Many UCLA community members are mourning the death of Johnnie
Cochran, a 1959 UCLA graduate who became famous for successfully
defending O.J. Simpson against murder charges, and who was
remembered by minority communities for his philanthropy, civil
rights activism and defense of many poor clients.
Memorial services held from Monday through today in Los Angeles
honored Cochran’s life, following his death on March 29 of an
inoperable brain tumor. He was 67.
Cochran supported UCLA throughout his life. His contributions
included the Johnnie L. Cochran Sr. Scholarship in his
father’s name and donations to the law school, the Tom
Bradley International Hall and the Arthur Ashe Student Health and
Wellness Center.
Winston Doby, a UCLA graduate and former vice president of
student affairs at the university, said Cochran was a personal role
model for him. Doby, who now works in educational outreach for the
University of California Office of the President and whose career
at UCLA spans about 40 years, knew Cochran since he was a child and
became close friends with him when he pledged the Kappa Alpha Psi
fraternity.
Cochran graduated before Doby began attending UCLA, but while
attending at Loyola Law School, he frequently studied at UCLA and
remained supportive of his alma mater and his fraternity, Doby
said.
“Johnnie is evidence of the level of achievement that so
many African American alumni (of) UCLA have attained at
UCLA,” he said. “The legacy he leaves is a legacy of
greatness and achievement, and that’s what UCLA really stands
for. It stands for greatness and achievement in all
aspects.”
Doby said those who knew Cochran through his public persona may
not have known his personal side.
“Johnnie was a genuine human being, a caring human being
with strong, strong personal values and beliefs that he clearly
acquired through his upbringing in a very strong family,” he
said.
Cochran was respected in the black community for his loyalty and
perseverance and was a “pillar of the community,”
serving as a personal mentor for many individuals, Doby said.
“He was always someone I could call no matter what the
issue was,” he said. “That’s the kind of
friendship I think he exemplified to a whole lot of
people.”
Alex Tucker, Special Projects and Development Coordinator for
the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, was
friends with Cochran’s daughter, a UCLA alumna, and said
Cochran’s family had strong ties to UCLA. Cochran’s
father and most of his family attended the university.
“It was a great loss to the UCLA community as well as to
individuals in the Southland everywhere. His influence was by far
everywhere,” Tucker said, referring to Cochran’s
influence both in and beyond Los Angeles.
Cochran was given the 2003 Thurgood Marshall Award by the
university, an honorary lecture and dinner named for the first
black Supreme Court justice, whom Cochran admired.
“He was very interested in students having the opportunity
to hear his comments on civil rights and human rights, especially
how he was influenced by Thurgood Marshall,” Tucker said,
adding that Cochran always had time for a kind word and to impart
wisdom to younger individuals.
While at UCLA, Cochran was active in the UCLA fraternity Kappa
Alpha Psi, and his membership extended past his undergraduate
career. He continued to be active in fraternity events nationally
and with current members of the UCLA chapter.
Rodney Diggs, a fifth-year sociology student and
“polemark” or president of the Upsilon chapter, said
Cochran was a role model for himself and others in Diggs’
fraternity.
“It’s sad when one of the role models you look up
to, (dies) at such an early age. He’s done a lot for our
community,” he said, and mentioned that Cochran had attended
many fraternity alumni events and had spoken to the UCLA chapter
several times.
Kappa members attended several memorial services for Cochran on
Monday and Tuesday. Cochran’s death has “taken a
toll” on fraternity members, Diggs said.
Diggs described Cochran as the “essence of a Kappa
man,” following the fraternity’s motto of
“achieving in every human endeavor,” and Diggs said he
looked to Cochran as a role model and hopes to attend law
school.
“To be in half of his footsteps would make me very
proud,” he said.
Throughout his career, Cochran secured the release of Elmer
Pratt, the former Black Panther, who spent 29 years in jail when
accused of murder. He also won substantial lawsuits for victims
such as Haitian immigrant Abner Louima, who was sexually assaulted
at a New York police station, and Reginald Denny, a white truck
driver beaten by a mob during the L.A. riots of 1992.
Cochran also won the largest lawsuit in the Los Angeles School
District, awarding damages to 18 black girls sexually molested by a
teacher who was hired by the district after being convicted of
pedophilia.
In recent years, he defended such rap artists as Tupac Shakur,
Snoop Doggy Dogg and Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs.