Simpson playedcollege football for theUSC Trojans, where he won theHeisman Trophy as a senior, and was selectedfirst overall by the Bills in the1969 NFL/AFL draft. During his nine seasons with the Bills, he received five consecutivePro Bowl and first-teamAll-Pro selections from 1972 to 1976. He also led the league inrushing yards four times, in rushingtouchdowns twice, and in points scored in 1975. Simpson became the first NFL player to rush for more than2,000 yards in a season, earning himNFL Most Valuable Player (MVP), and is the only NFL player to do so in a 14-gameregular season. He holds the record for the single-season yards-per-game average at 143.1. He acquired the nickname "Juice" as a play on "OJ", a common abbreviation fororange juice. After retiring with theSan Francisco 49ers in 1979, he acted in film and television, including in theNaked Gun franchise, became asportscaster, and was a spokesman for a wide variety of products and companies, notablyHertz. He was inducted to theCollege Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and thePro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
In June 1994, Simpson was charged withmurderingNicole Brown Simpson andRonald Goldman after they were stabbed to death inLos Angeles. His eight-month murder trial received international publicity and exacerbated racial divisions in the U.S., culminating with his acquittal in October 1995. Three years later, he was found liable for the murders ina civil suit from the victims' families but paid little of the $33.5 million judgment. In 2007,Simpson was arrested inLas Vegas and charged with armed robbery and kidnapping. He was convicted the following year and sentenced to 33 years' imprisonment with aminimum of nine years without parole. Simpson served his sentence at theLovelock Correctional Center in rural Nevada until being paroled and released in 2017. For the remainder of his life, he resided inFlorida andNevada.
Simpson's maternal grandparents were fromLouisiana.[7] His aunt gave him the name Orenthal, which she told him was the name of a French or Italian actor she liked.[8][9] He was called "O.J." from birth and did not know that Orenthal was his given name until a teacher read it in third grade.[10] Simpson had one brother, Melvin Leon "Truman" Simpson, one living sister, Shirley Simpson-Baker, and one deceased sister, Carmelita Simpson-Durio.[11][failed verification]
Simpson grew up in San Francisco and lived with his family in thehousing projects of the low-incomePotrero Hill neighborhood.[2][12] As a child, Simpson developedrickets and wore braces on his legs until the age of five,[13] giving him hisbowlegged stance.[11] He earned money byscalping tickets and collecting seat cushions atKezar Stadium.[11] After his parents separated in 1952 (when Simpson was 4), he and his siblings were raised by their mother.[2][14]
Simpson's 1964 school portrait
In his early teenage years, Simpson joined a street gang called the Persian Warriors and was briefly incarcerated at the San Francisco Youth Guidance Center.[13] His future wife Marguerite, whom he dated in high school, described him as "really an awful person then."[15][16] He was arrested three times.[17] After his third arrest, Simpson happened to meet baseball starWillie Mays, who encouraged the youth to avoid trouble. He said it helped persuade him to reform.[11]
Simpson first practiced sports at the Potrero Hill Recreation Center, which welcomed black people.[17] At Galileo High School (nowGalileo Academy of Science and Technology) in San Francisco, Simpson played for the school football team, the Galileo Lions.[18] He played as atackle and then as afullback.[19] Meanwhile, he started earning money by organizing dances and charging admission.[11] He graduated in 1965.[18]
College football and track career
Although Simpson was an All-City football player at Galileo, his mediocre high-school grades prevented him from attracting the interest of many college recruiters. After a childhood friend's injury in theVietnam War influenced Simpson to stay out of the military, he enrolled atCity College of San Francisco in 1965.[11] He played football both as arunning back anddefensive back and was named to the Junior College All-American team as a running back.[20] City College won the Prune Bowl againstLong Beach City College, and many colleges sought Simpson as a transfer student for football.[11]
In 1967, Simpson enrolled at theUniversity of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, which he had admired as a young football fan. He had also considered going to theUniversity of Utah.[2][11][21] He played running back with theTrojans for head coachJohn McKay in1967 and1968.[21] Simpson led the nation in rushing both years under McKay: in 1967 with 1,543 yards and 13 touchdowns, and in 1968 with 1,880 yards on 383 carries.[22]
