Shapiro to Halt Commentary for CBS on Simpson Trial

At least one legal expert has decided to stop doing TV commentary about the O.J. Simpson civil trial.

In what was described as an amicable parting, CBS News and Robert L. Shapiro agreed Monday to end the controversial arrangement that called for the lawyer, one of Simpson’s lead attorneys in his murder trial, to offer commentary on the current trial involving lawsuits brought by the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Lyle Goldman.

“It was understood by both parties from the start that there would be significant areas of legitimate journalistic interest that he would not feel free to discuss, given his legal and ethical obligations to his former client, but it was hoped that enough common ground would be found for viewers to benefit from his legal expertise and unique insights into the case,” CBS said in a statement. “Unfortunately, Mr. Shapiro was increasingly uncomfortable trying to bridge the gap between his former role and his new one.”

Shapiro agreed and said that he was disappointed at the way things turned out.

“My main attraction in doing this was to be able to be on the air with Dan Rather,” he said. “I’ve turned down everything until I was offered this deal with CBS.”

Shapiro had appeared last week on the “CBS Evening News” and “This Morning,” but not on Friday, Simpson’s first day on the witness stand.

“It became clear in ‘pre-interviews’ [by producers] that Shapiro didn’t feel he should answer questions we had thought he’d be able to answer--like, ‘If you were Simpson’s attorney now, how would you prepare him to testify today?’ ” said one network employee who asked not to be identified.

“It became obvious to both sides that this was not going to work,” Shapiro said in an interview Monday from Los Angeles. “I had told them up front that I wouldn’t be an advocate for O.J. Simpson as a legal analyst, nor would I be able to comment on anything that would involve a secret or attorney-client privilege. I felt comfortable talking about the different approaches, say, in questioning Kato Kaelin between the [murder trial] prosecutors and Daniel Petrocelli [the lead attorney for the plaintiffs in the civil case].

“But I’m not comfortable talking about anything that is privileged, such as how a witness was prepared or how Simpson did on the stand.”

Shapiro did not rule out doing more television. “I’m interested in educating the public about the law--a talk show is something I’d be interested in,” he said.