Real Meaning Behind “…looking good in shackles”

Scanning through the countless stories about O.J. Simpson’s week-long Las Vegas court appeal for a new trial has been interesting–particularly the final day on Friday, which included testimony from former Simpson attorney Yale Galander, whom Simpson blames for his robbery conviction.

Here are links to a couple of those stories:

OJ Simpson Trial: Yale Galanter, Former OJ Attorney, Testifies In Las Vegas Hearing http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/17/oj-simpson-trial-yale-galanter_n_3291618.html?ncid=webmail4

Attorney angrily defends handling of O.J. Simpson case http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-oj-simpson-20130518,0,2067374.story

But the piece that stopped me was by Los Angeles Times columnist Robin Abcarian, which bore the headline O.J. Simpson: Older, grayer, wider, looking good in shackles 

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-oj-simpson-older-grayer-wider-looking-good-in-shackles-20130515,0,1657004.story

Like a lot of people in this country, Abcarian professed to being sick unto death of   all things Simpson. Yet, she tuned in to watch him shamble into a Las Vegas courtroom last week in a blue prison jumpsuit and footwear instead of the custom-tailored threads and Bruno Maglis that marked better times.

Her observations were captured by her column headline “…older, grayer, wider, looking good in shackles.”

I was an Abcarian fan during her earlier stint with the Times and an admirer of her insights. With the take-away of her column last week being nothing more than the oh, so, superficial aspect of how he looked, my initial reaction was that she has lost her edge, snarky as the “looking good in shackles” might have seemed.

After re-reading and reflecting on it, though, I’m thinking maybe I misjudged her. Could her commentary be blow-back for all the stories about the ’95 Simpson trial that focused on Marcia Clark’s wardrobe and ‘do, rather than on her professional performance? Or could it possibly be a commentary on her opinion of the ’95 trial jury’s verdict? Could she have thought that verdict was wrong and that he should have been led away in shackles back then instead of being set free?

Guess I’ll never know, but it’s fun to speculate.

 

Simpson Still International Phenom

Stories about O.J. Simpson’s new trial bid runs in media around the world.

“OJ Simpson appeals convictions” – Brisbane (Australia) Times – http://media.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/world-news/oj-simpson-appeals-convictions-4270114.html

“OJ Simpson in bid for new robbery trial” – BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22515001

“OJ Simpson heads back to court to appeal 2008 armed robbery conviction” – The Guardian (UK) http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/13/oj-simpson-back-in-court-2008-conviction

Simpson Older, Grayer. Aren’t We All

You can not only see an O.J. Simpson who’s five years older since his 2008 robbery conviction in Las Vegas in this story, you can watch video of him chatting and joking with his new attorney in his bid to blame his previous lawyer for his current predicament.

O.J. Simpson Makes Bid for New Trial, in First Public Appearance in Four Years http://abcnews.go.com/US/oj-simpson-makes-bid-trial/story?id=19169053#.UZIndaKsh8E

Even though I spent time in his Vegas trial courtroom and in the Los Angeles courtroom of his 1995 trial for murder and Santa Monica courtroom where his 1997 wrongful death trial took place, it’s this Oct. 3, 2012, story that was linked to the one above that interested me:

O.J. Simpson Acquittal Anniversary: Where Are They Now?  http://abcnews.go.com/US/oj-acquittal-anniversary-now/story?id=17377772#

A couple of these people seem to have hardly aged at all, while others, well … .

I also wonder why Mark Fuhrman is the only one still amongst us whose 17-years-later photo is not included, particularly given that he has “successful career as a New York Times best-selling author and TV analyst. He is a forensic and crime scene expert for Fox News and hosts a radio show in Spokane, Wash.” So, it’s not as if he’s been hiding under a rock and no current photo of him could be found.

Are Special Plates Judicial ‘Witherspooning’?

