OJ Simpson: Actor, Athlete, Murder Suspect Dies at 76
OJ Simpson, former National Football League player, most notably known for his famous murder trial, died at the age of 76 on April 10 after a battle with cancer.
In recent social media posts throughout May and February, Simpson announced he had an unspecified type of cancer and addressed his health several times.
Then, on April 26, his longtime lawyer, Malcolm LaVergne, announced that Simpson died from metastatic prostate cancer.
The news of Simpson’s death was first announced by his family via his account on X.
“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren,” reads the tweet, posted the day after Simpson died.
Simpson was the father of Arnelle Simpson, now 55, and Jason Simpson, 53. He also had two children with his late ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson: Sydney Simpson, 38, and Justin Simpson, 35. They are the sole beneficiaries of his estate.
Simpson’s body was cremated, and as of now, there is no public memorial planned, according to his attorneys. A cremation service was held at Palm Mortuary in Las Vegas, though Simpson’s lawyer, LaVergne, was unwilling to disclose who attended.
Simpson gained fame in the NFL as a running back for the USC Trojans, where he set NCAA records and won the Heisman Trophy. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1985.
He was also an actor in a few movies such as “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!”, “The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear” and “The Towering Inferno.” However, in later years, he appeared in a series of commercials for the Hertz car rental company.
Despite these career changes, Simpson is more popularly known for being on trial for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.
Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were stabbed outside her condo in June of 1994; shortly thereafter, the police identified OJ Simpson as the prime suspect. He was spotted on June 17 hidden in the back of a vehicle owned by his friend and was tailed by police until his surrender.
Simpson faced an eight-month trial starting in January 1995, which included around 150 witnesses who testified about the case. Simpson’s defense team focused on the racism within the Los Angeles Police Department, claiming that members of the LAPD were unfairly targeting Simpson due to their prejudices.
Simpson never took the stand during the trial. However, his 73-year-old mother got out of her wheelchair and made a notable appearance on the witness stand to explain how her son was too crippled from rheumatoid arthritis to hurt anyone.
This trial was widely broadcast on cable television to cover the full range of public opinion and debate Simpson’s innocence. To this day, it is described as one of the most publicized criminal trials in human history.
In October of 1995, Simpson was found not guilty of the two murders, but the legacy of the case left the American public with a lot to reflect on, especially regarding race and the justice system.
Simpson was taken to civil court years later and was sentenced to pay $33.5 million to the victims’ families. Only a portion of this debt was paid before his passing.
