Johnnie Lee Cochran Jr was an American lawyer best known for his role in the defense and acquittal of O. J. Simpson for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. On top of representing OJ Simpson, Cochran is also known for having represented Sean Combs, Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur among others. Cochran was known for his skill in the courtroom and his prominence as an early advocate for victims of police brutality.
In 1959 he got a Bachelor of Arts degree in business economics from the University of California and received a Juris Doctor from the Loyola Law School in 1962.
After passing the California bar exam in 1963, he started as a prosecutor before starting a defence practice in 1966. His practice devloped a reputation for litigating a large number of police brutality and criminal cases. He then joined the DA office as a First Assistant Ditrict Attorney, before returning to private practice after five years.
His closing arguments in the Simpson trial were legendary. Cochran said “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”, and the acquittal followed.
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