Intheir 1967 game against their crosstown rivalUCLA, USC was down by six points in the fourth quarter with under 11 minutes remaining. On their own 36, USC backup quarterback Toby Page called anaudible on third and seven. Simpson's 64-yard touchdown run tied the score, and theextra point provided a 21–20 lead, which was the final score.[23] This was the biggest play in what is regarded as one of thegreatest football games of the 20th century,[24] and pictures of the play were published in many national magazines.[25] Another dramatic touchdown in the same game is the subject of theArnold Friberg oil painting,O.J. Simpson Breaks for Daylight. Simpson also won theWalter Camp Award in 1967 and was a two-timeunanimous All-American.[26] USC would go on to win the national title for that year. Even though Simpson led the nation in college football rushing yards, theHeisman Trophy went to UCLA'sGary Beban; Simpson was second in voting.[27]
As Simpson rose in popularity, he avoided controversy, such as not participating in a boycott of the1968 Olympics,[17] which was supported by people likeMartin Luther King Jr. as a protest against racial injustice in the U.S.[30]
Simpson talking to reporters in 1967
As a senior in 1968, Simpson rushed for 1,709 yards and 22 touchdowns in the regular season, earning the Heisman Trophy, theMaxwell Award, and Walter Camp Award. He held the record for the Heisman's largest margin of victory for 51 years, defeating runner-upLeroy Keyesby 1,750 points. In theRose Bowl on New Year's Day, #2 USC faced top-rankedOhio State; Simpson ran for 171 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown run, in a 27–16 loss.[31] Simpson's number 32 jersey was laterretired by USC.[17]
The first selection in the1969 NFL/AFL draft was held by theAFL'sBuffalo Bills, after finishing 1–12–1 in1968. They took Simpson, but he demanded the largest contract in professional sports history: $650,000 over five years (equivalent to $4.3 million in 2024). This led to a standoff with Bills' owner,Ralph Wilson, as Simpson threatened to become an actor and skip professional football. Eventually, Wilson agreed to pay Simpson.[33][34]
Simpson entered professional football with high expectations,[33][34] but struggled in his first three years, averaging only 622 yards per season.[35] Bills coachJohn Rauch, not wanting to build an offense around one running back, assigned Simpson to do blocking and receiving duties at the expense of running the ball. In1971, Rauch resigned as head coach, and the Bills brought inHarvey Johnson.[33][36][37] Despite Johnson devising a new offense for Simpson, Simpson was still ineffective that year. After the 1971 season, the Bills fired Johnson and brought inLou Saban as head coach.[33] Unlike Rauch, Saban made Simpson the centerpiece of the Bills offense.[38]
Simpson breaking the NFL's single-season rushing record in1973
In1972, Simpsonrushed for over 1,000 yards for the first time in his career, gaining a league-leading total of 1,251 yards. In1973, Simpson became the first player to break the highly coveted2,000-yard rushing mark, with 2,003 total rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.[35][39] Simpson broke the mark during the last game of the season against theNew York Jets with a seven-yard rush. That same game also saw Simpson breakJim Brown's single-season rushing record of 1,863 yards.[40] For his performance, Simpson won that year'sNFL MVP Award andBert Bell Award.[41][42] He was also namedThe Sporting News Athlete of the Year.[43] While other players have broken the 2,000-yard mark since Simpson, his record was established when the NFL had only 14 games per season, as opposed to the 16-game seasons that began in 1978.[44] In 2013, Simpson was reported still holding the rushing record for 14 games.[45]
Simpson gained over 1,000 rushing yards in each of the next three seasons. He did not lead the league in rushing in1974, but did cross the 1,000-yard barrier despite a knee injury.[46] In game 11 of 1974, he passedKen Willard as the rushing leader among active players, a position he maintained until his retirement more than five seasons later. Simpson also made his first and onlyplayoff appearance during the 1974 season. In adivisional game against thePittsburgh Steelers, Simpson rushed for 49 yards on 15 attempts and caught a touchdown pass, but the Bills lost the game 32–14.[47] Simpson won the rushing title again in1975, rushing for 1,817 yards and 16touchdowns. He also had a career-high 426 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns that season.[35]
Simpson again led the league in rushing in1976, rushing for 1,503 yards and eight touchdowns.[35] He had the best game of his career during that season'sThanksgiving game against theDetroit Lions on November 25. In that game, Simpson rushed for a then-record 273 yards on 29 attempts and scored two touchdowns. Despite Simpson's performance, the Bills lost the game 27–14.[48]
