Johnnie L Cochran, Jr.
was an American lawyer best known for his leadership role in the defense and
criminal acquittal of O. J. Simpson for the murder of his former wife Nicole
Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.
Cochran also represented Sean Combs (during his trial on gun and bribery
charges), Michael Jackson, rapper Tupac Shakur, actor Todd Bridges,
football player Jim Brown, rapper Snoop Dogg, former heavyweight Champion Riddick
Bowe, 1992
Los Angeles riot beating victim Reginald Oliver Denny,
and Geronimo Pratt. He also represented athlete Marion Jones when she faced
charges of doping during her high school track career.
Cochran was known for his skill in the courtroom and his prominence as an early
advocate for victims of police brutality.
Johnnie
L Cochran, Jr. ("L" was his full middle name) was born in Shreveport,
Louisiana in October 2, 1937. His father, Johnnie Cochran, Sr., was an insurance
salesman, and his mother sold Avon products. The family relocated to the West
Coast and settled in Los Angeles in 1949.
Cochran later graduated first in his class from Los Angeles High School in
1955. He went on to receive his Bachelor of Science degree in business
administration from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1959 and his Juris
Doctor at Loyola Marymount University School of Law (now Loyola Law School) in
1962. He
was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
He
was probably best known for his leadership role as a defense attorney for O. J.
Simpson in the murder trials of Simpson’s ex-wife and her friend, Johnnie
Cochran was a well known and determined attorney. Cochran successfully
represented Simpson in his acquittal of the murders and also represented Sean
“P Diddy” Combs, Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Rosa Parks, and Micheal Jackson,
amongst many others and was also known for his successful cases against police
brutality and civil rights victories. Cochran famously remembered for his “if
it does not fit, you must acquit” phrase.
In
April 2004, Cochran underwent surgery, which led to his staying away from the
media. Shortly thereafter, he told the New York Post he was feeling
well, and that he was in good health. He died at his home in Los Angeles on
Tuesday, March 29, 2005 from a brain tumor, which was originally diagnosed in
December 2003.
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