Many of you will remember the OJ Simpson trial in 1995. If you watched it, you probably thought like most sentient people that, despite some major prosecutorial mistakes, the evidence was so overwhelming that the football star turned actor killed his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, and the outcome was certain to be a slam dunk, right?
I remember the afternoon in October of that year when the verdict came down, feeling like I’d been punched in the gut.
As time went on, it became clear that many Americans were watching two entirely different narratives. For many, the case was a foregone conclusion, and the stunning verdict was a grave miscarriage of justice and a dishonor to the two victims and their grieving families. To others, however, it represented a long overdue reckoning against injustice and racism. Some openly admitted that they didn’t care whether he was guilty or not; it was time to make a statement, and this was that moment.
Others argued that the prosecution simply hadn’t proven the case. I remember talking to one friend, who I respected, telling me that the “glove didn’t fit” argument proved OJ didn’t do it. Of course, that ludicrous etched-in-time moment represented a major error by one of the prosecutors, Christopher Darden, who hadn’t conducted the glove-fitting experiment beforehand, but it also just showed OJ’s charm and duplicity, and most of us could see that he was lying through his teeth when he claimed he couldn’t make the blood-stained leather glove fit on his hand.
I can’t tell you what my friend really thought, but it seemed to me there was a glint in his eye, and his face sort of said, “I don’t really believe that.” (I could be wrong, but that’s what I felt in the moment).
The explosive trial and its dubious aftermath provoked a weird feeling in America: People were looking at each other and thinking, are you one of those who consider this to be a profound failure of the system, or are you somebody who thinks past wrongs against minorities were enough for what the panel engaged in, which, according to many pundits, was flat-out jury nullification?
That’s when a jury knowingly refuses to apply the law and instead returns a “not guilty” verdict even though they believe the defendant is guilty as sin. These folks either don’t believe in the law as written or think there are other extenuating circumstances that require such a bold step.
The Karmelo Anthony trial — and the guilty verdict — has opened some of those old wounds, and there is plenty of ugly rhetoric being thrown out by the likes of endlessly provocative rapper Cardi B, Democrat Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), and even Anthony’s family. One is certainly tempted to ignore Crockett’s inciting, fact-free, hateful rhetoric, but remember, she is a sitting, duly elected member of the U.S. House of Representatives. (Luckily for us all, she’s on her way out because she lost in the primary in her U.S. Senate bid.)
Indefensible: Jasmine Crockett Goes Off the Rails in Jaw-Dropping Defense of Karmelo Anthony
Breaking: Karmelo Anthony Verdict Is In — Texas on Edge
There are a lot of toxic social media posts being blasted out there:
Wow! Just freakin wow! DISGUSTING… This is not justice, this is trying to make an example!!!
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) June 10, 2026
Then there are the folks who think the Metcalf family should be punished more for enduring their son’s murder.
The crazed Karmelo supporters have started another petition to target Hunter.
— Sarah Fields (@SarahisCensored) June 10, 2026
Report it. pic.twitter.com/kccN36ICb9
What do you tell your kids? Maybe don't kill people:
Karmelo Anthony supporter: "What do I tell my 5 boys? What do we do now!?"
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 9, 2026
Uh… don't murder? pic.twitter.com/DGrnCbhhe6
Obviously, race is a major factor in reactions to this conviction. It would be easy to paint this as just a racial matter, but it’s much more than that: It’s a disturbing tolerance of violence among swaths of the public of all races who believe the ends justify the means.
The future of journalism? Credentialed members of the NYC press corps came to Luigi Mangione’s hearing today to support the defendant they’re purportedly reporting on and to promote jury nullification “to the most cucked and submissive population in all of human history” pic.twitter.com/hmt7YOc2FX
— Molly Crane-Newman (@molcranenewman) May 18, 2026
YES, THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED: Fingerpointing Begins After Twisted Videos of Mangione Fangirl 'Reporters' at NYC Courtroom Go Viral
It’s certainly not just members of one race who celebrate death and bloodshed:
A protester dressed as Charlie Kirk appeared at the TPUSA Women's Summit to reenact his assassination while other protesters chanted, "He deserved to die." Political disagreement should never become dehumanization. Don't you agree? pic.twitter.com/WTM7I2HryV
— Spunky Conservative Patriot™ (@SpunkyPatriot_) June 10, 2026
The Karmelo Anthony-Austin Metcalf case is yet another senseless tragedy where, in this case, two young men’s lives are ruined (or ended), and their families are left devastated. That certain members of the public not only accept Austin’s murder but celebrate it is a terrifying bellwether of where we are as a society.
One thing we definitely don’t need right now is the Ghost of OJ Simpson coming back to haunt and divide us.
