The LongBow Papers

Liberal-oriented columns, commentary and archived articles on national and international news, politics, and the communication arts--with emphasis on China--by Joseph Bosco, author, journalist, director and actor; Professor of Drama and Communications at Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Thursday, March 31, 2005

Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., 1937 - 2005

6:10 PM

Another modern American giant has fallen; and I have lost another dear friend. It's been a bad few weeks in that regard. I got to know Johnnie Cochran pretty well during the 14 months or so that we were in court in the criminal trial of O. J. Simpson; that's to be expected when you spend that much time in a relatively small room with the same group of people, day after day, and do it under enormous pressure from without and within. We interacted on a personal level every day of the week, and sometimes we spoke by telephone on weekends during those long months then known in America as "The Trial of the Century."

But it wasn't until after the criminal trial that we really became friends, very good friends. While Johnnie Cochran was the single best trial lawyer I ever saw work in my career, it is the non-public Johnnie Cochran that I will remember the longest and miss the most. There are so many "little" stories of the non-public Johnnie Cochran I came to know, respect, love and admire beyond measure that best illustrate his greatness. Most of them will remain private, however, because he would've wished them to. But there are some I know he would like me to tell, and I will, but not today.

It's been a bad month, and even though two magazine article deadlines had to be met during it--writing is a business--and my teaching had to continue on, words were still like big craggy rocks to me. And then it just got worse. Who will we lose next?

6:10 PM / Editor / permalink 0 comments

Saturday, March 19, 2005

Bill Wasz Is Dead

1:40 PM

I was often afraid that I might have to type the title above during the long years William Benson Wasz was in prison; after Bill's release last August, that fear stopped and there was only joy that one of the best friends I have in this world was free. To type it now is an obscenity; he had everything going for him. He had every reason to live.

I cannot write with any concentration at present; I am hurting too much and words are like boulders. I will file only a brief report for those who will hear the news of Bill's passing and come to these pages because of my long and intense relationship with the O.J. Simpson murders of a decade ago in America. It follows:

I have just spoken to Larry Longo, Bill's attorney and one of my closest friends. Bill was found dead by Frank Longo, Larry's son and law partner, without apparent injury or trauma slumped over the counter in his apartment kitchen. At this moment, please, I can only say that he died under suspicious circumstances. Larry is monitoring the coroner's investigation; Bill's apartment is being treated as a crime scene and is sealed.

There are other pertinent crime scene details--and matters ongoing prior to his death--but I cannot report on them now because we do not want rampant speculation that might hinder the search for exactly what happened.

Larry--and others--chose not to have an obit, and does not know why the police item has not appeared in the press.

I am heartbroken; Larry and I cried like babies over the telephone.

For readers who haven't the foggiest idea what this is all about, here is the definitive Wasz-O.J. article. I must warn you, it loads slowly due to the graphics.

1:40 PM / Editor / permalink 7 comments