F. Lee Bailey, Attorney Who Defended OJ Simpson, Dies At 87
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — F. Lee Bailey, a criminal defense attorney who played a key role murder trial of O.J. Simpson as a member of the so-called dream team of lawyers, died Thursday at the age of 87.
As one of the first celebrity attorneys, Bailey defended high-profile clients such as Patty Hearst and Albert DeSalvo, the confessed Boston Strangler. During Simpson's 1995 trial, he worked with Johnnie Cochran Jr., Robert Kardashian, Robert Shapiro and others to win a not guilty verdict for the former athlete who was charged with killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.
In a video posted to Twitter, Simpson said that he "lost a great friend."
I lost a great one. F Lee Bailey you will be missed. pic.twitter.com/6s8JI3OQVB
— O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) June 3, 2021
Attorney Carl Douglas called Bailey a "warrior as a trial lawyer" in a statement released shortly after the announcement and said they became good friends over the 18 months they worked together defending Simpson.
"I loved his enthusiastic support for O.J's innocence, and his tireless belief in his ability best represent him," Douglas said. "On a personal level, he took an interest in my personal development, and in making me a better lawyer. I will miss him dearly."
However, Bailey — who also wrote several books, including "The Truth About The O.J. Simpson Trial: By the Architect of the Defense," — was not immune from legal trouble. In 1996, he served more than a month in a federal detention center on a contempt-of-court charge and was disbarred in both Florida and Massachusetts in the early 2000s.
Bailey died at a hospice center in the Atlanta area, according to his son. No cause was given.
He is survived by three sons, a sister and five grandchildren.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)