No cause of death given in the earliest reports.
****
update: “Cochran died of a brain disorder in Los Angeles, said law partner Randy McMurray” (thanks Allah).
No cause of death given in the earliest reports.
****
update: “Cochran died of a brain disorder in Los Angeles, said law partner Randy McMurray” (thanks Allah).
“Brain disorder.”
He had a tumor pushing against his murderers-should-be-in-prison lobe.
I hope it was a benign 9mm sized tumor bouncing around in his cranium..
Jeez, AB, I’m not particularly fond of trial lawyers, but whatever happened to not speaking ill of the dead?
It was a brain tumor
And that’s no rumor
If it’s a tumor in the brain
I mustn’t practice law a-gain.
pete, i was waiting for something like that. maybe
if the coffin fits
i’ve called it quits.
Cochran dead, OJ still on the loose.
Makes ya think.
If the casket fits
you must’a quit
(More gallows humor)
stiff as a board?
i’ve gone to my lord!
Oh wait—in Cochran verse:
“I’ve kicked the caboose, but the Juice remains on the loose.”
Sorry Maggie. Yours is better and a minute earlier.
that’s okay, maybe a combination of the two would be best. ;D
Dead of a “brain disorder”.
I *so* love deity with a sense of justice (and humor).
You know that other lawyer died not too long ago too. Was it Robert something? The one with brown hair that was a friend of O.J’s. He was young too.
*spooky music*
Why was my first thought about sittin’ in the balcony…?
If the heart don’t beat
You must retreat.
I was one of those O.J. trial obssessives–imagine that, me obssessing about something–and there was a moment during Cochran’s close when he was trying to ridicule the idea that a watch cap could serve as a disguise, however small. He puts on the watch cap and says to the jury, “Now, look at me. Who am I??”
And I’m screaming at the TV, “MOMS MABLEY!!!!!!”
After analyzing my feelings on this matter, I’ve come to the conclusion that I really could not care less.
Later,
bbeck
Related: What’s the over/under on moonbat blogs that are rooting for the death of Jerry Falwell?
Johnnie was not only a great lawyer, but a very nice man. He was warm and gracious, and always had a flattering comment.
He had been sick for many months. His family disclosed he had a neurological condition, but nothing more. I did not know he was close to death, but I figured it must be serious because he disappeared from public view and wasn’t actively practicing this past year.
Death is always sad. He had family who loved him and a legion of admirers both in the criminal defense community and in his own community of LA where he was a tireless giver.
I also have to say that the comments here at least are attempting at some humor. At my own blog, the commenters have been mean-spirited and downright ugly. This thread is actually a nicer place to be tonight.
Had no idea he was sick. That’s a shame.
I was as pissed at him as anybody back in ‘95, but I take no pleasure in his death.
He was a hell of a lawyer. Ask anybody.
TalkLeft,
I think it’s nicer in Jeff’s comments threads than Jeff’s homepage. And I love Jeff’s homepage.
TalkLeft,
This is always a nicer place to be than anywhere else.
Sparkle,
So you’re saying it’s because of their guilt that they’ve been kilt?
PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE:
Today would be a particularly bad day to kill someone.
Dead Pool, anyone?
Jeralyn, I don’t think anyone wishes for someone else’s death, but what about the two people who were butchered by O.J.? Cochran got him off, with the help of a jury about which the less said, the better, probably.
Twelve people who listened to the defense and the prosecution and saw the evidence decided that the prosecution did not make their case. Prosecution Failed. It was their job to nail OJ. They couldn’t do it.
Ana,
so you’re saying we shouldn’t replace the feeding tube?
Sorry, Ana, doesn’t wash. Ten MORONS listened to the evidence, and then talked two gutless wonders into voting with them. The prosecution most emphatically proved their case. In fact, if they had had a reasonably intelligent jury, they wouldn’t even have needed the DNA evidence. What a freaking travesty.
You may not liike Cochran because of his work in the O.J. case, but remember, he did get Chef off the hook with the Chewbacca Defense.
TallDave, it’s like this;
If the verdict’s perverse, the barrister’s cursed.
Craig, Craig, Craig. Horseshit. (Alternative spelling of hoseshit, for those who care.) Who selected the jury?
Cochran’s job was to defend Simpson. He did his job. Very well. Too bad the prosecution wanted OJ to try on that silly glove.
Johnnie Cochran, Defense Attorney “got his client off.”?! HellLLOOO!? The man did his job. Played the jury like a Stradivarius. I admire his tenacity the same way I admire Jeralyn’s.
Ana, and JW, exactly!!! Although JW is closer to the truth with “played the jury like a violin” Than were Ana with “did his job.” Neither of you addressed my point, which was that the prosecution presented more than enough evidence to convict, and O.J.’s team of slimy weasels convinced a bunch of mouth-breathers to acquit. There’s another issue too, but I’m not going there.