A low light that season came during a game against theNew England Patriots a few weeks earlier when defensive endMel Lunsford and several other Patriots defenders stuffed the superstar running back for no gain. Still, as Simpson tried to continue driving forward, Lunsford bodyslammed him to the ground. Simpson got up and punched Lunsford, which prompted Lunsford to swing back. Bills offensive linemanReggie McKenzie then jumped on Lunsford's back. Still, Lunsford bent down and flung McKenzie over his head. He went back to swinging at Simpson before a melee of the two teams stopped the fight and ended up in a pile on the field. Lunsford and Simpson were ejected from the game as the Patriots' solid defense persisted, with New England winning 20–10 to finish the 1976 season 11–3. The Bills finished 2–12.[49]
Simpson played only seven games in1977 due to injury.[9]
San Francisco 49ers
On March 28, 1978, prior to the1978 season (the last year on his three-year contract that paid him $733,000), the Bills traded Simpson to his hometownSan Francisco 49ers for five draft picks (2nd and 3rd round draft pick for1978, a 1st round and 4th round pick for1979, and a 2nd round pick for1980);[a] Simpson had tried to get the Bills to engineer a trade to theLos Angeles Rams prior to 1976 because of him and his wife's preference for the West Coast.[51][52][53] The team previously hadDelvin Williams andWilbur Jackson in the backfield.[2] Simpson played in San Francisco for two seasons, rushing for 1,053 yards and four touchdowns.[35] Physical problems with his knees influenced him to retire from football.[2] For his last home game atCandlestick Park, the 49ers held an "O.J. Simpson Day" at the stadium.[17] His final NFL game was on December 16,1979, a 31–21 loss to theAtlanta Falcons atAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium.[54] His final play was a 10-yard run on 3rd and 10 for a first down.[55]
Career summary
Simpson gained 11,236 rushing yards, placing him 2nd on theNFL's all-time rushing list when he retired; he now stands at 22nd. He was named NFL Player of the Year in 1973, and played in sixPro Bowls. He was the only player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a 14-game season, and the only player to rush for over 200 yards in six different games in his career. From 1972 to 1976, Simpson averaged 1,540 rushing yards per (14 game) season, 5.1 yards per carry, and he won theNFL rushing title four times.[35] Simpson was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame in 1985, his first year of eligibility.[56] In 2019, he was named to theNational Football League 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.[57] Simpson also occasionally returned kickoffs during his early career, finishing with 33 returns for 990 yards and a touchdown, an average of 30 yards per return.[58]
Simpson acquired the nickname "Juice" as a play on "O.J.", a common abbreviation for orange juice. "Juice" is also a colloquial synonym for electricity or electrical power, and hence a metaphor for any powerful entity; the Bills' offensive line at Simpson's peak was nicknamed "The Electric Company".[59]
Post season achievements
Simpson played in only one playoff game during his 11-season Hall of Fame career: a 1974 Divisional Round game between theBuffalo Bills and thePittsburgh Steelers. Simpson was held to 49 rushing yards on fifteen carries to go with three receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown as the Bills lost 32–14.[60] Indeed, 1974 would be one of only three winning seasons the Bills would tally in Simpson's nine years with the team.[citation needed]
Other activities during NFL career
In 1975, Simpson competed on the television seriesSuperstars, and was the season's winner. He received $39,250 in prize money.[61] Following the example of the previous season's winner (Kyle Rote Jr.), Simpson donated $5,000 of his prize money to theSpecial Olympics.[62]
Fastest player to gain 1,000 rushing yards in season: 1,025 in seven games in 1973 and 1,005 in seven games in 1975 (tied withTerrell Davis).[63]
Fastest player to gain 2,000 rushing yards in season: 2,003 in 14 games in 1973.[45]
Most rushing yards per game in a season: 143.1 per game in 1973.[64]
Acting career
1960s and 1970s
Simpson appearing on an episode ofMedical Center in 1969
Simpson began acting while at USC and appeared onDragnet in an uncredited role as a potential recruit to theLos Angeles Police Department (LAPD).[65] He became a professional actor before playing professional football, appearing in the first episode ofMedical Center—asCicely Tyson's husband despite being 23 years her junior—while negotiating his contract with the Bills.[10]
