Death in the Fast Lane
June 11, 1955 - In
the most devastating accident in motor sports history, approximately 80 people
were killed and at least another 100 injured when the Mercedes-Benz driven by
Pierre Levegh crashed into the crowd during the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Grand Prix-style
automobile endurance race held in Le Mans, France, runs through closed
public roads and draws large crowds every year. On the afternoon of June 11, 1955, after just two hours racing, Levegh's
Mercedes-Benz collided with the Austin-Healey driven by Lance Macklin. The
collision sent Levegh's car airborne into a tightly-packed group of spectators
at 150 miles per hour. As a result of the horrific crash, several European
countries banned motor racing until safety precautions could be put into place. Footage of the
accident can be seen here (Warning - footage is graphic).
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Man On Fire
June 11, 1963 -
Thich
Quang Duc, a Buddhist monk, burned himself to death in a busy Saigon intersection to protest the
persecution of Buddhists by South Vietnam's
President Ngo Dinh Diem. The Pulitzer Prize winning photograph by Malcolm
Browne of the monk's death brought international attention to the plight of the
Buddhists and pressured Diem to announce reforms. However the promised reforms
were implemented either slowly or not at all as protests continued. Eventually,
an Army coup killed Diem in November and toppled his regime.
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If the Glove Don't Fit
June 12, 1994 - Ronald
Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson, ex-wife of Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL
star O.J. Simpson, were murdered outside her home in Los Angeles, California. In one of the most
controversial trials of the 20th Century, O.J. Simpson was acquitted
of murder charges. After eight months of trial, during which 150 witnesses gave
testimony, it took the jury only four hours of deliberation to determine their verdict.
Simpson was later held liable in civil court for wrongful death and the
families of the deceased were awarded a judgment of $33.5 million. Through
various tactics Simpson was able to hide many of his assets and much of the
judgment remains unpaid. Simpson is currently serving a 33-year sentence for kidnapping
and armed robbery in the Lovelock Correctional Facility near Lovelock, Nevada.
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