I say re-inventing because so much of what became what the public came to believe was the invention or distortion of some who covered the trial and/or perpetuated some of the myths. CBS News Legal Analyst Jack Ford, who was with NBC in 1995, which was when I met him during his time covering the trial.
Here’s his “in the beginning” take in an AP piece published earlier this month:
“At the beginning we knew it was a big story,” says Ford, “but I don’t think any of us anticipated how the public would be so invested in it.”
Amen!
That was the thinking of many in Los Angeles, where I worked as the L.A. courts’ media liaison.
“(Simpson trial judge Lance) Ito was caught off guard by the initial surge of media attention,” I wrote in my book Anatomy of a Trial. “He felt certain it would quickly recede and possibly even disappear. ‘They won’t hang around long,’ he said. ‘Jury selection and maybe opening statements, then they’ll leave and won’t be back until the verdict.’”
From Ford’s observation, Ito’s comment and my expectations, we were all caught off guard.
Anatomy of a Trial blog 