BeforeSimpson's murder trial, sportswriterRalph Wiley wrote in 2002, white people considered Simpson a "unifying symbol of all races". History professor Lou Moore said that this made Simpson the first Black athlete to be "put on".[66] In 1975,People magazine described Simpson as "the first [Black] athlete to become a bona fide lovable media superstar".[15] Simpson avoided starring inblaxploitation films, choosing third or fourth lead roles while studying experienced stars likeLee Marvin andRichard Burton.[11] HisHertz commercials from 1975 benefited Simpson's acting career, but he sometimes intentionally chose non-positive roles; "I've got to tear down that picture of O.J. Simpson, the clean-cut athlete, to get believability into whatever part I happen to be playing."[67] He said in 1980 that "TheOscar or theEmmy says you've reached a level of competence in this business, and I would love to have one."[65]
While in the NFL, Simpson appeared in productions such as the television miniseriesRoots (1977), and the dramatic motion picturesThe Klansman (1974),The Towering Inferno (1974),The Cassandra Crossing (1977), andCapricorn One (1978).[68][69] In 1979, he started his own film production company, Orenthal Productions, which dealt mostly in made-for-TV fare such as the family-orientedGoldie and the Boxer films withMelissa Michaelsen (1979 and 1981).[68] Simpson said that he did not seriously consider an acting career until seeing Marvin and Burton, while filmingThe Klansman in California, ordering chili fromChasen's via a private jet.[10] Simpson appeared in the audience of NBC'sSaturday Night Live during itssecond season and hosted an episode during itsthird season.[70] He was the second professional athlete to host the show.[71]
According toArnold Schwarzenegger, Simpson was considered by directorJames Cameron to play theeponymous character inThe Terminator (1984) when Schwarzenegger was cast as the characterKyle Reese, but Cameron ultimately cast Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, while Simpson had no involvement in the film.[72] The film's producers felt Simpson was "too nice" to be seen as a killer like the Terminator.[71]
1990s
Simpson starred in the un-televised two-hour-longfilm pilot forFrogmen, anA-Team-like adventure series thatWarner Bros. Television completed in 1994, a few months before the two murders he was accused of. Simpson played the leader of a group of formerUnited States Navy SEALs named John "Bullfrog" Burke who operated out of a surf shop inMalibu.[74] NBC had not yet decided whether to order the series when Simpson's arrest canceled the project. NBC executive Preston Beckman collected each copy ofFrogmen to ensure that no copyleaked to the media.[74] While searching his home, the police obtained a videotaped copy of the pilot as well as the script anddailies. Although the prosecution investigated reports that Simpson received "a fair amount of" military training—including use of a knife—forFrogmen, and there is a scene in which he holds a knife to the throat of a woman, this material was not introduced as evidence during the trial.[75]
NBC executiveWarren Littlefield said in July 1994 that the network would probably never air the pilot if Simpson were convicted.[76] Most pilots that are two hours long are aired as TV movies whether or not they are ordered as series. Because—as theLos Angeles Times later reported—"the appetite for all things O.J. appeared insatiable" during the trial, Warner Bros. and NBC estimated that a gigantic,Super Bowl–like television audience would have watched theFrogmen film. In 2000, co-starEvan Handler - who would later go on to portray "Dream Team" member Alan Dershowitz inThe People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story - told theLos Angeles Times the studio's decision not to air it or release it on home video, and forego an estimated $14 million in profits, was "just about the only proof you have that there is some dignity in the advertising and television business."[75]
2000s
In 2006, Simpson starred in his ownimprov-based hidden-camera prank TV show,Juiced. Typical of the genre, Simpson would play a prank on everyday people while secretly filming them. At the end of each prank, he would shout, "You've been Juiced!" Each episode opened with half-dressed models dancing around Simpson, who is dressed as a pimp and sings his own rap song.[77] In one episode, Simpson is at a used car lot in Las Vegas, where he attempts to sell a whiteFord Bronco (the SUV model that became infamous duringhis 1994 police chase).[77][78] A bullet hole in the front of the SUV is circled with his autograph, and he pitches it to a prospective buyer by saying that if they "ever get into some trouble and have to get away, it has escapability."[77] In another sketch, Simpson pretends to be having an affair with another man's girlfriend. Later, he transforms into an old white man whose dying wish is to call a game ofbingo.Juiced aired as a one-time special onpay-per-view television and was later released on DVD.[79]
Broadcasting career
