Johnnie Cochran (1937-2005) was a highly influential American lawyer and civil rights activist. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, he grew up in a low-income African-American community. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a law degree from Loyola Law School, Cochran began his legal career as a deputy city prosecutor in Los Angeles. He then founded his own law firm, specializing in defending individuals against police brutality and civil rights violations. Cochran gained national prominence as the lead defense attorney in the controversial 1995 O.J. Simpson murder trial. Successfully emphasizing issues of race and police misconduct, he secured Simpson’s acquittal and became a household name. Throughout his career, Cochran fought for justice on behalf of marginalized communities, making significant contributions to civil rights litigation and becoming an icon in American legal history.