O.J. Appeal to Be Argued

Three months after the jury handed down its verdict, the controversy and debate surrounding the O.J. Simpson trial continues.

Frankfurter Professor of Law Alan M. Dershowitz will argue Simpson's appeal in a two-hour moot court case sponsored by the Boston Bar Association on February 8.

The moot court exercise, titled "The Appeal That Never Was," is an educational exercise intended to train lawyers in oral litigation techniques, according to Edward D. Rapacki, the chief of the criminal bureau of the state Attorney General's office.

Rapacki will present the prosecution's arguments, in the moot court.

Following the lawyers' arguments, a panel of judges will critique the moot oral arguments in order to present the audience with proper evaluation, Rapacki said.

The panelists will include Carter Professor of General Jurisprudence and state Supreme Judicial Court Justice Charles Fried.

Fried said yesterday that his involvement in the moot court came about because he "responded to an invitation," but declined to elaborate further.

Rapacki defended the choice of the controversial Simpson case on educational grounds.

"The reason for utilizing the Simpson case is that it doesn't require new information," Rapacki said. "Lawyers will have a common set of references on the policy issues.

Fried said yesterday that his involvement in the moot court came about because he "responded to an invitation," but declined to elaborate further.

Rapacki defended the choice of the controversial Simpson case on educational grounds.

"The reason for utilizing the Simpson case is that it doesn't require new information," Rapacki said. "Lawyers will have a common set of references on the policy issues.