- Johnnie Cochran: 1978. I just left private practice, gone back to the L.A. D.A., gonna be the first black assistant attorney in office. Gonna change things from the inside. Shit. That wasn't happening. Same old shit, same rigged system. Feeling powerless for the first time in my life. And then my first marriage blows up in my face. My children won't talk to me. I'm a failure at work, I'm a failure at home. I was down, brother. I was way down. Sunday, sitting on my bed, surrounded by dead-end paperwork and divorce lawyer bills, drinking beer... all right, maybe a little bit too much beer... feeling sorry for myself, watching a football game all alone, crappy TV. 49ers versus the Falcons. What I saw you do on that field that day, somehow, as I was watching, it became as if you were running for me. Driving up that field, crowded with adversity and obstacles, getting knocked on your ass and then popping right back up again. See, that's what I wanted to do out there on them streets, back home with my troubles there but couldn't. But you, you, you, you willed what you needed to do into being with nothing but grace.
- O.J. Simpson: I scored a touchdown that day.
- Johnnie Cochran: You did. And when they cut away to the commercial, there you were again, leaping through the airport for Hertz, breaking another barrier with charisma, humor, intelligence. A black man as the public face for one of the world's biggest corporations.
- O.J. Simpson: We lost that game.
- Johnnie Cochran: I don't remember that. I remember everything else about that game but not that. Because it didn't have nothing to do with what touched me. And when the game was over, I got the hell up off that bed and jogged the six blocks back to my office and got right back to work and haven't stopped and wallowed in self-pity since that day. You did that for me. Just like you've done for so many others, because you are O.J. Simpson. You are O.J. Simpson and you are an inspiration.
- O.J. Simpson: I am.
- Johnnie Cochran: You are.
- O.J. Simpson: An inspiration.
- Johnnie Cochran: An inspiration. That's who you are.
- O.J. Simpson: Yeah.
- Johnnie Cochran: You're a man who loves people, who people love right back. That's you. You're a fighter. You're a runner. And when you get knocked down, I need you to pop right back up like you know you can and keep going, because this right here, this right here, O.J. Simpson, is the run of your life.
- Johnnie Cochran: [Shapiro has been replaced with Cochran as lead defense attorney; Cochran sits with the defense team] We lost the motion to suppress the evidence collected at Rockingham.
- F. Lee Bailey: It's like Ito has a thing against us.
- Alan Dershowitz: Don't worry. We'll file a motion to throw out the lab results.
- Johnnie Cochran: [Shapiro furiously enters and slams the door] Great, Bob's here. First off...
- Robert Shapiro: Before we get into your agenda, let's get into mine.
- Johnnie Cochran: Bob, O.J.'s on the phone.
- Robert Shapiro: Good. Because we have some very pressing issues to discuss. Because there's some stinky fish in this room.
- [Holds up newspaper article, "Shapiro Benched By Cochran"]
- Robert Shapiro: Everybody here knows we have to keep a united front. So, from now on, I am the only one who speaks for the defense team. I am the lead attorney!
- [Robert Shapiro meeting with Cochran's group for the first time]
- Robert Shapiro: Okay, first question. Who thinks O.J. did it?
- [a stunned silence fills the room]
- Robert Shapiro: Me neither.
- Judge Lance Ito: Mr. Simpson. Are you ready to enter a plea at this time?
- O.J. Simpson: Yes, Your Honor.
- Judge Lance Ito: And how do you plead to counts one and two?
- O.J. Simpson: [confidently] Absolutely 100% not guilty.
- [Marcia is meeting with Fred and Kim Goldman, the father and sister respectively to victim Ron Goldman. The two are both clearly distraught]
- Marcia Clark: I'm glad you were both able to find time to come down. It's good for us to get to know each other. I know what you're going through.
- Fred Goldman: Do you? Do you have a son who was murdered? Ron is dead! And it's like no one even cares. I turn on the TV, and it's just O.J. and Nicole, O.J. and Nicole. It's like Ron is a footnote... to his own murder! And if they talk about him, they make him seem like some kind of joke! It's all so superficial. He was a male model, he was a nightclub promoter, he ran a tanning salon. It's like they're trying to tarnish him. Like... he... he was asking for it.
- [Fred sobbing quietly]
- Fred Goldman: You know what he did in his spare time? He... volunteered at a clinic for children with cerebral palsy. He was a good person!
- [sniffles]
- Fred Goldman: He didn't drink, he didn't do drugs. He should be celebrated! Not... this! When the police called and... they said Ron had been killed... I assumed it was a car accident. Never in my worst nightmare could I have imagined the truth.
- [sniffles]
- Fred Goldman: What this... this *monster* did to him. Do you have children?
