June 17, 1994. It was supposed to be a big night of sports. Spectators across the country lined up in front of their TV screens to watch the New York Knicks take on the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
But instead, another sporting figure dominated television in unforgettable fashion that night. OJ Simpson got into a white Ford Bronco, drove down an interstate in Los Angeles and sparked one of the most-watched events in TV history.
“The Juice”
The seemingly always smiling and affable football legend has transformed into a film and TV star. His transformation from there into one of the most divisive figures in American history really began that Friday night.
That was the day Simpson was charged with two murders in the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. He should have surrendered to face the charges, but he didn't. He was declared a fugitive, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
At around 6:45 pm (local time), police saw Simpson on the expressway in a white Ford Bronco driven by his best friend and former teammate, Al Cowlings. Simpson was in the backseat and allegedly had a gun. And with that, the 60-mile, two-hour low-speed chase through Southern California began.
Dozens of police vehicles followed the route and TV helicopters appeared to show the chase. As the Bronco traveled under highway overpasses, crowds of people cheered Simpson on with chants and signs.
Split screen
On TV, the chase was simply inevitable. All the broadcast networks and CNN showed it all live. Even non-news cable channels interrupted their regular programming to show portions of it. On NBC, the chase produced the most bizarre split-screen ever. On one side of the screen, the Knicks and Rockets battled for NBA supremacy at Madison Square Garden; on the other, the white Bronco sped down a Los Angeles highway with police in pursuit.
About 95 million people watched the chase that night, and they watched in a way that we don't watch the events now. People stood in large groups in front of televisions in their homes, bars, restaurants and other public places and just looked at the spectacle.
This is how the country hosted major television events in the era before the internet, smartphones and social media.
Simpson and Cowlings eventually returned to Simpson's mansion in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles later that night. Negotiations with the police began. Then, just before 9 p.m., Simpson surrendered, holding a family photo. He was arrested.
The chase was over, but the media spectacle that would become the OJ Simpson trial was just beginning.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
