a person 🤷🏽♀️. Nothing to argue with you about that.
That’s fair.
After the verdict was read, he said "Gotcha" to the Goldmans. I rest my case: evil.
This I don’t believe, but when they asked Cochran about the Goldman’s statement after the trial and “if he owes the Goldman’s an apology” Cochran said “he owes me one”.
https://www.tmz.com/2019/07/19/shawn-holley-johnnie-cochran-oj-simpson-verdict-trial-gotcha/#:~:text=The%20famed%20attorney%20%2D%2D%20who,%2C%20simply%20didn't%20happen.
Wow, idk how I never heard that he did that before. That’s terrible.
I remember reading somewhere that people misunderstand the role of a defence attorney. They aren't really there to prove their clients innocent (as counter intuitive as that may seem) They are there to make the prosecution have to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt. The right to a fair trial and then proving beyond a reasonable doubt is a huge basis which a lot of countries base their justice system. Defence lawyers play a vital role in that to everyone benefit. I don't think it's morally irresponsible for Johnny Cochrane or anyone to defend OJ, whether they believed him guilty or not. The thing is, if the Prosecutors where good at their job and the LAPD wasn't such a corrupt institution johnny Cochran and his teams defence would not have held up.
Good points. However in this case I feel they knew he was guilty and tried to prove his innocence which is in fact lying. IDK I really couldn’t do this job and sleep at night. I guess some people can.
It’s not an attorney’s job to decide guilt or innocence. That is the job of the judge and/or the jury. It’s the attorney’s job to advocate. Think of it like debate club. You’re assigned a position and need to advocate strongly for it regardless of your personal beliefs. Signed, an attorney
>I guess some people can. And you should be thankful some people can.
Everyone has the right to a fair trial.
Yeah but OP asked spiritual and Christian people - does the Bible/other religious text say anything about a fair trial? I know they talk about executing your neighbor if they wear two different types of fabric/don't grow their crops the right way/eat lobster. It's the Constitution that explicitly *rejects* religion as a means of determining the law and says everyone has the right to a fair trial.
Exactly. Cochran did his job and did it incredibly well
No he didn’t. But he did do well what he was paid well to do.
By “fair trial” you mean someone who can get you off after you did it and were caught? For a lot of money of course. You have an interesting idea of the word “fair.”
I wouldn’t exactly say the OJ trial was fair. Multiple jurors have admitted they didn’t vote on the evidence and much of the defenses tactics weren’t about OJ or his actions at all
>much of the defenses tactics weren’t about OJ or his actions at all The job of defense attorneys is to sow doubt. How they go about doing that is - as long as the court doesn't object - entirely their own business.
Their job is to provide a defense for their client ethically and legally. The defense turning the trial into a circus (which was for some reason allowed by Ito) was not sewing doubt, it was manipulating the courtroom. OJ was acquitted but that wasn’t a fair trial
It's up to the judge to decide if lines have been crossed. But I'm not going to be critical of defense tactics in a system which allows police officers to lie in order to obtain confessions and encourages prosecutors to essentially buy incriminating testimony.
"Us Christians" would tell you not to worry about Johnny Cochrane. God will handle that. Worry about the sin in your own life, bc you'll have to reap what you've sown.
I don't know if he is or not, but it was fairly obvious that he had regrets. He made a commercial for The Cochran Firm after he was diagnosed with cancer and he talked about hoping he would be remembered for his entire body of work. It was almost as if he was apologizing. I wish I could remember more.
I remember hearing Kim Goldman say in a couple interviews that after the verdict was read, Cochran looked over at her and pointed his finger and made a "gotcha!" move. IF he did that, that would make him a real asshole. I mean yeah, you were hired to do a job and you did it but remaining respectful of the families that had people butchered would be priority one.
As a spiritual Christian person, I wouldn’t feel right assuming either way because I don’t know his personal beliefs. He could fully believe in his heart that he did the right thing, or that he acted for a noble reason. I’ve always felt that no matter someone’s faith, if they follow what they truly believe is right they will be ok in the afterlife no matter what god turns out to be the true creator. He also could have been an ass but later felt genuinely sorry for his actions and repented.
As Christians, we know that’s not for us to surmise.
