MovieChat Forums > A Time to Kill (1996) Discussion > If Nicole Brown's family killed OJ in re...

If Nicole Brown's family killed OJ in revenge...

posted 12 years ago by A_Fistful_of_Pennies
13 replies | jump to latest

In revenge for her murder before OJ went to trial (or after he was proclaimed not guilty), should they not go to jail for killing a man? Especially one who was not proven guilty. My point is race should not be a factor, you can easily flip it around the other way.

If someone killed or raped a member of my family, I can't say I wouldn't react the same way as Carl Lee did. But does that make it right? In the eyes of the law it is a crime. If I did such a thing, regardless of your personal moral stance, in the eyes of the law everyone should be equal and I should expect to pay for it. I made the choice, so my actions will have consequences. If you are not prepared to face the consequences of your actions, whether those consequences are "fair" or not in your eyes, then don't commit the action.

I just think this film sets a bad example because it has a specific set of circumstances that make the audience feel more sympathetic, but two wrongs don't make a right. It even furthers my point that even if you believe that things should be an eye for an eye, what about the man who was seriously injured and forever debilitated by Carl Lee's actions, the innocent cop who did nothing to him?

[–] star_in_the_zenith_79 12 years ago

I completely agree. The problem is, people don't know the difference between something that is understandable and something that is justified.

Aside from a special blessed and restrained few, most people could not say with any certainty that they would not have done the same thing in Carl Lee's position. I can't say that I wouldn't have myself, though I believe I would have at least given the legal system a chance. But it doesn't make it right, if you send the message that its ok for everyone to take vengeance against those who wrong you, you have chaos.

And I felt that the testimony of Chris Cooper's character may have been what influenced the jury to acquit Carl Lee, but it was probably unrealistic. Maybe its just me, but had I been in his shoes, I would have wanted Carl Lee to go to prison if he maimed me for life, even if he didn't mean to. That doesn't mean I wouldn't forgive him or that I'd hate him, but I'd still want him punished, or at the very least paying my doctor bills. Which Carl Lee probably would have done.

But I said in another post, the problem here was the DA seeking the death penalty, which is absurd. I'm not convinced any DA in the country would have sought the gas chamber against this man, and probably not even first degree murder charges.

Carl Lee should have served time in prison, not a lot, possibly five years or so and payed restitution to the injured deputy. That IMO would have been enough to show him that taking the law into his own hands was not something that is tolerated in this country, but would not have destroyed his life.

[–] Jolenealaska 12 years ago

But I said in another post, the problem here was the DA seeking the death penalty, which is absurd. I'm not convinced any DA in the country would have sought the gas chamber against this man, and probably not even first degree murder charges.

Carl Lee should have served time in prison, not a lot, possibly five years or so and payed restitution to the injured deputy. That IMO would have been enough to show him that taking the law into his own hands was not something that is tolerated in this country, but would not have destroyed his life.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I came here to say exactly the same thing; especially pointing out the absurdity of it being a death penalty case. In 1950 maybe, not in the 80s or 90s.

[–] Doc80 10 years ago

Yeah, it was really a crime of passion. It would be like coming home and finding your SO in bed with someone else and then killing or severely injuring said other person. It's a crime for sure but if you are so overcome with emotion, you can't be held fully responsible and therefore it can't be premeditated.

[–] manofsteel4455 12 years ago

LOL at how naive and too lenient you darn liberals are.

You want to play the game, you'd better know the rules, love.
-Harry Callahan

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] katspajamas22 11 years ago

Very well said.

One flew east, one flew west. One flew over the cuckoo's nest.

[–] khaoesmith27 11 years ago

Problem is...even tho O.J. was a prime suspect, we still don't know for sure if he killed Nicole. In this film, the little girl's shoe was found in the rapist's truck which points the evidence to them. A vigilante killing on someone who you think may have killed your family against a vigilante killing on someone who has evidence against them to find them guilty of raping your daughter...weigh the facts here.

[–] Doc80 10 years ago

Not to mention that at least one of them, maybe both, I don't recall, admitted to raping her.

[–] Citation_Needed 8 years ago

LOL We do know for sure he killed Nicole.

The girl's shoe is equivalent to the bloody glove and blood on the Bronco, except OJ's lawyers used some racial conspiracy and loaded the jury box with a bunch of racist black morons.

[–] ItsEddieHaskellBeyotch 11 years ago

"If Nicole Brown's family killed OJ in revenge..."

Then O.J. would be dead and everyone would shut up about it.

'When there's no more room in Hollywood, remakes shall walk the Earth.'

[–] cadeduelg 11 years ago

The DA would have cut a deal with the Browns or the Goldmans had this happened.
And, in regards to the Simpson case, Chris Rock got it just right when he said "Black people too happy, white people too mad."
I guarantee you if OJ had killed his first wife, not too many white people would have gotten so passionate and involved.

[–] star_in_the_zenith_79 10 years ago

I guarantee you if OJ had killed his first wife, not too many white people would have gotten so passionate and involved.

You can engage in hypotheticals all day long, but you are underestimating a lot of people.

I don't want to see two innocent people get their heads almost cut off, regardless of the color of their skin.

[–] cadeduelg 10 years ago

Star, I hope that you are right in your optimism.
However, as someone who as Native American blood but looks completely "white"--I can tell you the things that people will say about minorities when they think it is "just us white folks" has pretty much consumed most of my "glass half full" opinion where race/racism is concerned.