Simpson worked as an NFL analyst onNBC from 1978 to 1982.[80] He joinedABC'sMonday Night Football crew in 1983,[81] becoming the first black announcer on the network's No. 1 NFL broadcast team.[82] ForSuper Bowl XIX during the 1984 season, ABC moved Simpson to its pregame show, replacing him in the broadcast booth with active playerJoe Theismann, who had played in the previous two Super Bowls.[83][84] Simpson continued hisMonday Night Football announcing duties in 1985 before being dropped after the season.[80][84] In 1989, he rejoined NBC to replaceAhmad Rashad as an analyst on theirNFL Live! pregame show.[80][83] After he was accused of his ex-wife's murder, Simpson was replaced by Rashad in 1994.[85][86]
Endorsements
Simpson in a 1976 advertisement forSpot-Bilt shoes
Chuck Barnes helped Simpson form business relationships withChevrolet andABC early in his football career. By 1971, the magazineNew York wrote that Simpson was already wealthy enough to "retire this week if [he] wanted to."[87]Beginning in 1975, he appeared in advertisements with theHertz rental car company. Commercials depicted Simpson running through airports (embodying speed), as others shouted to him the Hertz slogan "Go, O.J., Go!".[88] He was the first Black man to be hired for a major corporate national advertising campaign,[2] a unique decision for a conservative, dominant corporation to fend off its rival, No. 2Avis.[89] Besides helping his acting career, Simpson estimated that the very successful "superstar in rent-a-car" campaign raised the recognition rate among people he met from 30% to 90%.[11] Hertz's annual profit increased by 50% to $42.2 million within the first year,brand awareness increased by more than 40%,[67] and 97% of viewers understood that the commercials advertised Hertz, avoiding the common "vampire video" problem[11] of viewers remembering an ad, but not which brand it promotes. Simpson was so important to the company that CEOFrank Olson personally negotiated his contract, and Hertz used him for an unusually long time for a celebrity endorser. Although Simpson appeared less often in Hertz commercials by the late 1980s, his relationship with the company continued; Simpson was to travel to Chicago to meet with Hertz executives and clients on the night of the Brown-Goldman murder.[88]
Simpson used his amiable persona,[90] good looks, and charisma in many endorsement deals.[88]Advertising Age in 1977 named Simpson the magazine's Star Presenter of the Year;[67] by 1984,consumer research found that he was the most popular athlete endorser. A 1990sMCI Communications commercial starring Eunice Simpson satirized her son's work.[88] Other products Simpson endorsed includedPioneer Chicken,Honey Baked Ham,TreeSweet orange juice,Calistoga Water Company's line of Napa Naturals soft drinks, and Dingocowboy boots. As president and CEO of O. J. Simpson Enterprises, he owned hotels and restaurants. When Simpson and Brown divorced in 1992, he had $10 million in assets and more than $1 million in annual income, including $550,000 from Hertz.[88]
Marriages with Marguerite Whitley and Nicole Brown
Simpson and Whitley with their daughter Arnelle at their home inBel-Air, California, in 1970
On June 24, 1967, Simpson married Marguerite L. Whitley. Together, they had three children: Arnelle L. Simpson (b. 1968), Jason Lamar Simpson[91] (b. 1970), and Aaren Lashone Simpson (1977–1979). In August 1979, Aaren drowned in the family's swimming pool.[92][93]
Marguerite declined to testify at the trial on behalf of Simpson. According to LAPD Officer Terry Schauer and his partner Richard Deandra, when she and Simpson were married, they got a call from Marguerite, who alleged that Simpson was physically violent towards her. She refused to press charges against him.[94][95] In an interview withBarbara Walters in 1995, Marguerite denied allegations that a police officer responded to a domestic violence call during her marriage to Simpson, telling Walters the alleged incident was not true and that she never made a police report. "Never—never did. I just found out about this, after 21 years."[96] Marguerite addressed rumors that she was a battered woman during her marriage to Simpson, stating, "If he did, he would have got a frying pan upside his head. There was just no way that I would allow that to happen to me."[96]In the interview Marguerite also expressed her belief in Simpson's innocence and denied rumors that their son Jason helped commit the murders. "Oh God, it's not something O.J. would do. It's not—you know, it's just not something either one of them would do," she said.[97]
Simpson metNicole Brown in 1977 while she was working as a waitress at aBeverly Hillsnightclub called The Daisy.[98][99] Although still married to his first wife, Simpson began dating Brown. Simpson and Marguerite divorced in March 1979.[100][101]: 126–28 During the1984 Summer Olympics torch relay, Simpson carried the torch onSanta Monica'sCalifornia Incline road, running behind Brown.[102] Brown and Simpson were married on February 2, 1985, five years after his retirement from professional football.[103] The couple had two children, Sydney Brooke Simpson (b. 1985) and Justin Ryan Simpson (b. 1988).[104] The marriage lasted seven years.[105]
Simpson with his daughter, Sydney Brooke, in 1986