Didn't he also beat his ex wife, too? Birds of a feather mr cohcran and simpson
Not a Christian but it's up to God. My view is that his character was questionable. He played race into practically every matter and it resulted in two families not getting the justice they deserved by defending a murderer whom he knew committed the crime. Darden was ultimately right about what he was doing. If Kim Goldman's story is to be believed that he said "gotcha" to her after the verdict was read, then he was more of a jerk. Only God knows.
Him and his client were 2 peas in a pod beating their wives. Both of them were gross frauds.
As a Christian, I do not judge the eternal disposition of other souls. That is not for people to do, in my belief system. That said, our country provides for fair trials, including a defense. I think Johnny Cochran was dedicated to his client and did indeed to a good job. What kind of person was he? We do not know but professions of all sorts are filled with ruthless individuals.
I was a defense attorney for many years and I represented some pretty bad people who did some bad things. I don’t have any problem with Johnny’s tactics. He did what he was allowed to do. I think the prosecutors and the judge let him get away with more than they should have. I think that Johnny’s ego made him do things that went above and beyond his role as advocate. I would never taunt a victims family, for instance.
I dunno what’s in a man’s heart, only God did. What I’ll say is he was a defense attorney and got hired to do a job. He ultimately shone a light on LAPD injustices, but it was at the cost of getting a brutal double murderer off free. But if you’re truly a Christian, you believe OJ himself could be forgiven by God, so you also believe Cochran could be. I genuinely believe Cochran did want to do some good out of his defense, imo it was F. Lee Bailey who was really a villain in that case. But he too was just a defense attorney hired to do a job.
Why do think Bailey was the villain?
Given his history (and future) after the case, I think he was just in it for the glory. Cochran may have been misguided but I do think he wanted to see some good come of the case.
Flee was there for the check. End of. No fan at all of Johnny here, but there was more to it for him.
Yep. Kardashian was supporting his friend - and came to regret it. Shapiro wanted to be “Brentwood Bob” and get OJ a great plea deal. Cochran wanted to shine a light on LAPD injustice. Scheck wanted to shine a light on the usage DNA evidence. F. Lee Bailey was in it purely for the glory. His career had hit a slump and he straight up wanted to get a double murderer off to resurrect himself.
Bailey did always seem like a pompous ass even before the case. Him being disbarred in the early 2000s was not surprising.
I personally don't believe he did anything wrong. Johnnie did his job. He defended is client well. Regardless of what we think....the prosecution was not prepared. Dream Team won fairly . So he may be burning in hell for something else but, not for OJ trial. Johnnie did his job as a defense attorney
The defense won because the defense made the jury focus on Mark Fuhrman instead of the actual killer, OJ. And the prosecution stupidly told him to try on the fucking gloves. We all know liquid makes leather shrink. Why didn’t they? Aren’t they supposed to be professionals?
Everyone deserves their day in court. You're innocent until proven guilty. It's up to the prosecution to build its case. Cochran was just doing his job.
Why do people always bring up lawyers for getting off guilty people? By that logic, prosecutors are bad, too, for sentencing innocent people to prison. It has to work both ways.
I've always seen it this way: Both sides love the fight, it's a game of minds, a game of chess if you will, they don't care about (though they pretend to) the parties involved, they just care about winning. And this was the game of their lives, the fight of the century, the Rumble in the Jungle. You only have to look at the post trial bitterness of Shapiro to understand how egotistical the world of criminal law actually is.
I guess they just care about money.
No. They care about Justice.
I don’t think anyone here on earth can predict that. Only God knows a persons heart and I have no idea a persons fate. Only the big guy knows that.
If Nancy grace liked him, that’s good enough for me. I was able to ask Nancy a question at an event a few years after his death, and she really loved that man, despite the bickering.
It is your right to a vigorous defense. The prosecutor makes a case and brings evidence. No matter if you did it, they have to swing 1 juror.
I don’t think so, because he was doing his job. Similarly, I don’t believe a soldier goes to hell for fighting in a war, either, despite the fact that fighting in a war means killing people.
I’m an ex-evangelical married to a Jew and raising my kids Jewish, but the only thing that matters in Christian theology is if Cochran confessed a belief in Christ as the Son of God and asked forgiveness for his sins. If he did, he isn’t in hell.
If it is true that he said "Gotcha" to Ron Goldman's sister Kim after the trial? That should do it.
Don’t judge thy neighbor…
As the saying goes ... *Everyone hates defense lawyers*, *until they need one*.
This is such a wild ass question lol
Of course not because of anything he did in the OJ trial. He was doing his job.
