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prosecution simply had not presented enough evidence to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. Some African American members of the jury also believed Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers might have planted evidence, including the bloody glove, to implicate Simpson. The black community had long viewed the LAPD as racially biased, due to incidents like the Rodney King beating a few years earlier. Immediately, the O.J. Simpson verdict divided people across the nation. Simpson’s supporters were convinced that justice had been served. Others believed just as strongly that the justice system had failed. The criminal justice system in the United States is highly complex, and includes both the activities of law enforcement officers as well as court proceedings. Often, social and economic factors come into play in the arrests, trials, and rehabilitation of individuals in the criminal justice system. In O. J. Simpson's case, many people believed racism played a crucial role in his arrest. Even individuals who believed in Simpson’s guilt were critical of the way the Los Angeles Police Department had investigated the crime scene and gathered evidence from Simpson’s home. For example, a sock officers found in Simpson’s bedroom was stained with Brown’s blood—but not until after they brought it to the police lab. Staining had seeped through the sock, making it clear that Simpson could not have been wearing the sock when the blood appeared.

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Contemporary Issues: Criminal Justice System