My initial reaction to this story – Judicial license plates not unethical: N.Y. conduct panel http://newsandinsight.thomsonreuters.com/New_York/News/2013/05_-_May/Judicial_license_plates_not_unethical__N_Y__conduct_panel/ – was, why would a judge want such a license plate, except to state to all who see it, “Do you know who I am?”

Such a statement could tell police officers, “Think, before you stop me for speeding or other traffic infractions,” and parking monitors, “This plate gives me special dispensation for this expired-meter space.”

The downside of asserting such privilege for a personal vehicle, to my mind, is the bulls-eye effect. Why, particularly in light of attacks on judges in recent decades, would a judicial officer want to wear a target like a license plate indicating that the driver/owner is a judge. It seems like a concern for personal security would trump any perks a special license plate might offer.

The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct has posited that while displaying such plates doesn’t violate judicial ethics, the panel did advise caution.

One commissioner in dissenting, however, said that “judges have an obligation to avoid even the appearance of currying favor, and displaying judicial plates goes against that duty, making them unethical.”

I tend to come down on that side of the question.

Gagging on OJ

O.J. Simpson seems to be the defendant that keeps on giving, to the point that, once again, I wonder if the Simpson saga will ever end.

Inmate OJ Simpson, seeking new trial in 2007 Vegas heist, to testify that lawyer botched trial

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/inmate-oj-simpson-seeking-new-trial-in-2007-vegas-heist-to-testify-that-lawyer-botched-trial/2013/05/10/9f78b702-b94a-11e2-b568-6917f6ac6d9d_print.html

Can you imagine if he gets a new trial and is acquitted? I’m working on it.

Whatever Happened to ‘Support Our Troops”?

If this court in Wisconsin set up specifically for veterans was as effective as other drug courts, what a shame that it’s gotten scuttled.

State veterans no longer allowed in court program

http://www.sheboyganpress.com/viewart/20130508/SHE0101/305080509/State-veterans-no-longer-allowed-court-program

Media Laws Keep People in the Dark

“Reporters Without Borders” is pleading with the president of Burundi to keep a media law that country’s parliament has approved from becoming law.

“…its promulgation would have disastrous consequences for pluralism, transparency and democracy in general in Burundi.” RW/OB secretary-general, Christophe Deloire wrote in a letter to Burundi president Nkurunziza yesterday.

Burundi: Media Law’s Threat to Freedom of Information

http://allafrica.com/stories/201305071068.html

Like many countries around the world, Burundi law allows for the jailing and fining of journalists for offenses, whether real, perceived or trumped up. The revised law, which the parliament of Burundi — a small African country tucked in south of Rwanda, east of Congo and west of Tanzania — passed last month, would increase those penalties.

Burundi is one of several countries in the news because of onerous laws that restrict media access, do little-to-nothing to protect journalists and impose punitive measures for questionable infractions and embarrassing revelations. Coming in on my news feed just yesterday were:

South Sudan: South Sudan lacks media laws, fails to protect journalists http://www.ifex.org/south_sudan/2013/05/07/stop_harassing/

Tanzania: Citizenry and press freedom: Case of dual carriageway http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=54456

Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe youth leader in jail for Mugabe slur http://www.klfy.com/story/22180521/zimbabwe-youth-leader-in-jail-for-mugabe-slur

And some discussion about Hungary’s recently amended media law: Fidesz MEP fudging issue on media http://www.budapesttimes.hu/2013/05/08/fidesz-mep-fudging-issue-on-media/,  Opinion on Act CXII of 2011 on Informational Self-Determination  http://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/?pdf=CDL-AD(2012)023-e and Hungary-bashers should take closer look at new laws http://euobserver.com/opinion/119692

The question controversial laws like these and controversy over such laws raise the same question for me that judges barring the media from their courtrooms do. Just what do people who have been put in positions of conducting the public’s business trying to hide? Aren’t most of the media restrictions primarily CYA-ing on the part of these officials?