Suspicion immediately falls on Nicole’s ex-husband, NFL superstar O. J. Simpson (Cuba Gooding Jr.), as detectives learn of his history of domestic violence.

The show uses archival footage of the L.A. riots to illustrate how the trial became a referendum on the LAPD’s history with the black community.

Faced with arrest after failing a polygraph and exhibiting suicidal behavior, Simpson flees in a white Ford Bronco driven by Al Cowlings, becoming a fugitive. Thematic Elements

is the premiere episode of the first season of American Crime Story , titled The People v. O. J. Simpson . Directed by Ryan Murphy and written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, the episode originally aired on February 2, 2016. Plot Summary