was driving on the 405 Freeway when I heard KNX-Radio announce that Johnnie Cochran had died. That was one amazing fellow who angered me, delighted me, and provided me with some of the most entertaining conversations on and off the air. His personality was warm and his style effusive. His mind raced and he'd be thinking of several things at the same time. But, when he spoke with you, you were the focus of his attention. We first began our series of many interviews when he was a young attorney- at-law who became a board member of the Los Angeles International Airport commission. He was never shy to be outspoken. He wore his success exceedingly well.
It didn't matter how I framed the questions or tried to get the answer I wanted out of him,on the subject of O.J. Simpson, he never wavered in his support of his client. Others, I think, did. Most mornings during the trial I would place a call to as many of the "dream team" as possible, hoping for an interview which might reveal something newsworthy. On several occasions I got to speak with Johnnie, but, understandably, he would not go on the air with me. Robert Sherman did, as did Howard Weitzman who, shortly after the trial began, left the case. On more than one occasion when I reached the Weitzman home his wife would say "Michael, he did it!." Then she'd hand the 'phone to Howard.
At the time of the trial my son, Alan, had a most successful little restaurant on Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles. One of his assistants in the kitchen was O.J.'s son, Jason. (Sad, O.J. never once came to see his son at work). Night after night press reporters,of the paparazzi class, would sneak in to the restaurant trying to get a 'photo of Jason in the kitchen holding a knife. It was sad, sick and infuriating. The most vivid memory Alana and I have of the trial was one evening during the period when the jury was in deliberation. The verdict was handed down on a Monday. On the Friday before Johnnie Cochran and all the dream team took over the back patio of the restaurant to celebrate Johnnie's birthday...and what they were convinced would be the exoneration of their client, O.J. Simpson. They were confident of the outcome and correct in their assessment.
I was covering the trial in the court house on the second last day of the trial and it was obvious that there were tensions between members of the team; particularly Sherman and Cochran, but they managed to keep their relationship together just long enough.
On one occasion, when I was substituting as host on the Larry King show, right after O.J. was arrested and charged with the murder of Nicole Simpson, Professor Alan Dershowitz, speaking to us from Harvard, said that he was convinced that O.J. was guilty. A few days later the Professor of law joined the dream team - I never, ever, heard him say that again.
Johnnie Cochran, a man who lived many lives in his short life-time. I think he'll be remembered with respect and affection by most people, even if he did get O.J. off! Or did the prosecution blow the case?
I'll never forget his coming into the studio to sit down for a conversation with the former Black Panther, Geronimo Pratt, who was his client and who had been wrongly convicted of murder. Trying his case in the courtroom and in the media, Cochran did a superb job and saw an injustice overturned.
I remember another occasion when he was on the line with Reginald Denny; the white trucker who was dragged from his vehicle and beaten by bullies in an angry crowd in South Central Los Angeles. He was successful in representing that rather simple fellow. I'd wager there was very little to be gained by taking that case. Certainly not money.
Johnnie Cochran. ..likeable, talented and wonderfully successful. He will be missed.