O.J. will discuss 1994 killings in Fox interview

[irishgrl]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

As you know, there are two standards. Do I THINK he did it, and does the eveidence PROVE beyond a reasonable doubt that he did it. Yeah, I think he did it, but I don't think the prosecution's case proved he did it. There were too many holes in their case.

Not according to Marsha......

personally I think it was lost because of the makeup of the jury, plain and simple. Plus I think the Prosecution just lost a bunch of people when they started introducing the science. those working class folks didnt care squat about the science, they were bound and determined to get their boy FREE. It was the single most strategic move to request a change of venue in this case. Had OJ been tried by his peers from his OWN community, the result would surely have been different. Granted, the science could have been presented in a more listener-friendly manner, but if you think about the differences between what his jury would have looked like from Beverly Hills/Brentwood area as opposed to Downtown LA, its like night and day (no pun intended!) My instructor at Chico State is an expert in Venue cases and he is consulted for many high profile venue requests. The majority of the time, he recommends AGAINST a change in venue. (usually because media coverage is so pervasive, there's no real advantage in switching to a different community--especially for high profile cases please see the following) OJ managed to get a change in venue anyway, which, according to my former professor, was a total perversion of the process.....
not just MY opinion.

[irishgrl]

by the way, Brian J ought to find this interesting:
(ED BRONSON is my former Professor)

Professor advises McVeigh judge

Steve Hayden

-Wednesday, February 7, 1996

A Chico State University professor advised a federal judge in the Oklahoma City bombing case last week concerning the request for a change of venue for the trial.

Professor Ed Bronson was asked by the lawyers for Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols to testify in Oklahoma last week.

Bronson is considered an expert in change-of-venue issues. He has testified in several major trials on the subject.

"This case, I've never had anything like it," Bronson said. He had two weeks to sift through research on the case. He then flew to Oklahoma City last Monday for the hearing.

He said it was doubtful if the two men accused of the bombing could get a fair trial in the city where it occurred, because the citizens of Oklahoma City were so deeply affected by the blast. The bombing of the federal building killed 169 people in April. McVeigh and Nichols have been charged with the bombing.

When he was in Oklahoma City, Bronson was able to get a sense for how deep the bombing hit the area.

The cafeteria in the Oklahoma City courthouse is selling T-shirts and souvenirs with pictures of loved-ones and family members who died in the explosion, Bronson said. Possible jurors are eating at the cafeteria and walking right by the merchandise, he said, and all the commotion could taint prospective jurors' opinions in the case.

As a result, Bronson said he thinks the trial should be moved to another town, where people are less involved with the case.

Across from the courthouse where Bronson testified is the empty field where the federal building stood until May 15. It is now surrounded by a chain link fence.

"It grabs your heart, the teddy bears and ribbons tied to the fence," he said.

Bronson's students seem to think that having a professor actively involved in real-life trials makes his classes more interesting.

"It's interesting because it's something that's happening now," said Rebecca Waschau, a senior in one of Bronson's classes. "Now he's teaching us about change of venue, it makes it more interesting doing something people have heard of."

Another student, when asked about Bronson's teaching style, just laughed and said he tells funny stories.

Bronson began teaching at Chico State in 1969. He has advised judges in the Chicago Seven trial and the Polly Klass kidnapping and murder trials about changing the locations of the trials. He has been a consultant in more than 100 change-of-venue cases. (including, more recently, the Laci Peterson case!!!) A change of venue occurs when the trial of a controversial case is moved from the city in which the alleged incident occurred.

Although Bronson received a law degree from Denver University in 1959, he never became a lawyer, preferring instead to teach.

"I never took the bar exam because I'm too much the product of a middle-class background," he said. "I didn't want to be tempted, so I didn't take the bar."

Jury consulting takes up a lot of his time, so Bronson is teaching only half-time this semester, he said. However, Bronson said he loves consulting too much to give it up.

"That's what makes this arrangement great," he said.

Bronson has also performed extensive research on the effects of social desirability, which is when a prospective juror goes along with a lawyer's question because of desire to fit in.

"What social scientists do is give fancy names to what everybody already knows," he said.

Bronson did the original research on the constitutionality of the death penalty in 1968. (by the way, he is against it, having spoken personally with that Nun from DEAD MAN WALKING)



Copyright (c) Wednesday, February 7, 1996 by The Orion

[irishgrl]

my former professor, without his trademark bowties or suspenders. dang. he's a short little thing, a Jewish Leprechaun!

by the way here's an article from the Chico News and Review where the picture came from...

CN&R Article

In that article are two of my former teachers (Ed Bronson, Tom Lando) and my F*CKED UP GOP Representative, Wally Herger. ARRGH!
That BayLaurel person stole her name from the author of a famous 70's back to nature book. meh.

[BlackWidow]

Originally Posted by irishgrl

Not according to Marsha......

personally I think it was lost because of the makeup of the jury, plain and simple. Plus I think the Prosecution just lost a bunch of people when they started introducing the science. those working class folks didnt care squat about the science, they were bound and determined to get their boy FREE. It was the single most strategic move to request a change of venue in this case. Had OJ been tried by his peers from his OWN community, the result would surely have been different. Granted, the science could have been presented in a more listener-friendly manner, but if you think about the differences between what his jury would have looked like from Beverly Hills/Brentwood area as opposed to Downtown LA, its like night and day (no pun intended!) My instructor at Chico State is an expert in Venue cases and he is consulted for many high profile venue requests. The majority of the time, he recommends AGAINST a change in venue. (usually because media coverage is so pervasive, there's no real advantage in switching to a different community--especially for high profile cases) OJ managed to get a change in venue anyway, which, according to my former professor, was a total perversion of the process.....
not just MY opinion.

DNA is DNA!!!