Johnnie Cochran Net Worth

Publish date: 2024-06-02

Johnnie L Cochran net worth is
$8 Million

Johnnie L Cochran Wiki Biography

Johnnie L Cochran, Jr. was born on 2 October 1937, in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, and is a lawyer, best known for being the defense lawyer of OJ Simpson during his trial when charged with the murder of his wife. He has also represented a lot of big names in the entertainment industry, and all of his efforts helped put his net worth to where it stood when he passed away in 2005.

How rich was Johnnie Cochran? As of mid-2016, sources estimate a net worth that was at $8 million, mostly earned through a successful career as a lawyer. He worked with many high profile names, including Jim Brown, Snoop Dogg, Michael Jackson, and Geronimo Pratt. He was well known for his skills in the courtroom, and his stand against police brutality. All of these ensured the position of his wealth.

Johnnie Cochran Net Worth $8 million

Cochran attended Los Angeles High School, and in 1955 matriculated at the top of his class. He went on to attend the University of California, Los Angeles, graduating with a degree in business economics, then in 1962 he received a Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School. According to reports, Johnnie was inspired by Thurgood Marshall’s victory in “Brown v. Board of Education” and this led to him pursuing law. After passing the California bar, he took a job as a deputy city attorney focused on criminal activities. During his time there, he got his first celebrity case with Lenny Bruce, who was arrested because of obscenity. Two years later, he went into private practice and started his own firm called Cochran, Atkins & Evans. One of his first notable cases was against several police officers charged with the murder of Leonard Deadwyler. Despite losing the case, he was able to change many things concerning the black community, after which he was involved with a number of criminal and police brutality cases.

In 1978, he returned to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office to become the first black assistant district attorney. After staying there for five years, he resigned to establish the Johnnie L Cochran, Jr. law firm, but after winning $760,000 for a case involving Ron Settles, he expanded to Cochran, Mitchell & Jenna, and later Cochran, Cherry, Givens & Smith. His offices were growing in size as a result of his successes in court, and his growing net worth led to him owning a Jaguar and Rolls-Royce cars, two apartments in West Hollywood, and homes in Los Angeles.

One of his most notable cases was defending OJ Simpson accused of the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. He used the phrase “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit” for evidence of a bloodstained glove that didn’t fit Simpson. He also brought out the issue of race which led to criticisms. He then represented Abner Louima who was sodomized with a plunger by police, and helped him get $8.75 million, making it the largest police brutality settlement in New York City. In 2001, he represented Sean ‘P. Diddy‘ Combs on stolen weapons charges and bribery, which led to an acquittal. Combs would be the last criminal case he represented.

For his personal life, it is known that Johnnie was married to Barbara Berry Cochran from 1960 to 1977. He was then married to Sylvia Dale from 1985 until his death. He had three children from his marriages. In 2003, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor that eventually led to his death in March 2005.