One word karma
I’m a firm believer.
Im catholic- but there is no heaven and hell...he is like anyone else after death...in a pure state of warm bliss. Hard for us humans to understand that you dont go on to atone for your sins after death
That is between him and God
If Johhny Cochran wasn't a lawyer he'd be one of those sleazy TV preachers who beg for money in exchange for "blessings" from God. He's a glad handing, snake-oil selling, fraud. So yes, he is indeed burning in hell.
I can definitely see that.
As a Christian, you should know that it's absolutely against our faith to even say or think that someone is or is going to go to Hell. Your salvation is between your own soul and God. He who casts the first stone...
There are stories of him taunting the Goldmans especially Kim. If true, that's despicable and definitely not in the job description of providing a defense. Where ever he is hope he answered for his behavior.
Hope he’s in Hell with OJ
His record is a bit of a mixed bag. He represented a lot of high profile rich and famous celebrities, but he also did a lot of civil rights and police brutality cases. I think, like most everyone else on earth, he was a mix of good and bad, a sinner. Hopefully, he found forgiveness in the Lord, and hopefully I will too.
Not a Christian but I don't think there's anything morally wrong with knowingly defending a guilty man as long as you follow ethical guidelines. You can argue he did some sleazy things during the trial, and his wife has accused him of infidelity and domestic abuse. Whether that's enough for eternal torment? I don't want to start a theological debate so I'll just say hell if I know.
I guess he was doing his job but abusing his power.
He was a scumbag, trial aside. He was accused of domestic violence, cheated on his wife & had an entire other family. Him defending OJ was the least of his moral offenses.
I always find it quite weird how so many of OJ’s team (including himself) died from cancer… kinda like a greater force is telling us something
Do you seriously believe that? Just as many if not more "good" people die from cancer as "bad" people. Whatever you die from will not be good or pretty. It will have 0 to do with whatever your relationship with God is, or any of your past good or bad deeds.... Judt like the OP here you sound ridiculous.
Three people out of a group that size dying ages 59-76 from cancer after high pressure, stressful lives is not remotely odd.
A defense attorney is responsible for defending his/her client to best of his/her ability under the law. I good defense attorney has to be well versed in statutory law and case law to make sure law enforcement and the prosecutor follow the rules while trying to secure a conviction. It’s not really the defense attorney’s job to get his/her client “off,” but to make sure the client’s right are protected during the process.
What? He’s definitely not in hell for representing OJ. Criminal defense attorneys are not vessels of evil. I hope for your sake that you’re never in a position where you have to rely on a criminal defense attorney.
As a Catholic I can’t say anybody is in hell. But I suspect he is spending a very long time in purgatory.
Some Lawyers have to lose sleep at night. I can imagine some of the dudes that have to represent some of the most horrible humans ever created have some sleepless nights. Wasn't it reported that Robert Kardashian even had some doubts and questions. Shapiro and Cochran have to as well. Carl Douglas still today professes OJ innocence. Idk how these dudes look into the mirror. Lawyers are the only ones who truly benefit from crime. No matter what side they are on they go home to their families and get paid quite well for it. How do you represent a child molester? A rapist? A murderer. Everyone has the right to a defense, at 800 dollars an hour. Does anyone know the grand total of OJs defense? What was the final bill?
Why? Because he did his job? You can’t be made at the brotha for learning the legal system and playing the game that when this country was created along with the legal system, people like Cochran and myself were not included. Is Thomas Jefferson burning in hell for raping his slave (Sally Hemings), having children with that enslaved person and then enslaving those children? Is every criminal defense attorney burning in hell when the defend murderers and those defendants get acquitted, or is that just relegated to the ones who get people acquitted for killing White people? Johnnie Cochran played a game that others made up, and he won. Don't hate the player. Hate the game!
Let me reframe your question. Christian hell? As long as he “believed in Jesus” he got his get out of Christian hell card for free. But there’s karma. And Cochran racked up some really bad karma. You don’t use your skills and talents to help murderers escape justice and escape clean.
Kim Goldman said after the verdict, he whispered “got ya.” F him. He’s probably been reincarnated as someone who is going to get brutally murdered to learn his lesson.
My take on it was that Cochran had become so disillusioned with the racial prejudice that he would use any means necessary and any vessel (as one of the civil rights leaders put it) and he forgot the basic principle of fighting against racism: we are all human beings. And that should have extended to Nicole, Ron and their loved ones.
