The First 5 Minutes of a Trial: Why Opening Moments Matter

In June 1995, one of the most memorable moments in American legal history took place during the murder trial of O. J. Simpson. With millions of people following the case, prosecutors presented a pair of leather gloves they argued were connected to the killings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. During a courtroom demonstration, Simpson was asked to try on the gloves in front of the jury. As he struggled to pull them on, they appeared too small, creating a dramatic and highly publicized