Marcia Clark is best known for being the lead prosecutor for the O.J. Simpson murder trial. The former Heisman Trophy Winner was accused and found not guilty of the June 1994 death of Nicole Brown Simpson and waiter Ronald Lyle Goldman in a trial that captivated the country. Thrust back into the spotlight by “The People vs. O.J. Simpson” miniseries, a new generation is now fascinated by Clark, the discrimination she faced during the trial, and the writing career that followed.
In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, hosts Fabiani Duarte and Sandy Gallant-Jones sit down with Marcia Clark, most notably known for serving as the prosecutor for the trial of O.J. Simpson, to discuss her new novel “Blood Defense.” Marcia provides deeper insight into the motivation behind the creation of, and the personality differences between, her long running character Rachel Knight and her new protagonist, Samantha Brinkman. She also speaks briefly about her experience writing through the prosecutorial lens and the catalyst behind her recent shift towards writing from the perspective of the defense. The focus of the discussion then pivots toward an analysis of her experiences during the O.J. Simpson case and her prosecutorial experience. Marcia reflects on the adversity she faced during the trial as she balanced raising a family, fighting a custody battle, and the sexism she experienced in the courtroom and the office. She closes the interview with advice on helpful skills that law students can develop while in school, such as discipline and persistence, and how those experiences can be applied to their work in the profession.
