American Crime Story

Robert Shapiro:
So let’s hit the ground running. Okay, first question. Who thinks O.J. did it? [Everybody freezes and looks at him in shocked disbelief.] Me neither.

[Awkward silence]

F. Lee Bailey:
Uh, thank you, Bob. Why don’t we talk big picture strategy? I’d say our priority at this juncture is the jury.

Alan Dershowitz:
Yes. We know we have a downtown jury, which means a heavy concentration of African Americans.

Johnnie Cochran:
Indeed. Black men obviously are our allies. Mr. Simpson, a hero in the community. And I’m confident that people will assume he couldn’t have committed such a ghastly crime. But black women, on the other hand, might be a problem. They don’t like their men marrying white girls.

Robert Kardashian:
Is that true?

Carl E. Douglas:
Why’re you looking at me?

Robert Kardashian:
[embarrassed] Well, I…

[Shawn laughs at his discomfort]

Johnnie Cochran:
But I believe the generalization is accurate. Black women resent successful black men marrying outside the community. We need to limit that group.

Robert Shapiro:
That analysis is smart. The prosecution thinks they have the upper hand, but they don’t. Because we have you. And you know how these people think.

[Johnnie gives him another disbelieving look. Lee and Dershowitz visibly cringe with embarrassment, and Barry Scheck buries his face in his hands. Cochran’s team merely looks amused]

Johnnie Cochran:
“These people?” Bob, let me give you a helpful piece of advice. On this case, you need to choose your vernacular very, very carefully.

Robert Shapiro:
[raising his palms] Mea culpa.