I
s
And that’s why Cochran believes that affir
mative action is necessary. “Affirmative action is
merely an attempt to lower the playing field; it’s a
bridge to parity,” he said. “We have to step up and
demand our share because our cause is just and our
cause is right.”
To do that, Cochran said that African
Americans must listen to the voices of the past.
“Never forget from whence you came,” he said.
“The agenda needs to be set now, with the forti
tude of our ances-
|tors. You, who are
free, can do any
thing.”
Cochran, as
most of the world
knows, has helped
to keep a lot of
people stay free.
He has defended
Snoop Doggy
Dogg, Michael
Jackson and O.J.
Simpson.
He has recently taken the cases of Abner Louima,
the Haitian who was allegedly beaten and sodom
ized by police in Brooklyn and Sean “Puffy”
Combs, who on Jan. 13, was charged with fleeing
a nightclub while shooting an illegal weapon.
But Cochran left these high-profile cases—
the cases that made him famous out of his
speech. However, he did mention the case of
Geronimo Pratt, a Black Panther he defended in
1972 who was convicted and sentenced to life in
prison. Two decades later, Cochran saw his inno
cent client released from prison.
Cochran was not the only one who didn’t
mention O.J. Simpson and his other famous
clients. The leadership of the Black Student
Movement pre-selected questions that Cochran
would answer, and those people chosen did not ask
Cochran about O.J. Simpson, Snoop Doggy Dogg
or Sean “Puffy” Combs.
Even though he has been successful at defending
the black, rich and famous, lately Cochran has
directed his talents elsewhere. In 1996, he wrote
his autobiography, “Journey to Justice,” which
made the best-seller lists of the New York “Times,”
the “Wall Street Journal” and “USA Today.” He
has also hosted a live talk show, “Johnnie Cochran
Tonight,” which aired on Court TV
But before the fame, Cochran started his
career as Deputy City Attorney for the city of Los
Angeles in 1963. Three years later he founded the
law firm of Cochran, Atkins and Evans; he served
as the Assistant District Attorney for Los Angeles
County from 1978 to 1980; and in 1981, he
returned to private practice.
During his career, he has won numerous
awards including the “Criminal Trial Lawyer of the
Year Award” and the “Civil Trial Lawyer of the
Year Award”—the only lawyer in Los Angeles to
be so honored. Time magazine named him
Headliner for 1995” and a year later, he received
a Trumpet Award” from Turner Broadcasting
System, Inc.
Cochran graduated from the Loyola University
School of Law. He lives in California with his
wife. Dr. Dale Mason Cochran, and his father,
Johnnie Cochran Sr.
JL-
13
Black Ink