The “Trial of the Century” lives on as we are reminded of the tragic deaths that took place in a new television series about the case. Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were brutally murdered in June of 1994 and the suspect in question was O.J. Simpson, ex-husband and former boss of the victims. This murder case was one of the biggest stories ever covered by the media. In 1995, 107 million people watched as the jury announced that they found Simpson not guilty. 

Over 20 years later, these events have been re-enacted in a 10-episode FX series called, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”. The show aired on Feb. 2 and features Cuba Gooding Jr. as Mr. Simpson, John Travolta as defense lawyer Robert Shapiro, and David Schwimmer as Robert Kardashian.

The new series has stirred up a bunch of controversy but one thing you can’t ignore is how outrageously good the show actually is. Even after two decades, the story is still full of emotion and powerful scenes to relive. It’s an examination of race, class, and justice that is perfectly timed for our society when issues of race and police misconduct are as visible as ever. 

It’s also interesting to think about how technological advances have impacted our criminal justice system. Would the outcome of this case be different if people were more knowledgeable about DNA testing like they are today? This question comes to mind when revisiting the details of this case.

O.J. Simpson is currently in prison for armed robbery and kidnapping that occurred in 2008. He has been sentenced for 9 to 33 years in prison. His bid for a retrial has been rejected and I’m sure it had something to do with the new series rehashing his past. Having the spotlight on this new TV show will make it difficult for O.J. to be getting out anytime soon.