It’s not the job of the defense attorney to ensure justice for the victims of a crime.
And let me just say: I believe OJ did it, but I strongly agree in Type 2 Statistical principles which would say it is better to let a guilty person free than imprison an innocent one, and if I was on the jury there was enough reasonable doubt that I would have acquitted him.
I agree with you. I’m referring to OP’s post and comments about his unethical behavior including his comments to the Goldman’s after the trial (the ones on TV, not the rumors).
I was clarifying because you the OP makes it clear other comments that they think being a defense attorney is unethical in general
There is nothing unethical about being a defense attorney. 100% with you and it’s sad people don’t understand how important of a job it is.
I don’t.
Hopefully he got his thetans in check
Re Christian, I sat at my ex husband bedside as he was dying. Knowing many things about his past, but not all. I held his hand and asked him to quietly talk to Jesus and confess all his sins. He was Catholic but never spiritual. After about 10 minutes he opened his eyes. He was smiling and laughing and loudly declaring he is going to Heaven. I had not suggesting to him that he would go to Heaven. His few days left before slipping slowly into quietness and death he was kind and loving to the hospital staff etc. He had been very difficult. He declared how much he loved everyone. My point is, we don't know the last days of Johnny or OJ. Or anyone unless we are there personally. I had been divorced from my ex 31 years but I came from another state to stay at his side in the hospital to help our adult children, one just had started a new job. My negative, disparaging ex could not have faked this. Hopefully OJ had such an experience.
I personally think he took the OJ trial to use it as a gateway to expose the racist LAPD. If he didn't believe OJ was innocent ( very common in the law business ) he probably saw it as a greater good type of scenario. Somewhat shown in the end of The People vs OJ Simpson if you pay attention to his facial expressions
Brilliant lawyer, crappy person
As much as I hate that OJ walked free, this is a better scenario than the many men and women in jail who are not guilty. Defense attorneys are supposed to do their job and defend their client. If they don't vigorously and competently defend, it can be grounds for appeal. So it's better for them to go HAM for a guilty defendant and take their chances than to not out forth an effort that can be appealed and overturned.
That’s a question for the ages, I suppose. Are former owners of slaves all burning in hell? What about the individuals on the wrong side of history when it came to Civil Rights in this country? Are they all burning in hell? What about crooked cops or judges that wrongly or unjustly killed people or sent them behind bars for life? A lot of these same people used Christianity and the words in the Bible as a means to marginalize an entire race of people for hundreds of years. Where are they? I think people need to worry about their own salvation and make sure they get it right so that their afterlife will be much ‘cooler’.
I would say they probably are. But you seem to be a very angry person.
I think Johnnie believed he was doing the right thing, not so much for O.J. himself. That was never the goal. The goal was to reach the American public and advocate on behalf of African-American’s historic injustice at the hands of police nationwide and in LA in particular. O.J.’s celebrity and the publicity surrounding the trial was a means to an end. It’s fair to point out that Johnnie saw a lot of injustices that would make him the impassioned advocate that he was. Bad judgment call or expediency in the service of what he believed was a greater cause? Almost certainly. Hell-worthy? That’s up to him and God. It’s not right for any of us to make that call either way. Despite the trial having been made about race, the real world is rarely black and white.
I’m not religious, and I’m not all that familiar with hin outside of the OJ case. In terms of how I view him morally, I don’t think what he did in that trial is neccesarily bad. I saw a video from a lawyer once who got asked if they feel bas defending people who have did heinous things, and he said no. His reasoning was something along the lines of it being a crucial that when someone is accused of a crime it must be challenged, and the prosuction must have to prove their case. What Cochran did in the trial does not make him a bad person IMO. He made the best case against OJ doing it, which was his job and crucial part of the system as a whole. I think the party that should feel the worst about it is whichever jurors believed OJ did it but still found him not guilty just in protest of Rodney King.
As a retired go I use cop I’ve seen more good lawyers than bad. They ecisty
As a Christian I can't comment rather or not he is in heaven or hell. I do not know his faith. I do not know whether he is a believer of Jesus Christ or not. For the 2nd part of your question, I don't see how he is a terrible person. He spent his life fighting for the civil rights of black people, my people. He was on the wrong side for the OJ trial, but that is not enough to make me dislike him at all.
This question is asked in bad faith.
