The well-known 1995 criminal trial that found OJ Simpson not guilty has been reexamined again inNetflix’s documentary seriesAmerican Manhunt: OJ Simpson.American Manhuntgives a detailed overview of the case, outlining the murders, the trial, and even what happened afterward, making it one ofNetflix’s best documentaries. The series reexamines the evidence and its presentation along with the cultural influences within the trial, leading up toSimpson’s acquittal for the murders.
Part of what makesAmerican Manhuntso compelling is the number of people involved in the trial and OJ Simpson’s life who give interviews throughout the show. Additionally,American Manhuntseems to recognize that, because of the case’s fame, everyone involved was impacted by the trial and its outcome. This includes people like Simpson’s friend Kato Kaelin, who had been staying at Simpson’s house and was friends with him and Nicole Brown Simpson. While Kaelin appears in the documentary, it is easy to wonder what he did after he was made famous by appearing in the trial.
Kato Kaelin Was Involved In A Libel Case Following The OJ Simpson Trial
Kaelin Sued The National Examiner For A Libelous Headline
Following the OJ Simpson trial, theNational Examinerpublished a photo of Kaelin on its cover, captioned with"Cops think Kato did it". While the story included in the newspaper was actually about a claim that Kaelin had lied on the stand,Kaelin alleged that the headline indicated that the police believed him to be the murderer. The case was initially dismissed, as the federal judge stated that the story could not be considered libelous. However, the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit later ruled that the headline alone was libelous (viaLos Angeles Times).
Kaelin’s case is now considered a landmark case because it set the precedent that headlines could be considered libelous regardless of what the article’s text said.
Given that the headline certainly seems misleading at best and akin to an accusation at worst, it makes sense that the decision was appealed. Kaelin’s case is now considered a landmark case because it set the precedent that headlines could be considered libelous regardless of what the article’s text said. At the first moment of reading the headline, anyone who saw it could misconstrue its meaning. As a result,Kato Kaelin won $15 million from Globe Communications and settled out of court.
Kato Kaelin Continued His Acting & Entertainment Career After The OJ Simpson Trial
Though Kato Kaelin arguably remains most famous for his appearance in the OJ Simpson trial, following the trial he actually went on to star in numerous movies and TV shows. Kaelin held small roles and guest appearances in television shows and movies throughout the late 1990s and 2000s, often portraying himself. Most recently, Kato Kaelin made an appearance onCelebrity Big Brotherin 2019, and he finished in eighth place. Despite having some appearances onscreen,Kaelin has expressed his disappointment with how his career has gone because of Simpson’s trial.
In an interview withPeople,Kaelin stated he felt the trial had made him"famous for all the wrong reasons.“He shared that leading up to the trial he had finally started getting auditions, including one forDumb and Dumber, but after the trial he was only offered small roles that were often spoofs of himself or his role in the trial. While it is impossible to know what Kaelin’s life would have been like had he not been involved in the trial, Kaelin has made the best of his accidental fame and has a positive attitude about the experience.
What Kato Kaelin Is Doing Now
He Keeps A Lower Profile Now But Is Still Active
Kato Kaelin did not appear in any films or television shows between his time onCelebrity Big Brotherand his new appearance inAmerican Manhunt: OJ Simpson. However, he has certainly kept busy. Kaelin has hosted various fan conventions throughout the past several years. Most notably,Kato Kaelin hosts the podcastOne Degree of Scandalous,which examines well-known, scandalous pop culture events, including the OJ Simpson trial. Though Kaelin may not be acting as much as he once hoped, his career has certainly been successful in its own right.
10 Most Shocking Reveals From Netflix’s OJ Simpson Documentary Series
Netflix’s docuseries, American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson, outlines the well-known murder case using interviews with key figures and reexamining evidence.
As with many of the other people involved in the OJ Simpson trial, the events have followed Kaelin for his entire life. In the Netflix docuseries, several of the interviewees remark that the fame was often negative, and wonder what their lives could have been like without it. Though it seems unlikely that a case as famous as the OJ Simpson trial and those involved will ever leave the cultural zeitgeist,American Manhunt: OJ Simpsondoes serve as a good reminder that the people involved never wanted that kind of fame and were simply trying to find the truth.
