Johnnie Lee Cochran Jr. (/ ˈ k ɒ k r ə n /; October 2, 1937 – March 29, 2005) was an American lawyer and civil activist best known for his leadership role in the defense and criminal acquittal of O. J. Simpson for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.He often defended his client with rhymes like "if it doesn't fit, you must acquit!"
Jan 13, 2015 · Defense attorney Johnnie Cochran Jr., who famously defended football star O.J. Simpson, has died at 67 in his home in Los Angeles, a law firm partner confirmed.
Mar 29, 2005 · Cochran, who was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in December 2003, died Tuesday at his home in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles. He was 67. Cochran was known for his sharp wardrobe, his ...
He was 67. Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., who became a legal superstar after helping clear O.J. Simpson during a sensational murder trial in which he uttered the famous quote “If it doesn’t fit, you ...
Apr 13, 2021 · Long before the "Trial of the Century" and parodies on network television, Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on October 2, 1937, to Johnnie L. Cochran Sr. and his wife Hattie. According to Biography , when he was just six when the family picked up and moved to California.
His practice as a lawyer earned him great wealth. With his earnings, he bought and drove cars such as a Jaguar and a Rolls-Royce. He owned homes in Los Angeles, two apartments in West Hollywood and a condo in Manhattan. In 2001, Cochran's accountant estimated that within five years he would be worth US$25–50 million.
According to The Los Angeles Times, Cochran had a relationship with Patricia Sikora while he and Berry were still married. Sikora and Cochran had a child together, Jonathon, who was working as a California Highway Patrol officer as of 2005.Mar 15, 2016
Ultimately, Shapiro settled the case for $450,000 (nearly twice the amount he said he was paid to represent the client in the first place), without admitting any wrongdoing.
Shapiro went on to represent Steve Wynn of Wynn Resorts, Eva Longoria, and even Rob Kardashian, his former colleague's son. After his own son Brent died from a drug overdose in 2005, he founded the Brent Shapiro Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to raise drug awareness and also a rehabilitation facility. He is now 78.Oct 3, 2020
The Los Angeles Times attempted to dig deeper at the time, something that was depicted on Tuesday's episode of American Crime Story: The People V. OJ Simpson. 'I have never touched her or hit her, and we are very good friends to this day,' Cochran said at the time.Mar 8, 2016
Cochran was never charged with domestic violence, but his ex-wife Barbara Jean Berry made allegations on multiple occasions. Leading up to the Simpson trial, the Los Angeles Times delved into the claims, reporting that Berry filed for divorce in 1967 and alleged that Cochran had abused her.Mar 8, 2016
Simpson had four lawyers representing him at his trial for murder: Johnnie Cochran, Robert Kardashian, Robert Shapiro and F.(34)… The Search for Justice: A Defense Attorney's Brief on the O.J. Simpson Case [Robert L Shapiro] on Amazon.com.
Simpson's lawyers argued that he was broke — having spent between $3 – $5 million in legal fees for his murder trial defense. He also paid nearly $200,00 to regain custody of his children from their maternal grandparents.Apr 11, 2016
Early Life: Marcia Clark was born Marcia Rachel Kleks on August 31, 1953, in Alameda, California. She grew up in a Jewish household with mother Rozlyn, father Abraham (a chemist for the Food and Drug Administration), and a younger brother....Marcia Clark Net Worth.Net Worth:$5 MillionNationality:United States of America3 more rows
June 16, 1994Nicole Brown Simpson / Date of burial
Sydney Brooke SimpsonJustin Ryan SimpsonJason SimpsonArnelle SimpsonAaren SimpsonO. J. Simpson/Children
Sydney Brooke SimpsonArnelle SimpsonAaren SimpsonO. J. Simpson/Daughters
Cochran Jr. ( search ), who became a household name when he defended O.J. Simpson ( search) against murder charges, died of a brain tumor on Tuesday at the age of 67.
Reacting to news of Cochran's death Tuesday, Jackson had kind words for the lawyer he considered "a great humanitarian.". "Johnnie Cochran was a true gentleman who embodied class, brilliance, honesty and integrity," Jackson said in a statement. "His fight for justice transcended color, age or economic status. ... I loved him, and I will miss him.
After returning to private practice, Cochran built his firm into a personal injury giant with more than 100 lawyers and offices around the country. Flamboyant in public, he kept his private life shrouded in secrecy, and when some of those secrets became public following a 1978 divorce, they were startling.
Since gaining a reputation in Ebony magazine as "the best in the West" in the early 1980s, Cochran eventually became the go-to guy for black celebrities in trouble.
When Cochran helped Pratt win his freedom in 1997 he called the moment "the happiest day of my life practicing law.". He won a $760,000 award in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Ron Settles, a black college football star who died in police custody in 1981.
As a youth, Cochran idolize Thurgood Marshall, the attorney who persuaded the U.S. Supreme Court to outlaw school segregation in the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision and who would eventually become the Supreme Court's first black justice.
In "Lethal Weapon 4," comedian Chris Rock plays a policeman who advises a criminal suspect he has a right to an attorney, then warns him: "If you get Johnnie Cochran, I'll kill you.". The flamboyant Cochran enjoyed that parody so much he even quoted it in his autobiography, "A Lawyer's Life.". "It was fun. At times it was a lot of fun," he said of ...
This in part came from some disturbing accusations leveled against him by his first wife and an affair during their marriage.
He would continue his education at the Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, where he would receive his Juris Doctor in 1963.
Simpson trial would be the highlight of Johnnie Cochran's career: He'd successfully acquitted one of his most well-known clients and put the entire Los Angeles Police Department on trial for their history of brutality and racial abuse. However, according to The Washington Post, overturning the conviction of Geronimo Pratt is what Cochran said was "the happiest day" of his legal practice.
As for actual portrayals of Cochran, in a season two episode of South Park, Cochran represented a record company and then the character Chef in two lawsuits. For his closing statements, instead of discussing the case, Cochran rambled about the Star Wars character Chewbacca, which led to his victories.
Switching to private practice. In 1965 , Johnnie Cochran switched to the other side of the bench, entering private practice with Gerald Lenior, a prominent local attorney. According to Jrank.org, that partnership did not last long, and by the next year, Cochran had formed a new firm called Cochran, Atkins & Evans.
Johnnie Cochran's early life. Long before the "Trial of the Century" and parodies on network television, Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on October 2, 1937, to Johnnie L. Cochran Sr. and his wife Hattie.
In 1965, the Watts race riots broke out. According to Britannica, 34 people died and over 1,000 individuals were injured during the six-day riot. That same year, believing that African Americans were being abused in the criminal justice system, Cochran left the city's office.