8 Verdicts That Shocked the American Public

From double murders to racial profiling gone wrong, America has let some of its worst criminals walk free.

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Complex Original

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June 12 marks the 20th anniversary of the homicides of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. For those who need a refresher, the resulting trial of O.J. "The Juice" Simpson had America glued to the TV for months and put the spotlight on the growing racial tensions of the time. 

Both victims had suffered critical stab wounds and a gory crime scene was left in front of Simpson's Los Angeles condominium. The physical evidence seemed incontrovertible: The prosecution argued that the assailant was right handed based on the stab wounds on both Simpson and Goldman; O.J. was right handed. Bruising on Simpson's body suggested she may have been stepped on by a heavy person; O.J. was a big guy. As far as the American public was concerned, O.J. did it. And you can't think of this case without thinking of that infamous pair of leather gloves—the left one found at the crime scene, while the right was found in O.J.'s home. 

During the 1995 trial, O.J. had legal heavyweights Rob Kardashian and Johnnie Cochran on his side. Cochran shut down the prosecution's argument about the bloody gloves: "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit" were the words that ultimately set O.J. free. The not guilty ruling was read and the "verdict of the century" left America shocked. But even now, 20 years later, the legal system is still letting questionable criminals slip through its fingers. Here are 8 more verdicts that shocked the American public.  

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