Jurors’ Award in Simpson Case

Re “Simpson Verdict: $25 Million,” Feb. 11:

It amazes me that the jury in the civil trial chose to believe the plaintiffs on most everything, yet obviously came to the conclusion they were lying when they said it was not about the money, it was about justice. If it isn’t about the money, why haven’t the Goldmans and their attorney Daniel Petrocelli renounced the monetary awards? Who’s lying now?

One juror said, in so many words, the millions of dollars in damages were the jury’s way of making people think twice before committing murder. Give me a break. How many multimillionaires commit murder each year? One juror said that as they deliberated they looked at all 3,000 exhibits. If each exhibit took one minute to view, it would have taken 50 hours just to complete the exams. Who’s lying?

It is obvious to me that no matter what these jurors say as they make their rounds of the talk shows and bask in their 15 minutes of fame, they entered the trial with their minds made up.

JOHN D. YOTTES

Santa Monica

* For those having a problem understanding the judicial system in light of the Simpson saga and the reverse decisions of the criminal and civil trials, the answer is simple. In the criminal trial, the jury had a preset agenda, did not evaluate the evidence and did not enter into meaningful deliberations. In the civil trial, the jury was open-minded and took the time to discuss and deliberate the evidence. Their efforts were reflected in a just verdict. Case closed.

ALLEN REAMS

Placentia

* To me it is reasonable to believe that both Simpson panels rendered correct decisions, because the standards of law by which they were bound are so vastly different. The criminal trial required proof “beyond a reasonable doubt,” which to me approaches 100%, while the civil case required only that the decision be based on “the preponderance of evidence,” that is, 51%.

Thus, if the two juries had been reversed, i.e., the one that sat on the criminal case had been on the civil case and vice versa, the decisions would probably have been the same as before.

ROBERT J. HODEL

La Habra

* What color is justice?

White. Just ask anyone who isn’t.

MARJORIE J. RUSS

Cypress

* Re “The Simpson Factor: More Than Just Black and White,” Opinion, Feb. 9: I agree with much of Richard Rodriguez’s take on the Simpson media hubbub; however, I take issue with his coy mischaracterization of African Americans. To dismiss our noteworthy and newsworthy concerns as “black obsession with white racism” is to denigrate them. Just as it would denigrate foreign-born or naturalized American citizens to characterize them as “obsessed with immigration”; or, the gay and lesbian community as “obsessed with sexuality”; or, Rodriguez as “obsessed with his middle-class status.” Such oversimplifications are blatantly unfair.

Rodriguez deliciously skewers a media smitten with passions of color and celebrity. Unfortunately, he minimizes the crudities of racism--the kind I live with as a dark-skinned member of the working-poor American underclass. Rodriguez writes as if the residuals of slavery are phenomena of the past, ended with the passage of the 14th Amendment. Unfortunately, they thrive on every level of our society and define the context within which all dialogues on race take place, good and ill. His critique of shortsighted media would be stronger were he more empathetic to those African Americans who don’t swim in the so-called colorblind mainstream.

WANDA COLEMAN

Los Angeles

* I read Rodriguez’s column hopefully, because as a woman I have always felt that one important factor was being ignored from the beginning, and that is violence against women. The issues addressed in the article are quite valid, but again my issue was invisible.

I am aware that African Americans have often had members of their community sent to jail who are innocent, and their anger is justifiable. Nevertheless, when the first verdict was given my heart sank, as all I could think of was that one more husband got away with beating and killing his wife. The second verdict I hope will bring some closure and healing to the families, but until the issue of violence against women is addressed as often as injustice to African Americans, we have gained little.

ANN APPLEY

Pasadena

* O.J. Simpson should not have too much trouble in attaining the finances to settle the civil suit if all of his believing, biased followers contribute. Especially large contributions should come from the so-called Dream Team, who obtained the unjust not-guilty verdict for the criminal trial.

V.N. ALLSTEAD

Woodland Hills

* Should the Goldman and Brown families receive funds resulting from the judgment against Simpson, a generous and healing gesture would be to give a portion of each settlement to minority charities.

SHIRLEY WEBER