O.J. SIMPSON FEELS THE HEAT

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No matter which version of events the predominantly white jury ultimately chooses to believe when the trial ends, anyone expecting them to reach some holy grail of truth this time around will be disappointed. All that is needed is a "preponderance of the evidence"--a much lower standard than reasonable doubt--and eight out of 12 jurors in agreement. Simpson may be held liable in the deaths of these two people, but he will not go to prison. Depending on the cleverness of his attorneys, Simpson may not even have to pay full damages, although this case is less about money than about exacting retribution. And a victory at trial, just like the last time around, does not necessarily mean that someday the real killers will be found. The jurors, like many Americans, may have already made up their minds. On Friday, as Petrocelli, voice booming dramatically, accused the defendant of killing Nicole, then Ron Goldman, Simpson kept turning toward the jurors, trying to catch each of their eyes, as he answered, over and over, "Absolutely not." Some jurors were already looking elsewhere.

--Reported by Elaine Lafferty/Santa Monica and Andrea Sachs/New York