He ran to football fame and made fortunes in movies. His trial for the murder of his former wife and her friend became an inflection point on race in America.
Criminal trials don’t find defendants “innocent”. They find them not guilty, which is a huge difference. It means the prosecution didn’t bring forward enough evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The presence of doubt means they weren’t found guilty. Not that they were found innocent.
What a terrible headline.
Fixed it: Murderer whose trial riveted the nation.
Was found innocent
Not guilty is not the same as innocent.
Legally or morally?
Legally. “Found innocent” is a legal conclusion and factually incorrect.
Criminal trials don’t find defendants “innocent”. They find them not guilty, which is a huge difference. It means the prosecution didn’t bring forward enough evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The presence of doubt means they weren’t found guilty. Not that they were found innocent.