ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
In the Public Eye
Story by Ashley Murawski & Joseph Stanger Design & Illustration by Shoshanah Davis Harvey Weinstein. Bill Cosby. Jeffrey Epstein. O.J. Simpson. Tekashi 6ix9ine. These are considered to be some of the most publicized and polarizing celebrity trials. But what aspect of these cases has caused people to become so invested in their favorite celebrities, even after commiting a crime? And does this fame and publicity cause bias during the proceedings? O.J.
Simpson & Jeffrey Epstein On Jan. 24, 1995, O.J. Simpson was tried for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman, according to The History Channel website. This has been said to be one of the most publicized events in American history. The website also notes that this case spanned a total of 252 days and Simpson was acquitted on both counts of murder. Due to the media frenzy surrounding the case, the public began to make their own judgements. Senior Law and Justice Lecturer, Robert Claridge, says, “Much criticism exists over the O.J. Simpson Trial …[specifically] the judge’s decision, which since has 56
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been viewed as a mistake, to allow television cameras to film the entirety of the trial.” While some trials such as Simpson’s had a following from the beginning, others gained momentum later in the proceedings. Media coverage lacked in the beginning stages of multimillionaire, investor and financier Jeffrey Epstein’s case. Epstein came to be charged with solicitation of prostitution, solicitation of prostitution with a minor under 18, sex trafficking of minors and sexually abusing underaged girls, according to BBC News. As a result, he was required to register as a sex offender. BBC News also states that while awaiting his trial, Epstein was found dead in his jail cell under circumstances that caused the public to question whether his death was a suicide or a murder and if there were more unknown victims.
The Role of Money and Power Due to Epstein’s large bank account, he was able to evade his original charges for 11 years, according to The New York Times. “Money is a huge factor in determining settlements — the more money you have, the better representation