According to Sheila Weller, "[Simpson and Brown] were a dramatic, fractious, mutually obsessed couple before they married, after they married, after they divorced in 1992, and after they reconciled."[106] In the June 3, 2024 edition ofPeople, Brown's sister Denise stated that Simpson was at times volatile to Brown early into their relationship, including on one occasion in 1977 where he "flipped out" and "had her upstairs in the bathroom crying. He said, 'You embarrassed me.'" after seeing Nicole kiss a mutual male friend on the cheek after she and her family went to upstate New York to attend a Buffalo Bills game which Simpson was playing in.[107]
Brown claimed that by the end of 1989, police had visited her and Simpson's house eight times fordomestic violence calls, and they did not help her in any of them.[108] On December 31, she phoned the police, saying that she thought he was going to kill her. She was found by officers hiding in the bushes outside their home, "badly beaten and half-naked." Authorities said Simpson had "punched, slapped, and kicked" her. Simpson sped away from the officers in his car, but eventually he pleadedno contest to spousal abuse.[16][105][109][110] Simpson was given two years'probation, 120 hours ofcommunity service, and he had to donate $500 to abattered women's shelter.[110] Brown filed for divorce on February 25, 1992, citingirreconcilable differences.[101]: 136 This was after finding out about an alleged year-long affair Simpson had had with modelTawny Kitaen.[108]
Among the more caustic accounts, inAmerican Tragedy: The Uncensored Story of the Simpson Defense, former maid Bethy Vaquerano alleged that Brown was racist and had been physically abusive towards Simpson.[111][112] In her bookI'm Not Dancing Anymore, Simpson's niece Terri Baker said Brown could be very insulting to people when she was angry and that she observed Brown insulting and slapping Simpson in the past.[113][114] Reports suggest that in 1993, Brown and Simpson made an attempt at reconciliation.[109] In October, Brown called the police to report Simpson being violent again after he allegedly found a photo of a man Brown had dated while they were broken up.[108] Again, officers intervened.[16] A family friend claimed that Simpson had told Brown's friends that if he ever "caught her with anyone, he would kill her."[109] Brown's friendKris Jenner claimed Brown at one point told her, "Things are really bad between O.J. and I, and he's going to kill me, and he's going to get away with it."[110] The two broke up again, seemingly permanently, in May 1994.[108] According to Brown's sister Tanya, on the night she was murdered, Nicole told their mother Juditha while dining out together at the Mezzaluna restaurant, that Simpson would always be her soulmate.[115] In total, prosecutors for Simpson's murder trial found 62 incidents of abusive behavior by Simpson towards Brown.[16] News reporting regarding these incidents led to California enforcing its 1986 laws protecting domestic violence victims more. Hertz continued to air its commercials with Simpson.[116]
Legal history
Arrest for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman
Police officers searching Brown's condo for evidence in June 1994
Shortly after midnight on June 13, 1994,[117] Nicole Brown and her friend,Ron Goldman, were found stabbed to death in the courtyard outside Brown'scondo, in theBrentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. Police determined the murders had taken place on the night of the 12th. Goldman had been there to return to Brown a pair of glasses that her mother had lost earlier that day. The knife used was never found. Simpson was an immediateperson of interest in their murders, and there was never any other suspect found. He maintained that on the 12th, he had been at home, waiting for a limousine to take him to an airport for a flight to Chicago. After police gathered all the evidence, charges were filed and a warrant was signed for Simpson's arrest.[16][78][108][109][117]
Simpson, in agreement with his attorneys, was scheduled to turn himself in at approximately 11:00 a.m. to theParker Center police headquarters on the morning of June 17. Simpson failed to turn himself in, and he later became the subject of a low-speed pursuit (on the405 Freeway) by police while riding as a passenger in a white 1993Ford Bronco SUV,[78][118][119] a vehicle owned and being driven by his former teammate and longtime friendAl Cowlings.[119] According to Cowlings, Simpson was armed in the back of the vehicle with a pistol, holding it to his head and threatening to shoot himself if he was not taken back to his Brentwood estate. This caused the respondingCalifornia Highway Patrol officers to pursue with extreme caution.[78] The police closed the nearby highways. At one point during the ride Simpson tried to call sportscasterBob Costas, with whom he had worked before and had a good relationship, but was unable to reach him.[120] As Cowlings rode, Simpson's lawyerRobert Kardashian publicly released a letter from him, saying: "Don't feel sorry for me ... I've had a great life, great friends. Please think of the real O.J. and not this lost person."[16] The Bronco ride lasted more than 2 hours, until 8 pm, when Simpson and Cowlings arrived at Simpson's Brentwood home, and negotiations for surrender began.[121] He was arrested shortly before 9 p.m.[109]
