Carl E. Douglas facts for kids

Carl Edwin Douglas (born May 8, 1955) is an American lawyer. He is known for helping people with their legal problems. He often works on cases involving police misconduct, wrongful deaths, and personal injuries.

Douglas became well-known as one of the lawyers on the "Dream Team" during the famous O. J. Simpson murder trial. He used to be a top lawyer at the law office of Johnnie Cochran, Jr. In 1998, he started his own law firm, which is now called Douglas / Hicks Law.

He has represented many famous people. These include singer Michael Jackson, actors Jamie Foxx and Queen Latifah, former NFL player Darren Sharper, and rappers Tupac Shakur and Sean "Puffy" Combs.

Education and Early Life

Carl Douglas grew up in Crenshaw, Los Angeles. He went to Dorsey High School.

After high school, he studied at Northwestern University. He then earned his law degree (called a Juris Doctor) from the University of California, Berkeley.

Legal Career Highlights

Carl Douglas was a very important lawyer at Johnnie Cochran Jr.'s law firm. Many people in the legal world saw him as one of Cochran's best. He worked on cases with Cochran for clients like rappers Tupac Shakur and Sean "Puffy" Combs. He also represented actor Todd Bridges.

Big Cases and Lawsuits

After leaving Cochran's firm, Douglas quickly worked on another major case. In 1999, he was part of the legal team for Patricia Anderson vs. General Motors. In this case, a car's gas tank exploded. Two women and four children were hurt. The court ordered General Motors to pay a very large amount of money. This was because of safety issues with the car. At the time, it was one of the biggest verdicts for a personal injury case.

In 2008, Douglas filed a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles and its police department. This was for the shooting death of Maurice Cox. Cox was an unarmed driver. Much of the shooting was recorded on video.

In 2009, Douglas represented Elgin Baylor. Baylor was a famous basketball player and executive. He sued the Los Angeles Clippers and the NBA. Baylor claimed he faced unfair treatment because of his race and age. The lawsuit was not successful for Baylor.

O.J. Simpson Documentary

Carl Douglas was interviewed in a 2016 documentary. It was called O.J.: Made in America. In the film, he talked about his role in the O.J. Simpson murder case. Douglas explained the legal team's strategy. They wanted to show that some people, especially in the Black community, did not trust the justice system. He also discussed how Simpson's house was prepared for the jury to visit. This included changing some photos to show more Black people.

Douglas also shared his thoughts on Simpson's later arrest in 2007. Simpson was convicted of robbery. Douglas felt that Simpson's long prison sentence, which happened on the anniversary of his acquittal, was a form of payback. He called the verdict the "fifth quarter" of a football game.

Today, Carl Douglas has a law office in Beverly Hills, California.

Awards and Recognition

Carl Douglas has received several important awards for his legal work:

• In 1994 and 1999, he was named "Loren Miller Lawyer of the Year." This award is given by the John M. Langston Bar Association.
• In 2007, the Consumer Attorneys' Association of Los Angeles honored him. They named him "Trial Lawyer of the Year."