LETTERS

THE INSIDE STORY OF HOW O.J. LOST

"It is comforting to know that even in America's out-of-control legal system with its overpaid lawyers, justice can be found." ABHAY GEORGE Aarhus, Denmark

Congratulations on your behind-the-scenes account of the civil trial of O.J. Simpson [NATION, Feb. 17]! It is in the best journalistic tradition. You caused me to think deeply about the two trials, civil and criminal. The verdict by a mainly white jury that Simpson is liable for the battering of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and the murder of her friend Ron Goldman, and the prior decision by a mostly black jury, which absolved him of murder, have raised the specter of racism. The case spells the eventual doom of the principles proclaimed by America's founders and seems to foreshadow a coming social, political and economic revolution. SAMUEL J. GORDEN Tempe, Arizona

The same people who cheered the verdict in Simpson's first trial criticized the decision in the second. As a black man, I understand their disillusionment just as I understood their jubilation. But why are so many so emotional about the whole affair? A number of those who rooted for Simpson's acquittal in the criminal trial openly expressed doubts about his innocence. Nevertheless they applauded the first decision with some misgivings. Why then are these people bemoaning the second verdict? The answer is that for blacks and whites alike, the issue was never Simpson's guilt or liability; it was his color. EDWARD ELLIS JR. Ionia, Michigan

Simpson is still a hero to many Americans. But I continue to have some questions for him: What was the chase in your Bronco (with the gun, passport and disguise) really about? Also, you spent lots of money to hire some of America's best lawyers to defend you--which you needed to do. You spent lots of money traveling to the Bahamas, Florida and Europe. But why haven't you spent more money to hire America's best private detectives to try to find Ron and Nicole's killer(s)? What are we missing, O.J.? Please be our hero and shed some light on these puzzling issues. WARREN T. FIELDS Indianapolis, Indiana

Those discontented with the first Simpson trial can rest assured that the damages awarded to the plaintiffs in the second trial, coupled with the expense of an appeal and the hounding by creditors, will cause Simpson to endure a fate far worse than any prison sentence. JOHN K. DAVIS Gallup, New Mexico

Most people think that Simpson was tried twice for the same crime and that he was found guilty the second time. A more apt name for the second trial would be kangaroo court. It brings to mind John Wayne's line as Marshal Rooster Cogburn, when he tells the bad guy that he'll get a fair trial and a fine hanging. RON FYTEN Pierz, Minnesota

O.K., now that Simpson has won one and lost one, what's next for him? Perhaps another trial. We could make it two out of three. GENE CARTON St. Louis, Missouri

In the civil trial, O.J. was unjustly tried, wrongfully found liable and penalized for a crime he did not commit. BEN LILLARD Panama City, Florida

First there was a criminal trial in which a predominantly black jury found Simpson not guilty of murder. Then prosecutors, defense lawyers, witnesses, jurors, journalists and police officers lined their pockets with the proceeds from writing books and appearing on talk shows. All this was followed by a civil trial in which a predominantly white jury found Simpson liable for for battering and a wrongful death. Now it is the victims' families who stand to cash in. I am disgusted that a search for truth and justice has resulted in this display of bigotry, corruption and greed while leaving the crime apparently unsolved and a possibly innocent man ruined. Shame on the society that allowed this to happen! ANTHONY H.O. STEED Radmer, Austria

DARDEN'S COLOR OF JUSTICE

The essay on justice and race by Christopher Darden, who acted as a prosecutor in Simpson's criminal trial, deserves everyone's attention [NATION, Feb. 17]. Darden deals with this issue brilliantly and courageously. A positive outcome of the Simpson trials is the demonstration of the seriousness of racial prejudice in the U.S., a prejudice that works in both directions. The public outcries of well-meaning, intelligent and accomplished blacks show how discrimination has poisoned their judgment and hobbled their ability to rise above emotion and exercise good judgment. GENE F. OSTROM Crownsville, Maryland

Darden is still laboring under the mistaken notion that it was the race card played so convincingly by the defense attorneys that won Simpson his acquittal in the criminal case, and that an unfavorable jury balance worked against Simpson in the civil trial. Darden should instead study the effective presentation of evidence by the attorneys in the civil case. In placing the blame on race for his loss in the criminal trial, Darden does a disservice to our judicial system. Contrary to his view, race has not undermined the confidence in these verdicts. An effective, organized argument can be recognized by any jury, black or white. JOHN DOWLEY Kingston, New York

Until we view all who come before the bar of the court as people--period--we cannot hope to achieve true justice. Sadly, we have allowed "Justice is blind" to mean blind to the evidence. At present, American justice sees only color. Hats off to Darden! Not only does he see the problem, but he is also willing to stand up to it and suffer unjust consequences. With people like him leading the way, maybe there is hope for us yet. JOSEPH FOX Philadelphia

