R.I.P. Johnny Cochran

Cool Rythms! · Post by **Cool Rythms!** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 4:37 pm

Ah, good old Johnny. Probably one of the most popular attorneys of this age. He was well known, for defending celebrities such as OJ Simpson and even Micheal Jackson. He was a good man, who dedicated his career to helping not only the rich upper class, but even the average man or woman. And he started out at a time, when very few blacks would even think of pursuing a career in law. He was an inspiration to many young blacks pursuing professional fields, including myself and a few lawyer friends of mine here in Montreal. His funeral attracted many celebrities, such as OJ himself, Michael Jackson, P Diddy, Stevie Wonder, Chris Tucker, Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg and many more.

You served your time on this earth well Johnny. R.I.P.

hazatude · Post by **hazatude** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 4:49 pm

I'm pretty sure that he's going to hell.

Cool Rythms! · Post by **Cool Rythms!** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 4:55 pm

Why do you say that Haz?

hazatude · Post by **hazatude** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 5:00 pm

Well...

I'm sure that he did a lot to help the black community and for that he should be commended.

But in the great Ledger that God keeps...he's going to see that he enabled OJ to get away with murder.

. ._ · Post by **. ._** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 8:15 pm

Johnnie was a great lawyer.

Unfortunately, he had no problem protecting murderers. That made him a bad person in my books.

Why couldn't he have protected the poor, and the disenfranched with his great skills?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

That's why. I'm glad he couldn't take it with him.

-istp

scotothedoublet · Post by **scotothedoublet** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 3:15 am

Don't hate the player, hate the game. He was just doing his job. He didn't come up witht the not guilty verdict, he proposed it. Without Johnny we wouldn't have Jackie Chiles.

Wilbur · Post by **Wilbur** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 5:47 am

Like everyone, he was neither all bad nor all good, just higher profile than most of us will ever be. He did a lot of pro-bono legal work for the poor, but will be best remembered for sufficiently warping the truth to allow a double murderer to walk free.

. ._ · Post by **. ._** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 8:33 am

Wilbur,

I did a quick Google search on the man, and by jove, you're right.

OK, maybe he wasn't ALL bad. But I really question the integrity of a person who helps murderers walk.

I asked a lawyer once, "How can you defend a person you KNOW did it?"

She replied, "It's our job to defend... blah, blah... rights, blah, blah..."

To which I retorted, "But I mean, how can you sleep at night when you know you helped a pedophile walk free?"

"It's our job to defend... blah, blah.. Free society, checks and balances, blah, blah..."

I concluded that lawyers are morally bankrupt, stupid, or without a soul.

(Except the ones that turn down the people who say, "I did it, but can you get me out of this jam?")

-istp

Cool Rythms! · Post by **Cool Rythms!** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 9:03 am

OK, maybe it's all about money, maybe it's not. When an attorney defends someone, he/she, like the jury, must consider that person innocent until proven guilty. In a way, it's like a two sided coin. Can an attorney sleep well at night, knowing that he/she just helped a murderer go free. Likewise, could that same attorney sleep well at night, knowing that he/she just sent an innocent person to prison, or worse, caused them to be handed down a death sentence. Sadly enough, there have been countless times, when innocent people were sentenced to die by lethal injection, as well as times, when murderers and child molesters, have walked free. The point is, at the time of the trial, how does that attorney know that his/her client is or is'nt guilty. They're not psychics! They just have to do their job and that's exactly what Johnny did. If I was a lawyer and I had to defend an accused murderer, I have no way of knowing, whether or not that person is guilty or innocent. I have to give them the benefit of the doubt and just do my job as best as I can.

just another pilot · Post by **just another pilot** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 12:22 pm

I'm not defending murderers walking free, but what about procecutors who convict innocent people?

Cool Rythms! · Post by **Cool Rythms!** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 6:01 pm

Now your're talking about the prosecution and not the defense. But you've got a point. Sometimes, the prosecution puts innocent people away, for crimes they had no part of. It just goes to show, as well already know, that the justice sysetm is not perfect, either in the U.S, or in Canada.

Wilbur · Post by **Wilbur** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 7:34 pm

Defence lawyers don't need to be psychics, they have all the evidence the crown has and no doubt form conclusions about the guilt or innocence of their clients. They also have an ability and willingness to set aside what they know is true, and in turn argue that their clients lies are the truth. They rationalize their lying and dishonesty with esoteric explainations and self glorification about how their profession alone protects us from the power of the state.

However, what they usually don't like having pointed out is that most politicians are lawyers, our laws are written by lawyers, argued by lawyers, and judged by lawyers. If you have a complaint about the conduct of a lawyer, you can only take your case to more lawyers. If we need protection from the power of the state, it is because of the legal profession. Lawyers have their fingers into absolutely everything we do or have in life, and everyone in society is accountable to the lawyers. What we really need is protection from lawyers and the legal professon.

Their ability to lie is what makes so many of them successful as politicians.

