Landmark Cases
O. J. Simpson Murder Case
Also Known As Trial of the Century
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The 1994 double murder and 1995 criminal trial of O. J. Simpson, which turned on 108 exhibits of physical evidence, including DNA blood evidence, and became a landmark test of how DNA evidence and its chain of custody are presented to a jury.
Facts
Case YearSourced to the subject's own account1994 is the year of the murders; the criminal trial ran from January to October 1995. LocationSourced to the subject's own accountLos Angeles, California, United States 1 Investigative or Reform SignificanceSourced to the subject's own accountA landmark test of chain of custody: the defense argued evidence collectors did not change gloves between items, used plastic rather than paper evidence bags, and stored evidence in an unrefrigerated van for up to seven hours, creating reasonable doubt about DNA evidence that was otherwise extensive. 1 Case StatusSourced to the subject's own accountAcquitted of criminal murder charges in October 1995; found liable for wrongful death in a subsequent 1997 civil trial. 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
Exemplifies
Investigated By
Used In
DNA evidence from blood at the scene and on physical evidence was central to the prosecution case.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: O. J. Simpson murder case
introductory sectionQuote, introductory section
a significant amount of forensic evidence
1. Wikipedia: O. J. Simpson murder case
Trial sectionQuote, Trial section
The murders occurred on June 12, 1994, with the criminal trial spanning from January 24 to October 3, 1995
1. Wikipedia: O. J. Simpson murder case
Compromised and contaminated sectionQuote, Compromised and contaminated section
not always changing gloves between handling evidence items, packaging and storing the evidence items using plastic bags rather than paper bags as recommended, and storing evidence in the police van, which was not refrigerated, for up to seven hours
1. Wikipedia: O. J. Simpson murder case
1. Wikipedia: O. J. Simpson murder case
Investigated By: Los Angeles Police Department, Aftermath sectionQuote, Investigated By: Los Angeles Police Department, Aftermath section
The LAPD has also declined to reexamine the evidence with modern methods in recent years because Simpson could not be tried for the same crime again.
1. Wikipedia: O. J. Simpson murder case
Exemplifies: Chain of Custody, evidence-collection discussionQuote, Exemplifies: Chain of Custody, evidence-collection discussion
Fung and Mazzola did admit to making several mistakes during evidence collection, which included not always changing gloves between handling evidence items.
1. Wikipedia: O. J. Simpson murder case
Associated With: Barry C. Scheck, defense team sectionQuote, Associated With: Barry C. Scheck, defense team section
Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld were also hired; they headed the Innocence Project and specialized in DNA evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the O. J. Simpson case treated as a landmark for forensic evidence rather than only as a celebrity trial?
The 1995 criminal trial turned on 108 exhibits of physical evidence, including DNA blood evidence, and became a widely studied test of how DNA evidence and its chain of custody are explained to, and evaluated by, a jury, independent of the trial's outcome or its public profile.Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
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