A Lawyer's Life.by Johnnie Cochran Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr.[1] (October 2, 1937 – March 29, 2005) was an African American lawyer best known for his role in the legal defense during the O. J. Simpson murder case. with David Fisher David Fisher is the name of:
abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 0-312-27826-8 The name Johnnie Cochran will most likely always be linked to that of former pro football player and pitchman O. J. Simpson Orenthal James "O. J." Simpson (born July 9, 1947) (also known by his nickname, The Juice) is a retired American football player who achieved stardom as a running back at the collegiate and professional levels, and was the first NFL player to rush for more than 2,000 yards , who was acquitted of killing his wife, in what has come to be known as the "Trial of the Century." It is a link that Cochran, who defended Simpson and a host of others in high-profile criminal cases, has tried to sever but to no avail. Going to some lengths in his previous work Journey to Juustice, and now his latest volume, A Lawyer's Life, Cochran has tried to put the racially polarizing outcome of the case in some perspective. At the very start of the book, Cochran describes his life, pre-O.J. Simpson: "I had an interesting and extremely successful legal practice, a strong marriage to a very bright and beautiful woman, I enjoyed a position of prestige and power within my community, and I had all the material possessions I needed to make me a very happy man. Life was good." But all that was before the 1995 trial, which Cochran calls "the sea change of my life." With the verdict and all the attendant publicity, everything changed for Cochran and the other principals involved in the trial. For Cochran, it meant instant recognition, personal attacks, even wider support in the black community and more opportunity for him to practice law. Whites found him intriguing, articulate and flamboyant, but were forced begrudgingly to admit his brilliance. In A Lawyer's Life, Cochran is very careful not to rehash re·hash tr.v. re·hashed, re·hash·ing, re·hash·es 1. To bring forth again in another form without significant alteration: rehashing old ideas. 2. To discuss again. much of his family history or the criminal and civil cases he defended in the early 1960s that formed the core of his first book. Instead, he charges ahead with many of his most notable post-Simpson cases after a fast, efficient recap of the highlights of the ex-football star's murder trial. He is adamant in his belief that Simpson was truthful when he said he didn't kill his wife, noting that all of his testimony checked out, and that some details have never been made public. An enthralling en·thrall tr.v. en·thralled, en·thrall·ing, en·thralls 1. To hold spellbound; captivate: The magic show enthralled the audience. 2. To enslave. , provocative book, Lawyer's Life takes on more thematic heft when Cochran details many of the more challenging cases he has faced in career, induding Jim Brown, Puff Daddy, Reginald Denny, Amadou Diallo, Snoop Dogg, Patrick Dorismond, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Abner Louima, Geronimo Pratt and Tupac Shakur. His recounting of the New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. police abuse cases are especially riveting, containing enough behind-the-scenes facts to get the reader's blood boiling all over again. A self-proclaimed street lawyer, Cochran, despite all of the trappings of fame and wealth, is portrayed here as a man of deep convictions and principles. He, unlike many of his white counterparts, has found a way to make his life count, something that comes across mightily in this well-done, insightful collection of introspection and reminiscence rem·i·nis·cence n. 1. The act or process of recollecting past experiences or events. 2. An experience or event recollected: "Her mind seemed wholly taken up with reminiscences of past gaiety" that will make every black American proud that this accomplished legal eagle exists in these troubled times. --Robert Fleming is a frequent contributor to BIBR BIBR Bay Islands Beach Resort (Roatan, Honduras) BIBR Backward Indicator Bit Received . |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion