O.J. Simpson's 'Dream Team' Attorney F. Lee Bailey, Who Scored Him Acquittal In Nicole Simpson Murder Trial, Dies At 87
June 3 2021, Published 5:12 p.m. ET
F. Lee Bailey, who was a vital part of O.J. Simpson's "dream team" during Nicole Simpson's murder trial, has died.
The powerhouse attorney, known for his sharp criminal defense talents, passed away on Thursday in Georgia at the age of 87.
His former law partner Superior Court Judge Kenneth J. Fishman confirmed his death, reports the Boston Globe.
Bailey has been at the center of too many high-profile cases to count.
Besides being dire to O.J.'s defense team during Nicole's murder trial, the prominent attorney has also served as co-counsel on cases including kidnapped publishing heiress-turned-bank-robber Patricia Hearst, Albert DeSalvo, who confessed to being the Boston Strangler, Sam Sheppard whose arrest following his wife's murder led to the creation of the movie The Fugitive, and many more.
Bailey had a flair for theatrics and was known for taking on the hardest cases, to which O.J.'s fit the exact blueprint.
The world was convinced he was responsible for his ex-wife and Ron Goldman's brutal slayings, but after the NFL star put together his "dream team," he was acquitted.
Besides Bailey, O.J.'s team consisted of Johnnie Cochran, Robert Shapiro, Alan Dershowitz, Barry Scheck, Robert Kardashian, and Carl Douglas convinced a jury beyond reasonable doubt despite evidence at the scene.
His team spun a narrative of police bias, and it was Bailey who was tasked with questioning Detective Mark Fuhrman on the stand.
During his cross-examination, Bailey drilled into Fuhrman, bringing up a history of racial slurs.
Following O.J.'s surprising acquittal, Bailey continued to defend his client's innocence.
He even talked about the negative impact the case took on his career.
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“Among the rednecks of America, which there are many more than people seem to realize, it was terribly damaging,” he once said. “I got blamed for O.J.’s acquittal.”
Despite the negativity surrounding most of his high-profile cases, Bailey didn't seem to care when it came time to collect his checks.
“I get paid for seeing that my clients have every break the law allows,” he once declared. “I have knowingly defended a number of guilty men. But the guilty never escape unscathed. My fees are sufficient punishment for anyone.”
