o.j., go. pockets of small crowds in l.a. cheered simpson as he led police on the notorious white bronco chase. simpson s trial for the murder of his ex-wife nicole and ron goldman marked the first time america had been transfixed on tv for a court case. eventually he was acquitted. but just as compellingly as he had brought americans of all races together in admiring him in the 70s and 80s, his trial cast the deepest and most disturbing divides. it pitted black against white and people who rich against poor. no one didn t have an opinion about whether or not o.j. was guilty. you either thought he was guilty or you thought he was the victim of racist police and incompetent prosecution. o keefe says it was also one of those watershed cultural moments when america was shaken out of its habit of falling over celebrities, after the simpson murder trial, we were never quite as shocked again when we found out our idols, people like michael jackson and lance armstrong weren t quite what
goldman marked the first time america had been transfixed on tv for a court case. eventually he was acquitted but just as compellingly as he d brought americans of all races together for admiring him in the 70s and 80s his trial cast the deepest and most disturbing divides. pitted black against white, rich against poor. no one didn t is have an opinion. you either thought he was guilty or thought he was the victim of racist police and incompetent prosecution. reporter: o keefe says it was one of the cultural moments where america was shaken out of his habit of fawning over celebrities. after the simpson murder trial we were never shocked that michael jackson and lance armstrong weren t quite what we thought. fascinating. up next she is serving up second chances to young offenders, meet this week s cnn hero that s straight ahead. fly me to the moon
and people who rich against poor. no one didn t have an opinion about whether or not o.j. was guilty. you either thought he was guilty or you thought he was the victim of racist police and incompetent prosecution. o keefe says it was also one of those water shed cultural moments when america was shaken out of its habit of fawning over celebrities. after the simpson murder trial, we were never quite as shocked again when we found out that our idols, people like michael jackson and lance armstrong weren t quite what we thought. fascination i sense with o.j. simpson is still multi generational. it is. the younger people remember the murder trial and all the sensation around that. when we were watching tv every day watching that trial. people of your generation, my generation remember him playing football. we remember his movies, the ads. he really is transcendent in that way. when you talk to very young people, you try to compare him to somebody now like i don t know, maybe lady g