Whites tend to see the Los Angeles police department as serving and protecting and are aghast at charges of perjury and the manufacturing of evidence. Blacks have a completely different view that is entirely consistent with the concept of racial injustice. Ask Rodney King. MIKE HOGEN Vancouver, British Columbia

A WOMAN AT STATE

Congratulations on the outstanding biographical sketch of Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State [WORLD, Feb. 17] and a new leader in American government! After reading "The Many Lives of Madeleine," I feel I know the woman. I have great faith in her ability to lead the Clinton Administration in foreign affairs. DAVID DUNCKEL Big Spring, Texas

I am not a big fan of Albright's world view, in which she pigeonholes some nations as democratic wannabes. This is merely old diplomacy in a new bottle. Yet she is an inspirational powerhouse, with immense courage and determination. Your article should be required reading for all young women. INDRA DE SILVA Marlborough, Massachusetts

Albright is very likable. The only thing to dislike about her is the fact that she is the one who has to implement the U.S. policy of interfering wherever it gets the chance. KIM D. SOUZA Lagos

HARRIMAN'S LIFE OF DRAMA

The Pamela Harriman obituary [NATION, Feb. 17] and the Albright article were in interesting juxtaposition. Albright teaches us that through hard work and perseverance, a woman in today's world can make it to the top. In stark contrast, Harriman showed us that if a woman has affairs with the right men, she can make it to the top and even be lionized by the press for doing so. But which woman would most people choose as a role model for their daughter to follow in society today? ALAN GARETT Corpus Christi, Texas

You said Pamela Harriman "terrified wives by having affairs with their husbands, some of the world's wealthiest and most powerful men." Was this part of "her brilliant career"? RON THIMOT Haverhill, Massachusetts

Well, we've buried Pamela Harriman. Much ado about a woman who apparently far outdid Eva Peron in sleeping her way to fame, wealth and power. Maybe Andrew Lloyd Webber will write the show Pamelita. ROBERT KIMZEY St. Petersburg, Florida

Pamela Harriman had the ability to make you feel as if you were the most important man in the room, even if there were 300 people present and you were only a country boy from South Carolina. ROBERTSON H. GAYLOR Paris

ABOUT THOSE LIBERTARIANS

Michael Kinsley's supposition that libertarians use the "right to kill" oneself as the basis of their ideology [ESSAY, Feb. 17] is simply wrong. In fact, if there is a clear-cut basis for libertarian ideology, it is in the pledge all financial supporters must take--that they do not believe in the initiation of force to achieve their goals. This separates libertarians from the Democrats and Republicans, who consistently use force against other governments and U.S. citizens to achieve their goals. Of course, we libertarians are the only party with an ideology you can put your finger on, and this has given us problems with fund raising. But on the upside, we can live with ourselves when we finally do achieve some measure of political success. NATHAN SCHOMER Boulder, Colorado

Kinsley missed the mark. Libertarians are attempting to implement a political policy while downplaying the necessity of a philosophical and cultural renaissance. For a leading media personality like Kinsley to defend government regulation after the demise of communism shows just how far we have to go. DALE NETHERTON Farmington, Iowa

HAITI'S ROGUE COPS

I've always been cynical about the U.S. government's interfering in the domestic affairs of other countries, but when I read about the abuse of human rights in Haiti by the U.S.-trained police force [WORLD, Feb. 17], I was outraged. Meddling in other countries' internal affairs not only does not make situations in those countries any better, it makes them worse. When will the U.S. government learn to live and let live? COLLINS CRAPO Idaho Falls, Idaho

In a country of few roads, little clean water, one doctor for each 12,000 people, few jobs and trash as landscape, my pledge of 1 million gourdes (U.S.$67,000) to the General Hospital of Port-au-Prince would do more for the people than the $65 million the U.S. has used to train the thugs and thieves of Haiti's police force. RUDEL SIMON III Jamestown, New York

Your report "A Constabulary of Thugs" was unbalanced, and it maligned the efforts of thousands of members of the Haitian National Police who toil daily under arduous circumstances in an effort to provide law enforcement in Haiti. I take responsibility for the actions of my subordinates and acknowledge that some HNP members have committed human-rights abuses, but the majority of these offenses have been identified through the investigative efforts of HNP officials. The HNP does not condone these acts, and we are addressing these very serious problems. I have approved the dismissal of 103 people from the force based on human-rights abuses. In addition, the Haitian government is working to ensure that HNP officers face criminal charges when warranted. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix, as the problems did not originate with the creation of the HNP in 1996 but have developed over decades. You failed to convey the complexity of the situation and gave short shrift to the HNP's commitment to protecting human rights. PIERRE DENIZE, Director General Haitian National Police Port-au-Prince

As a Haitian-born reporter at the U.N., I know from personal experience that all you wrote about Haiti is true. The main question is, Are we going to close our eyes to the brutal human-rights violations in Haiti? FRANTZ ISRAEL New York City