My Regrets About How I Asked O.J. Simpson About Domestic Abuse

[RockaFowler]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/roy-firestone/my-regrets-about-how-i-asked-oj-simpson-_b_10485878.html

For me though, there is anxiety, sadness and frustration attached to this program. I interviewed O.J. Simpson numerous times and most notably interviewed him on Up Close on ESPN about two years before the murders.

On that show, I asked him about an alleged incident of physical violence toward Nicole Brown on New Year Eve. He denied there was anything to the story.

I believed him.

There were no arrests, no charges filed, no criminal investigation, and I assumed, wrongly, that it was a private matter and the book was closed.

That interview, as inconclusive as it was, was still entered as evidence into the O.J. Simpson murder trial. The interview was dismissed in the trial.

Given the horrible events to come, I wish I had known more, questioned more, and I fault myself for that. I still do to this day. The clip which appears in the documentary makes it appear that I was chummy with Simpson. It makes it appear, even two years BEFORE the murders, that I was dismissing the seriousness of the issue of domestic violence.

Every nine seconds in America, a woman is assaulted or beaten. One-third of ALL women internationally have been beaten, coerced into sex or abused in their lifetime. Domestic violence is the leading cause of violence to women, more than all the car accidents, muggings and rapes combined. Every single day in America four to five women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends.

To be in any way seen as lighthearted, chummy or even mildly enabling some monstrous issue like that still haunts me 22 years later. The Simpson interview is one of the most tragic examples of how the media (including me) and the public trusted and accommodated their heroes, believing their mythology and perpetuating their deification. Even Marcia Clark told me that the LAPD was more interested in getting O.J.’s autograph at his home than investigating the warning signs of domestic violence. They weren’t doing their job.

Watching this documentary 20 some odd years after the fact is really eye-opening. Nicole Brown's 911 calls are horrific. You can hear the pain in her voice and how scared she actually was of this man. If you haven't seen OJ: Made in America yet, I really hope you take the time to watch it. There were many warning signs that OJ was going to kill her and many people looked the other way - including the police. Part 4 airs on ESPN tonight.

This is Roy Firestone. He was a former ESPN host who always made his guest cry. IF you have a chance to watch his segment it really is cringe worthy

[Gomez163]

1. You should put the author's name in the post.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. What's his name? I don't do Huff Po links. Name this jerk.

He is still excusing himself for not asking anyone but the man accused of abuse about that abuse. Did he even think to ask Nicole? Of course not.

[RockaFowler]

3. I'll update the post

You are right

[deaniac21]

4. If the glove don't fit

you must acquit.

[oberliner]

5. Similar situation with Bill Cosby

Reporters did not do their jobs and actually try to get at the truth of what was going on, because they were enamored of these personalities and their personaes.