Cool Rythms! · Post by **Cool Rythms!** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 8:29 pm

All the more reason why I say, that the justice system is'nt perfect.

just another pilot · Post by **just another pilot** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:28 pm

Wilber - you're right. And like CR says; the system isn't perfect. However, you can't have prosecution without defense. Ironically, without defense lawyers we couldn't convict the guilty either. There are worse systems of justice in place around the world.

Driving Rain · Post by **Driving Rain** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 4:29 am

Cool Rythms! wrote:All the more reason why I say, that the justice system is'nt perfect.

Cool one, I mean no disrespect. I see you attach a Forest Gump signature to your posts. The ironic thing is the "real" Forest Gump was the founder of the KKK. Tom Hanks used his name in that movie a few years ago.

Cool Rythms! · Post by **Cool Rythms!** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 6:10 am

What the.....Are you serious man!!!

Driving Rain · Post by **Driving Rain** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 6:13 am

Cool Rythms! wrote:What the.....Are you serious man!!!

I kid you not Cool one. It was an answer/question on yesterdays Jeopardy.

Cool Rythms! · Post by **Cool Rythms!** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 6:24 am

Well thanks for that tip DR. As you can see, I've changed it. If only I had known before. I think I'll watch Jeopardy a little more often. You never know what you can learn.

Driving Rain · Post by **Driving Rain** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 6:33 am

I just did a Google and he took only the "Forrest" part for Nathan Bedford Forrest the founder of the KKK and southern general for the Confederacy, so my initial response was misleading, sorry if I caused you grief. I should have got the facts straight first.

Take care DR

rotorhead350 · Post by **rotorhead350** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 5:39 pm

i for one am glad that the scum sucking piece of trash is dead, someone should have offed him a long time ago. People like him are whats wrong with the world today, especially down in the states. Good riddance.............................

Cool Rythms! · Post by **Cool Rythms!** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 7:49 pm

Fine, you made your point. Man, I feel sorry for people with your kind of attitude!!!

LostinRotation · Post by **LostinRotation** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 7:36 am

Meh, Even though I don't feel as strongly apparently as rotorhead, I find men like Johnny C to be alot of whats wrong with this world. If people weren't willing to sell their soul and morals to the highest bidder like all the high priced defence lawyers there would be alot less scum in society. Johnny C and people like him are part of the reason why the rich can get away with murder.

Sure he was a brilliant attorney, but if your using a God given talent to get people off a murder rap, are you using your talents well ?

-=0=LIR=0=-

LH · Post by LH » Tue Apr 12, 2005 9:40 am

"BEYOND all resonable doubt" is the decision the JURY has to come to in any decision in a court room. In the matter of a Death Sentence, EVERY member of that 13 person jury must agree on the guilt or innocence of the defendant or it is declared "a mistrial". The jury also DOES NOT set the sentence for that crime if they find that defendant guilty......the Judge DOES. It is therefore NOT the duty NOR the responsibility of the defense counsel NOR the prosecuting counsel to determine a person's guilt. They both have access to the evidence gathered by the police and investigating agencies and together with their best abilities, present that evidence to that jury. Certain items of evidence that the layman thinks should be presented in court are not allowed and again, those are the rules made up by our elected leaders and the justice system, based on previous cases of the past......not by either the prosecuting nor defense counsels. Johnny Cochran and the rest of the defense/prosecuting counsels worked within the laws and guidelines laid down by the law and society, so they are not at fault. Johnny Cochran did not work alone. He employed 35 research assistants and two full-time private investigators. To employ all thse people and the facilities for them to work in requires lots of overhead, therefore Johnny Cockran was an expensive lawyer because he had high expenses for a "crowd" of people working for him.

Lawyers are not all of the same abilities anymore than all NHL hockey players are of the same abilities. If you want an average professional hockey player you pay one figure, but if you want the Wayne Gretsky's, then you come up with more money for those people or you stand and "look in the window at what you want, but can't afford". Therefore, the amount of "justice" you get in any courtroom is in direct proportion to whether you can afford the "Wayne Gretsky's" of the legal profession because NOT ALL lawyers have the same "stick-handling" abilities. So don't "dump" on the Johnny Cockran's of this world or where they'll go in any after-life because they were good at their profession and did it to the best of their ability. OJ Simpson's guilt WAS NOT determined by Johnny Cockran, but be the opinions of THIRTEEN other people......and OJ Simpson was entitled to that the same as anyone else. If someone wishes to lay blame, then blame the jury for their mistake and where they might go in some after-life for that decision.

Cool Rythms! · Post by **Cool Rythms!** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 4:44 pm

Bravo LH. I could'nt have said it any better.

Driving Rain · Post by **Driving Rain** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:40 pm

Couldn't agree more LH. Don't kill the messenger. There used to be an old caveat ... better 10 guilty men go free than 1 innocent man go to prison. I suppose we've become jaded by all the new forensic technology and investigative powers. The truth is the guy with all the money gets to speak loudest and last. In OJ's case that was Johnny C. and what a great lawyer he was.

DR