- Marcia Clark: Two boys.
- Fred Goldman: I pray... that you never have to read an autopsy report for your own child. My son's... last moments were filled with such horror... and such... pain. He... he was stabbed so many time. He was stabbed in his chest, his neck... his face... his head, his hands, his stomach... his thigh.
- [sobs]
- Fred Goldman: He was even stabbed... after he was dead.
- Marcia Clark: We are gonna get him.
- Fred Goldman: You better.
- [Shapiro is at home, angrily watching F. Lee Bailey on "Larry King Live"]
- Larry King: F. Lee Bailey, I'm really glad you're here, 'cause the media has been filled, filled with accounts of defense team infighting. So can you shed some light on the situation?
- F. Lee Bailey: Larry, these stories, where they emanate from, I really can't imagine.
- Larry King: This is a tremendous, tremendous group of attorneys. Yourself included.
- F. Lee Bailey: You're very kind.
- Larry King: Well, so, pardon my confusion, but who the hell is in charge?
- F. Lee Bailey: Oh, Bob Shapiro is the lead attorney, make no mistake. All that sniping in the media that says "Bob Shapiro is in over his head", "Bob Shapiro is an empty suit", "Bob Shapiro can't handle a case of this magnitude"... . Well, that twaddle is truly unfortunate.
- Robert Shapiro: [shouting at his TV] Well, then don't say it, *asshole*! Fuck!
- Christopher Darden: [Shapiro has been replaced with Cochran as lead defense attorney; Cochran sits with the defense team] We lost the motion to suppress the evidence collected at Rockingham.
- Robert Kardashian: It's like Ito has a thing against us.
- Alan Dershowitz: Don't worry. We'll file a motion to throw out the lab results.
- Christopher Darden: [Shapiro furiously enters and slams the door] Great, Bob's here. First off...
- Robert Shapiro: Before we get into your agenda, let's get into mine.
- Christopher Darden: Bob, O.J.'s on the phone.
- Robert Shapiro: Good. Because we have some very pressing issues to discuss. Because there's some stinky fish in this room.
- [Holds up newspaper article, "Shapiro Benched By Cochran"]
- Robert Shapiro: Everybody here knows we have to keep a united front. So, from now on, I am the only one who speaks for the defense team. I am the lead attorney!
- [Shapiro and Bailey are dining at a fancy restaurant]
- Robert Shapiro: I love Johnnie, it's just... we have to keep our eyes on him.
- F. Lee Bailey: Johnnie's an excellent trial lawyer. He can sense all the potholes.
- Robert Shapiro: That's irrelevant. I don't want him putting ideas into O.J.'s head. I mean, the truth is, we both know there's only one way out of this case.
- F. Lee Bailey: Come on, Bob, we're just getting started. We want to have a little fun.
- Robert Shapiro: No, it's my job to serve the client, and the reality is, it's not winnable. Johnnie is here to make Gil nervous enough to cut us a deal.
- F. Lee Bailey: You really think he will?
- Robert Shapiro: The race card's sticking, and Johnnie equals LAPD injustice, and Gil doesn't want to see the city burn down... again.
- [the waitress arrives with their meals]
- Waiter: Here you gentlemen go. Eggs Benedict... and steak and frittata.
- F. Lee Bailey: Thank you.
- Waiter: And enjoy!
- F. Lee Bailey: Well, then... to whom do I invoice my hours?
- Robert Shapiro: Hmm?
- F. Lee Bailey: Who should I bill?
- Robert Shapiro: [appearing confused] Lee, you're pro bono.
- [the waitress returns to their table]
- Waiter: Could I offer either of you Tabasco or...
- F. Lee Bailey: [without looking at her] *No, we're fine*! Thank you.
- [the waitress again leaves]
- F. Lee Bailey: Bob... may I remind you, I was your first call.
- Robert Shapiro: I like this case for you. I really do, Lee. It's a terrific way to get back in the limelight, reintroduce yourself to the public.
- F. Lee Bailey: [quietly angry] I don't need reintroducing. I'm F. Lee Bailey. I represented Sam Sheppard, Patty Hearst, the *goddamn* Boston Strangler.
- Robert Shapiro: That's -- that's a long time ago. Look at the bright side... this could be the most high-profile criminal case in the history of the world. And O.J.'s easily the most famous American ever to be put up for murder. It's a different world, Lee. I mean, the old days, you'd turn on TV, 6:00 p.m., the news, and now it's 24 hours a day. I have insomnia. I wake up at 3:00 a.m. I turn on cable, and boom, there we are!
- [sighs]
- Robert Shapiro: Trust me... you'll dine out on this for the rest of your life.
- F. Lee Bailey: Yeah. But Patty Hearst paid.