Full NameJohnnie Cochran
Net Worth$8 Million
Date Of BirthOctober 2, 1937
Died2005-03-29 Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California, United States
Place Of BirthShreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
ProfessionLawyer
EducationLoyola Marymount University, Loyola Law School, University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles High School
NationalityAmerican
SpouseSylvia Dale m. 1985–2005, Barbara Berry Cochran m. 1960–1977
ChildrenMelodie Cochran, Tiffany Cochran, Jonathan Cochran
ParentsHattie Bass Cochran, Johnnie L. Cochran, Sr.
SiblingsRalonzo Phelectron Cochran, Martha Jean Sherrard, Pearl Baker
IMDBhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0168137/
MoviesShowtime, Showtime
TV ShowsCochran & Grace, Cochran & Grace
#Quote
1[To the jury of the O.J. Simpson murder case, referring to police corruption in his closing arguments] who then "polices" the police? You police the police.
2[on wining the OJ Simpson case] We fought all the battles, we fought by their rules and we won.
3[Referring to the black gloves found at the crime scene] If it doesn't fit, you must acquit.
#Fact
1Has represented many high profile clients such as actor Todd Bridges, singer Michael Jackson, rappers Tupac Shakur, Sean Combs, Snoop Dogg, heavyweight championship boxer Riddick Bowe, and athlete Marion Jones.
2[During the OJ Simpson murder trial] the media gave their defense team the nickname "The "Dream Team" because the team consisted of prominent lawyers such as F. Lee Bailey, Robert Shapiro, Robert Kardashian and Alan Dershowitz., all led by Johnnie L. Cochran Jr.
3Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume 7, 2003-2005, pages 87-89. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2007.
4Was an L.A. high school classmate of Dustin Hoffman.
5Known in Los Angeles as a brilliant trial attorney at the start of the 1990s, Cochran reportedly received only $100,000 of the multi-million dollar fee paid by O.J. Simpson to attorney Robert Shapiro. Shapiro acted as a broker for the defense, assembling the defense team and bringing in Cochran, F. Lee Bailey and Barry Scheck, all of whom helped save Simpson from what seemed, at first, to be a sure conviction for murdering his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson. Though his fee was relatively small, the publicity generated by the trial was enormous, and before the trial ended with an acquittal, Cochran was world famous.
6He was the basis for Jackie Chiles, the flashy lawyer played by Phil Morris on the TV series Seinfeld (1990). Even the initials are the same.
7His catchphrase in the Simpson trial, "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit," became famous over the years. It derived from a dramatic moment during which Simpson tried on a pair of bloodstained "murder gloves" to show jurors they did not fit.
8Was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.
9Graduated from UCLA; law degree from Loyola Marymount University.

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Showtime2002Johnnie Cochran, ReRun's Lawyer
JAG2000TV SeriesJohnnie L. Cochran Jr.
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child1999TV SeriesFoxy Woxy
Arli$$1998TV SeriesJohnnie Cochran

Producer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Morning Breath2002Short executive producer

Miscellaneous

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Woman Thou Art Loosed2004financier - as Johnnie Cochran

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Ebony/Jet Showcase1987TV SeriesHimself
Access Hollywood2004TV SeriesHimself
Larry King Live1995-2004TV SeriesHimself
Saturday Night Live2003TV SeriesHimself - Audience Member
Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003TV SeriesHimself
3rd Annual BET Awards2003TV Special documentaryHimself
Pete Rose on Trial2003TV Movie documentaryDefense attorney
2003 Trumpet Awards2003TV SpecialHimself
Last Call with Carson Daly2002TV SeriesHimself
2nd Annual BET Awards2002TV Movie documentaryHimself
Jim Brown: All American2002TV Movie documentaryHimself (Attorney)
HBO First Look2002TV Series documentaryHimself
Biography2002TV Series documentaryHimself
First Monday2002TV SeriesHimself
Soul Food2001TV SeriesHimself
Journeys in Black2001TV Series documentaryHimself
60 Minutes2000TV Series documentaryHimself - Attorney (segment "Officer Young")
The Hughleys1999-2000TV SeriesHimself
Bamboozled2000Himself
American Justice2000TV Series documentaryHimself
Absolutely 100% Guilty1999Video documentaryHimself (as Johnny Cochrane)
The Roseanne Show1999TV SeriesHimself
1999 Essence Awards1999TV SpecialHimself
CHiPs '991998TV MovieHimself
E! True Hollywood Story1998TV Series documentaryHImself
The Chris Rock Show1997-1998TV SeriesHimself
Family Matters1998TV SeriesHimself
The 1998 Soul Train Christmas Starfest1998TV MovieHimself (as Johnnie Cochran)
Howard Stern1996TV SeriesHimself
Martin1996TV SeriesHimself
The Caleb Crump Show1996TV SeriesHimself (1997)
The Trial of O.J. Simpson1995TV Movie documentaryHimself (as Johnnie Cochran)
The 9th Annual Soul Train Music Awards1995TV SpecialHimself

Archive Footage

Known for movies


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