The chase was shown on "nearly every live television station."[73] Stations interrupted coverage of the1994 NBA Finals to broadcast the incident live. With an estimated audience of 95 million people, the event was described as "the most famous ride on American shores sincePaul Revere's."[122] Tens of thousands of people gathered on Los Angeles streets and highways to view the chase.[123] The incident likely increased sales of the Ford Bronco by an additional 7,000 purchases in 1994 compared to 1993.[124]
The pursuit, arrest, and trial of Simpson were among the most widely publicized events in American history. Simpson's integrated defense counsel team, named the "Dream Team",[126] included Kardashian,Johnnie Cochran,Robert Shapiro,F. Lee Bailey, andAlan Dershowitz. The prosecution for the State of California was led byMarcia Clark andChristopher A. Darden.[16][127][128] The judge wasLance Ito. The trial ran from January to October 1995,[16] making it the longest trial in California history.[118] The jury sequestered for 266 days, also the longest in California history. It ended up including 10 Black people in a 12-person jury.[16]
The trial was often characterized as the "trial of the century" because of its international publicity, likened to that ofSacco and Vanzetti and theLindbergh kidnapping.[129] It was televised via a remote-control camera installed above the jury box, and it increased public interest in reality television and understanding ofDNA evidence.[116][130][131] It influenced the creation of the LAPD's DNAcrime lab, and California added Section 1109 to the state's Evidence Code, "allowing uncharged conduct and other evidence of prior abuse to be shown to jurors in similar cases."[116] Minor figures in the trial became celebrities, such as the resident of Simpson's guesthouse at the time of the murders,Kato Kaelin.[73]
In 1995, while waiting to appear before a jury for his trial hearing, Simpson published the bookI Want to Tell You: My Response to Your Letters, Your Messages, Your Questions, which was intended to be a "self-portrait of [his] mind at this critical time", and included letters he had received while incarcerated.[132] It was produced withLawrence Schiller.[16]
Prosecution and defense cases
Before the trial began, it was discovered the police investigation had been flawed: "Photo evidence had been lost or mislabeled; DNA had been collected and stored improperly, raising a possibility that it was tainted."[16]
Prosecutors provided DNA evidence, including both victims' blood being found in Simpson's car, Brown's blood being found on Simpson's socks, and hair and clothing fibers consistent with Simpson, Brown, and Goldman, as well as fibers from a 1993–94 Ford Bronco and Brown's dog, being found on a black leather glove recovered from Simpson's home.[108][133] The other glove in the pair was found at Brown's condo. The defense claimed that the glove found at Brown's condo did not fit Simpson's hand. In response, prosecutors theorized that Simpson had not been takinganti-inflammatory medications for hisarthritis, which would make his hand swell if he tried to put on the glove during the trial. Johnnie Cochran informed Judge Ito the next day thatShawn Chapman contacted the Los Angeles County Jail doctor, who confirmed Simpson was taking his arthritis medication every day, and that the jail's medical records verified this.[134][135] Cochran claimed during the defense's closing argument, "If the glove don't fit, you must acquit."[73][118][133] The phrase became famous in popular culture.[136] Prosecutors also raised concerns that because the glove had been soaked in blood, and was repeatedly frozen and thawed before the trial, that it would have shrunk. Cochran denied this claim. When Simpson tried the glove on in court, he struggled to put it on. Nevertheless, Aris Isotoner Inc. vice president Richard Rubin would later testify that the gloves were of his company's rare Aris Light model and that a new pair of extra large gloves would fit Simpson.[137][138]People magazine wrote that the moment was crucial to his eventual acquittal.[108][133]
The trial came in the context of multiple incidents involving the Los Angeles criminal justice system in the previous years. In 1991,Latasha Harlins, a 15-year-old Black girl, was shot in the head by store owner Soon Ja Du, who accused her of stealing a bottle of orange juice. A jury convicted Du of involuntarymanslaughter, but a judge only sentenced her to probation. Also in 1991, four police officers allegedly beatRodney King, a Black man; in 1992, all of the officers were acquitted. These incidents led to the1992 Los Angeles riots.[139]
