Christopher Darden, O.J. Simpson Co-Prosecutor, To Run For Judge; Gets Judge Lance Ito’s Support

Ahead of the March 5 election, Darden has secured an endorsement from retired Judge Lance Ito, who presided over the O.J. Simpson criminal trial in 1995.

Christopher Darden, who along with Johnnie Cochran is best remembered for his role in the 1995 O.J. Simpson murder trial, is now running for L.A. County Superior Judge.

Darden’s participation in the Simpson trial, dubbed the “Trial of the Century,” is remembered for his ill-advised request of Simpson to try on the gloves he allegedly used to murder ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her acquaintance Ron Goldman. The gloves didn’t fit Simpson, prompting Cochran to recite the now famous couplet, “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”

Darden, 67, has been an attorney in Los Angeles for 40 years, working for the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office. According to CBS News, Darden worked in the Hardcore Gang Unit and the Special Investigation Division as the deputy district attorney. Following the Simpson trial, he went to work as a criminal defense attorney in a private practice. He also taught law in various roles as a professor and provided legal analysis for CNBC, NBC, Court TV, and CNN.

Ahead of the March 5 election, Darden has secured an endorsement from retired Judge Lance Ito, which his campaign announced on Nov. 13, according to the Los Angeles Sentinel. Ito presided over the Simpson case. Darden and Ito both worked in the Hardcore Gang Unit.

According to the Sentinel, Darden is pleased to have Ito’s support, saying, “I have always had tremendous respect for Judge Lance Ito. As a prosecutor, a judge, and retired jurist, Judge Ito has always conducted himself with the utmost professionalism and sets the standard for fairness on the bench. I am so honored to have his support as I now seek a seat on the Superior Court.”

Darden has listed additional endorsements on his campaign website from Judges Terry A. Bork, Stephen Morgan, Rubiya Nur, Eric C. Taylor, Patricia J. Titus, and Scott A. Yang.

He is leveraging his association with the Simpson murder trial, which he uses on his campaign website to portray himself as a candidate with a wide breadth of legal experience to draw from.

“Christopher Darden’s extraordinary courtroom experience—serving as both a prosecutor and defense attorney, his work as a legal scholar and his deep commitment to justice for all—including victims, makes him an exceptional and uniquely qualified candidate for the bench,” his website reads.