OJ Simpson’s 1994 murder trial put spotlight on racial division in America

MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) — The pivotal role race played in OJ Simpson’s murder trial cannot be overstated. It came in the aftermath of the Rodney King police brutality case, and many in the Black community felt Simpson’s acquittal was retribution for what they deemed injustices to Black Americans. Simpson was a celebrated athlete and actor. The double murder charges shattered his reputation. His trial however, would put a spotlight on racial division in America At Reverend Al Sharpton’s annual Civil Rights Conference in Midtown Manhattan, most people remember where they were when Simpson was found not guilty. ALSO READ | OJ Simpson dies at age 76 after battle with cancer, family says Crystal Cranmore has more on the pivotal role race played in OJ Simpson’s murder trial. “We were all in the conference room at my job, and I can tell you, there were mixed vibes but most of us were rooting for OJ,” said Mary McClary, who attended the conference. A celebrity turned accused criminal for the 1994 murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, Simpson became a symbol of racial divide in America. “The nature of how he was pursued and portrayed in media as...