“Marcia, what if we won?” It’s a question Darden asks in the finale of "American Crime Story" that lingers on, briefly, in a tender scene just before they learn their fate. It’s also one "American Crime Story" has been asking all season. The suspense of an inspired-by-real-events courtroom drama doesn’t come from the verdict. And it especially doesn’t in a case like O.J.’s. What true crime does, and does well, is build empathy — out of Marcia’s struggles, Johnnie’s frustrations, Fred Goldman’s grief, and O.J.’s turmoil are infinitely better suited to screen-time dramatization than archived transcription. This isn’t to say the facts don’t matter (we’re about to check em!) but that to take the season as a whole, "The People v. O.J." has been successful in one way, and maybe in the most important way. Everyone on the show felt human — on either side. So no, we never wondered if Marcia and Chris would come out on top, but it’s important to remember they once did.
For this final, reflective, what-might-have-been fact check, we’re honing in on those moments that made “The Verdict.” Where did all those bodyguards come from? Did Darden really break down crying? Does O.J. get a puppy?? That and more below:
SEE ALSO: THEN AND NOW: What happened to the key players in the O.J. Simpson trial
The media
True or False: The verdict was streamed live in Times Square.
True. Here’s a video.
True or False: Darden broke down in tears during his after-verdict press conference.
Also true! Here’s another video.
True or False:Bill Clinton responded to the verdict on TV, saying we all need to listen to one another.
Also also true. YouTube is an amazing resource. (Hit up the 0:40 mark to see the clip used on the show).
The Cochran
True or False:Cochran enlisted Nation of Islam bodyguards to protect him after receiving death threats.
Yes yes. Cochran arrived at the courthouse the morning of the verdict with “six beefy bodyguards,” according to the LA Times. And “at least one” of the men had also protected Farrakhan, which was probably why Shapiro brought him up during the show.
The closing arguments
True or False: Clark called Fuhrman a racist and “the worst the LAPD has to offer” in her closing arguments.
Yes, Clark used these exact words, along with: “do we wish there were no such person on the planet? Yes.” Harsh? Yes. Completely warranted? Yes. Read more excerpts here.
True or False:Darden claimed the case wasn’t about the “N word,” but about the “M word.”
Transcriptions are so helpful — yes, Darden said this. It’s a catchy line, but not Cochran catchy. Here’s his closing in full.
True or False:Cochran claimed Fuhrman “represents the entire LAPD.”
Verbatim? No. Cochran’s closing was stretched out over two days, and in neithertranscript is he recorded as giving this exact line. Still, it was the sentiment the defense pushed and one many of O.J.’s supporters believed and had experienced firsthand. We can consider this a kind of tl;dr. Not false, but not true, at least not in so few words.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider