Rewatch the Infamous O.J. Simpson Bronco Chase, 20 Years Later
It’s been 20 years since O.J. Simpson attempted to skip out on turning himself in to the LAPD for double murder charges by riding off in a Ford Bronco with his friend Al Cowling at the wheel.
That police chase has become one of the biggest moment in TV news history, largely for its impact on how the business covers stories in real-time, and also for how it created many household names out of ambitious reporters.
Not only did local news outlets, CBS, ABC, and CNN all divert coverage to the chase, but NBC interrupted Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets by placing the gameplay in a box in the lower right-hand portion of the screen and focusing the main screen on Simpson’s vehicle.
Watch a variety of the networks’ coverage of the chase below, especially the one segment of local CBS coverage that featured a hysterical “Simpson admirer” named Sue, who called in to express sympathy with the embattled star and tell audiences how he is a “hero” for her and is absolutely innocent of all charges.
Part 1:
Part 2:
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