THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 5, 1994 TAG: 9408050011
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 29 lines
Over the past few weeks, there has been an insistent buzz regarding the O. J. Simpson murder hearings. One issue is whether it's possible for him to get a fair trial.
The assuredness of prosecutors does not jibe with the view from the country's African-American communities. Polls show a 40-point gap between blacks and whites in their perception of Simpson's guilt, reflecting black America's lack of confidence in the criminal-justice system.
Blacks have seen the Menendez brothers' case end in a mistrial. But they have also seen the vicious beating of Rodney King at the hands of the Los Angeles police and the tragic riots that ensued.
In a culture where perception is often greater than reality, the facts may not weigh as heavily as the atmosphere in which these facts exist. The national discussion of the Simpson case clearly shows a deficiency of faith in the belief that justice is blind.
KEVIN M. BRISCOE
Norfolk, July 28, 1994 by CNB