You mean the fact that the jury was racist?
If the tumor grows, you must decompose.
No, Daniel, I don’t think it was a case of racism. I think it was a case of black jury nullification, which happens every day in this country.
In the last two years, I have served my county as a CITIZEN MOUTH BREATHER.
Probably because Jo-Ellan Dimitrius was not a jury consultant.
TWICE!
I’m with Craig on this one.. The fact that Cochran brilliantly manipulated a jury by using The Chewy Defense and encouraging them to use the verdict as a method of protest against the LAPD makes him a devious tactician, not an admirable man or lawyer. Lawyers with more elocutionary ability than ethics are one of this country’s worst problems.. that and juries with too little intelligence and/or education to appreciate the significance of the evidence presented. Adolph Hitler was a very effective speaker. He manipulated a nation.. He sanctioned the murder of millions of innocent non-combatants.. His armies left a continent in ruins.. Brilliant ? Yes.. Effective leader ? Yes.. Great orator ? Definitely… Admirable ? Perhaps to the extent that one can admire the Devil Himself .. but not in my eyes. Johnnie wasnt in the same league as Adolf, but he could qualify as a minor minion in my book.
Cochran played by the rules as they’re set up and he won; I don’t see a problem with that. I sure as hell would have hired him if that bail bondsman in Kentucky had ever caught up with me.
I guess I object to the ‘Say Anything’** school of legal thought that defines a trial lawyer’s job as ‘to do anthing or say anything without regard to ethics or morals to keep his client from being held responsible for a crime ‘.. I would rather that lawyers saw there job as ‘to persuasively present any or all legitimate evidence to exonerate his client or point out holes in the prosecutions case‘ .. Yes, if I had just killed someone I’m sure I’d try to find a silver tongued devil that had no problem overlooking that fact (for a price).. most people will do just about anything to save their skin.. but that doesnt make it good or right.
** No objection to the Say Anything Girl though.
I don’t see what he did that was unethical or immoral. Yeah, he was manipulative, but that’s part of persuasion, and any decent prosecutor is good at it too.
What does black jury nullification mean? Honest question. I don’t know.
Alpha Baboon- you definitely say some intelligent shit but your last couple of posts are RIGHT ON THE MONEY. I salute you and the way you got down to the lowest common denominator. Respecting someone or admiring them because they stretched the rules reminds me of the “win at any cost” folks. Oh yeah, jury nullification means that the jury can ignore any facts or evidence if they feel a “greater good” would be served. It’s a liberal thing. In this case it happened to be a race thing.
Respecting someone or admiring them because they stretched the rules reminds me of the “win at any cost†folks.
Stretching the rules? He played within the rules and won. Let me put it this way, if he tought of an effective strategy allowed by the rules and didn’t employ it for his client because he thought it would be “sleazy,” that would be unethical.
Well maybe you are “technically” right but I wonder where in the rules it says you get to play the “race card”? And when you say sleazy and unethical I can certainly think of a few attorneys who play within the rules but I would still say they are sleazy and unethical.
I think this is one of those matters of perspective where we’re not going to convince each other of anything. I respect your viewpoint.
As I do yours. But on a funnier note didja ever see the Seinfeld episode with the Johnny Cochran due defending (I think it was) Kramer? Now THAT was funny.
Hey, what do you know, civil disagreement is so much more rewarding than mouth-foaming de-linking.
Yeah, I think that episode involved the foolish application of a miracle healing balm to the burn? That was a good one.
Ana, here’s the simple version:
Jury nullification occurs when a jury returns a “not guilty” verdict, even though they may find that the facts fit the elements of the crime. For example, in California, Penal Code 187 says that murder is 1)the unlawful 2) killing of 3) a human being, or a fetus, 4) with malice aforethought. The jury could find that all four elements are met, but decide to go with a “not guilty” verdict anyway. In essence, the jury decides on a particular outcome, regardless of what the law says.
Cochran was probably the most famous graduate of my law school. Only thing I’ve ever had in common with him.
Sure enough, “had” is the word.
I generally don’t speak “ill of the dead” unless of course that is how I spoke of them in life. Cochran is an opportunist and clever tactician however, that does not make him worthy of praise or even my grief.
Due to his ministerings, a totally guilty man walked for the murder of two human beings. The fact that the jury were morons and that the victims were white has nothing to do with the fact that most (read that all) criminal defense attorneys are defending some of the worst scum imaginable. It is impossible for none of that scum to wash off on them. Cochran was covered by OJ scum and it will be his legacy. People will NOT remember the good – they will only remember that he got OJ off and that is all that ultimately matters – whether it is right or not that is the way people work. Sorry, I have no sympathy or grief in this matter.