re: Did the black community actually think OJ was innocent

There was no verdict that the jury could have given that would have been satisfying. On the one hand, he was a murderer who deserved to be found guilty. On the other hand, the incompetent handling of the crime scene, evidence, and prosecution in court deserved a not guilty result.

Basically if a murderer goes free, it's an injustice. But if incompetent police/lab/prosecution still win despite these factors introducing reasonable doubt, that's an injustice in its own way and bad for the system.