The Netflix docuseries American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson, which premiered on January 29, features new testimonies from witnesses who claim they saw O.J. Simpson on the night of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. These witnesses were never called to testify during the 1995 trial.
Speaking to PEOPLE, Jill Shively, a Santa Monica resident, recalls nearly colliding with Simpson’s white Ford Bronco near Bundy Drive on June 12, 1994. “I could see who it was and I knew it was a football player, but I wasn't sure who,” she says. “He was yelling at another driver, ‘Move, move.’ I recognized his voice because I had just seen a Naked Gun movie. It was O.J. Simpson.”
Photo: Jill Shivley (Netflix)
Shively’s testimony, which could have placed Simpson near the crime scene, was dismissed after she sold her story to Hard Copy. Prosecutor Marcia Clark reportedly believed this would weaken her credibility.
Skip Junis, an advertising executive, says he saw Simpson at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) just after 11:30 p.m. that night. “O.J. went to a trash can and plopped the bag on top,” he says. “He unzipped it, pulled out a long item covered with a white cloth, and put it in the trash.”
Photo: Skip Junis (Netflix)
Despite contacting both the prosecution and defense, Junis was never called to testify. He later met with detectives and described the bag but was ultimately left out of the trial.
Director Floyd Russ hopes the series will allow audiences to reconsider the case. “The audience gets to listen to witnesses who were not called and consider evidence,” he says.
American Manhunt: O.J Simpson is now available to watch on Netflix.
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