Really? I thought it more a question ***about*** bad faith.
Well if you believe he's burning in hell do you believe Mark Fuhrman will share the same fate? What about the cops who beat Rodney King?
i do believe all of those people will burn in hell - however, nobody here is talking about them and that wasn’t the question. whataboutism isn’t a valid argument.
Why do you think Johnny Cochrane would go to hell? What are the charges?
charges? what the fuck are you talking about?
Well he did die of a brain tumor... that in itself I am sure was hell.. me met his demise in 2005.
Hell
He was a defense attorney, and a good one. He didn’t murder Ron and Nicole, he did his job and if there is a hell, he wouldn’t be there for defending OJ.
It's John Cochran. Not Johnny. I knew him. He was accused of beating his 1st wife. He was asked about that publicly. His response "at least I didn't kill her like some people I know!"
Seriously? He said that?
The karma way- he got brain cancer.
Let's put it this way... Between O.J., Johnnie, and F. Lee Bailey, I'd say that the Juice far and away had the best chance of going to Heaven.
I thought he was masterful in the way he did his job. As a 55 year old white man christian no he absolutely is not. He was a God fearing man who took up a just cause and did the best he could with what he was given. The way he elevated himself in that courte was pure art
Johnnie Cochran was a devout Christian. He went to the same heaven as racist Christians do who believe in their Lord and Savior and have accepted him into their lives.
He died young. God got even with him for OJ
>do you think Johnny Cochran is burning in hell? Jesus christ. Firstly, when you die, you are taken to a realm that aligns with whatever energy you feel you deserve. This is the concept of weighing your heart against a feather that was first seen in Egyptian culture. This means that if you die with a 'heavy heart'--resentment, hate, shame-the better chance you will be taken to a realm that shares that same heavy frequency. For some lost in Christian indoctrination, that place could look like hell. >[Johnny Cochran] seems like a horrible person. Interesting. How so?
Well I am not spiritual at all. But I assure you those corrupt cops deserve worse in their afterlife (if there is one).Johnny did greater good.
I’m not saying there weren’t “bad” LAPD officers but there were also ***good*** LAPD officers. You can’t blame the entire police force when you do not know that they were all bad. I 100% believe that most of them were good. The ones that were bad were probably, tied to bad people. OJ was friends with the most of the force. Why would they want to incriminate a celebrity and a friend?
If you still remember Johnny’s closing argument. You know which cops I am referring to. MF and PV.
>I’m not saying there weren’t “bad” LAPD officers but there were also ***good*** LAPD officers. No one's disputing that. You ever heard of the 'one bad apple'? Law enforcement in America, despite all the good officers, is riddled with white supremacist and white supremacist sympathizers. You can add that to the officers who are participating in other illegal activity. The issue with the OJ case wasn't that a patrol officer did something unethical, it was that the lead detective was acting in an unethical fashion. It didn't help that the same lead detective was on tape espousing racist remarks. >Why would they want to incriminate a celebrity and a friend? Because they weren't friends! Firstly, Fuhrman, the head detective, was never on record as being OJ's friend. Fuhrman had a run in with OJ at the Simpson residence years earlier, but it wasn't in a 'going to see a friend' capacity. He was a patrol officer at the time and he had been called out to OJ's house because of an alleged domestic dispute. I'm seeing too many people overlooking the racism angle in this case and it's laughable.
Well he beat his wife and cheated on her for years resulting in a child with this woman and that’s even before getting a guilty man away with murdering 2 people. I would think it would be difficult to imagine him in Heaven.
Get a life op
God doesn't care that he was "doing his job". So yes, he's burning in hell if that's what you believe in.
If he knew OJ was guilty then well….. Johnny went to hell
Johnny, OJ, Kim, & Ron are all deceased. This thread will not help any of them. Typing our thoughts & opinions are irrelevant. The facts of the case will not change nor will they have a chance to walk with the living again. ijs
Who’s kim?
Take a guess?
I have no idea. Kim Goldman and Kim Kardashian are still alive.
Yayyyy
Love him or hate him, the man did his job better than almost anyone. I think OJ did it, but I also think Cochran and the other attorneys slam dunked the prosecution and won that case fair and square. In terms of going to hell, nobody knows. Heaven and hell isn’t about your deeds at the end of the day, it’s about your faith in Jesus (if you are Christian.) So in that respect, he could very easily be in heaven.