November 29th, 1996
“Today’s show is actually about two black men whose experiences with the criminal justice system have and will continue to touch the lives of every single one of us.”
Geraldo investigates reaction to the verdicts of the police officers who beat Rodney King. Three of these were found not guilty by a predominantly white jury, despite what many consider ample evidence to convict.
Next, the case of OJ Simpson: Was he a victim of racial injustice or simply a guilty perpetrator? Special guest Malik Zulu Shabazz is on set to discuss the recent not guilty verdict, this time for a black man from a predominantly black jury.
Check out more from the Geraldo Rivera Talk Show.
Here is Wikipedia on Malik Zulu Shabazz.
Partial Transcript
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Geraldo Rivera: “Today’s show is actually about two black men, whose experiences with the criminal justice system have and will continue to touch the lives of every single one of us. The predominantly white jury in the trial of the cops who almost killed this man, Rodney King, found three of the four of those cops not guilty of using excessive force, despite that horrible video that showed that force being used to anyone with eyes to see.
The predominantly black jury in the trial of this man, OJ Simpson, got him not-guilty of murder despite what most people thought was overwhelming proof that he had committed the bloody crime.
In both these landmark cases ladies and gentlemen, nobody denied that race played a huge part in the outcome. With that all white jury race hurt Rodney King, in the same way it hurt that fellow Tyrone Lewis, who was killed in St. Petersburg, and Johnny Gammit, the man killed in Pittsburg. The way racism has hurt countless other black victims of police brutality and injustice.”