Johnnie Cochran Rests His Case

Like Michael Jordan from professional basketball and John Elway from professional football, Johnnie Cochran appears to have chosen to walk away from the courtroom while he is at the pinnacle of his profession. Just days after the acquittal of his latest high-profile client, hip hop star Sean 'Puffy' Combs, Cochran is rumored to be preparing to end his career as a lawyer. Many publishing insiders are reporting that Cochran plans to write a book with prolific New York author David Fisher that will be extremely critical of the US Justice System, including some of the judges and attorneys with whom Johnnie has shared courtrooms. The consensus seems to be that Cochran would have a difficult time re-entering the world of criminal litigation after his scathing commentary is printed.

Whatever the future holds for Johnnie Cochran, he has already established himself as one of the most recognizable and influential legal figures of his generation. After graduating from the Loyola University School of Law in 1962, Johnnie worked as a deputy city attorney in L.A., representing victims of police brutality stemming the 1965 Watts riots. He opened a private practice in 1966 and has seemed be in the midst of high-profile cases ever since. His cases have resulted in sweeping changes to the policies of the L.A.P.D. and he has challenged the FBI on numerous occasions. Having achieved legendary status with his defense of O.J. Simpson in the "Trial of the Century" in 1996, Johnnie Cochran continues to question some of the old line thinking of the justice establishment in America. His rumored book deal may serve as the perfect forum to make his arguments directly to the American people.