Related Press journalist Linda Deutsch was already a legendary court docket reporter when O.J. Simpson stood trial for killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her good friend Ronald Goldman. She’d lined high-profile legal authorized proceedings involving everybody from Charles Manson and Patty Hearst to Sirhan Sirhan and the “Evening Stalker,” Richard Ramirez.
However Choose Lance Ito designated Deutsch the trial’s pool reporter and she or he quickly grew to become a well-recognized face to tens of millions as a trusted TV commentator offering context for the case. Simpson himself accredited of her protection and, after he was acquitted, she grew to become his go-to media contact for unique interviews within the ensuing many years.
The Hollywood Reporter spoke to Deutsch, who retired in 2014, after the Simpson household introduced the Heisman winner turned actor and pitchman died on April 10.
You’ve mentioned you by no means determined if Simpson was responsible. Was {that a} private resolution or an expert one?
My job wasn’t to resolve the decision. It was to report what was occurring. In O.J.’s case, everybody had robust emotions. I didn’t. The [criminal] trial didn’t show him responsible. Had I been on the jury, I might’ve additionally acquitted him. The proof wasn’t there — the case wasn’t confirmed.
You’ve lined a whole lot of trials, each earlier than and for the reason that Simpson saga. What set this one aside?
That it was televised gavel to gavel. Individuals hadn’t seen that earlier than. They have been capable of see the proof, the witnesses, get conversant in the language of the courts. On TV or in a film, a trial is compressed. Right here it absolutely performed out. It lasted a 12 months.
Simpson reached out to you after he was acquitted to get his message out. Then he went on to present you a collection of interviews through the years when he wouldn’t communicate to anyone else. Why?
He mentioned it was as a result of I by no means mentioned if I believed he did it or he didn’t do it. So, it was my objectivity.
He was an awesome talker — he beloved to speak. I all the time mentioned, ‘If he’d completed it, he would’ve advised anyone.’ As a result of he couldn’t cease speaking.
Did you be in contact with anybody else from the trial?
I stored in actually shut contact with the opposite reporters. We had an enormous reunion on the 20th anniversary. Everybody needed to be collectively. We additionally put collectively an enormous memorial when [Vanity Fair crime columnist] Dominick Dunne died. It was at his favourite place, the Chateau Marmont.
Dunne was famously not goal about Simpson. He thought he was responsible.
I can let you know a narrative about Dominick. He got here out to Las Vegas to cowl that loopy [2008] trial in regards to the memorabilia theft. He needed to see the final act in O.J.’s court docket life.
When Dominick arrived on the courthouse, I instantly launched him to O.J., who was standing within the hallway. With O.J., the important thing to his persona was appeal. He held out his hand to Dominick and mentioned, “I watch you on TV on a regular basis, I’m so joyful to satisfy you.” Didn’t even discuss the truth that this was his enemy. After about two days, Dominick got here as much as me and mentioned, “I’ve to let you know, I actually like this man.” And the day the jury went out to deliberate, the three of us have been sitting on a court docket bench within the hallway, and so they had actually bonded. Dominick advised him, “I hope you beat this.” You might’ve knocked me over with a feather.
You spoke to him over a protracted time frame. Did his tune change?
When he bought out of jail after serving 9 years on that memorabilia case, I did an enormous interview with him. He mentioned he wouldn’t discuss [the murders]. He mentioned it’s not a part of my household’s life now. He mentioned, “We modified our focus. We now dwell within the constructive world.”