The defense alleged that the crime scene had been compromised, and presentedaudiotape recordings ofMark Fuhrman, an officer who was at the scene and collected evidence, repeatedly using the racial slur "nigger" in an interview with an aspiring screenwriter. Fuhrman was later charged withperjury for lying about not saying the slur, and pleadedno contest.[16][108][123][140] This added to the popular perception that LAPD officers were racist, which worked against the police reforms being made by the city of Los Angeles since the beating of Rodney King.[140]
The trial created a public discourse on race relations, motivated by Bailey and Cochran's cross-examination of Fuhrman over the tapes. It "divided the nation" along racial lines; white people were more likely to believe in Simpsons' guilt, while Black people were more likely to believe in his innocence. Many believed Simpson was being set up by the police,[141] taking into consideration the LAPD'shistory of corruption, the acquittal of the officers who beat Rodney King, and that Fuhrman, who found the glove at Simpson's home, entered the home without asearch warrant. The defense argued that Fuhrman had planted the glove.[16][123][142] Charles F. Coleman Jr. wrote forMSNBC that "Black people didn't love O.J. Simpson, they hated the LAPD."[139] Jim Newton wrote for theLos Angeles Times that "the effect [of the defense's focus on Fuhrman] on the jury was inescapable."[140]
"On the evidence that they gave me to evaluate, it was crooked by the cops," juror David Aldana said in an interview.[143] "The evidence given to me to look at, I could not convict. Did he do it? Maybe, maybe not."[143] Juror Sheila Woods denied the jury's decision was based on race in an interview withVulture.[144] When asked if she believed Simpson was framed, Woods stated, "I don't know if he was necessarily framed. I think O.J. may know something about what happened, but I just don't think he did it. I think it was more than one person, just because of the way she was killed. I don't know how he could have just left that bloody scene — because it was bloody — and got back into his Bronco and not have it filled with blood. And then go back home and go in the front door, up the stairs to his bedroom ... That carpet was snow white in his house. He should have blood all over him or bruises becauseRon Goldman was definitely fighting for his life. He had defensive cuts on his shoes and on his hands. O.J. only had that little cut on his finger. If Goldman was kicking to death, you would think that the killer would have gotten some bruises on his body. They showed us photos of O.J. with just his underwear just two days after, and he had no bruises or anything on his body."[144] In an interview with CNN following Simpson's death, juror Yolanda Adams said she was still comfortable with her decision to render a not guilty verdict and denied the verdict was based on payback forRodney King, citing the reasonable doubt in the case presented by the defense and the actions of the police officers involved in the case likeMark Fuhrman pleading the fifth when he was asked if he planted or manufactured any evidence against Simpson.[145]
Verdict and aftermath
The New York Times wrote that "in the end, it was the defense that had the overwhelming case, with many grounds for reasonable doubt, the standard for acquittal."[16] The trial culminated after 11 months on October 3, 1995, when the jury rendered a verdict of "not guilty" for the two murders.[129] Around 100 to 150 million people nationwide tuned in to watch or listen to the verdict announcement.[116][129] The jury deliberation lasted three hours. By the end, the trial produced "126 witnesses, 1,105 items of evidence and 45,000 pages of transcripts." Simpson was released after 474 days in custody.[16]
Immediate reaction to the verdict was known for its division along racial lines: a poll ofLos Angeles County residents showed that most African Americans there felt justice had been served by the verdict, while the majority of whites and Latinos opined that it had not.[146]NBC News wrote that "Black residents in parts of Los Angeles spilled out onto the street, cheering and passing celebratory drinks", and that similar scenes happened across the country.[147] In 1994, 22% of Black respondents to a poll believed Simpson was guilty, as opposed to 63% of white people.[147] A 2016 poll showed that 57% of Black Americans and 83% of white Americans believed Simpson was guilty.[148] This change was partially caused by the verdict of Simpson's later civil trial.[147]
At various points after the acquittal, the portion of a mural in Potrero Hill which featured Simpson in his 49ers uniform was vandalized by splashes of red paint and devil horns which were put on his head; he was eventually painted out of the mural.[17]
Following Simpson's acquittal, no additional arrests or convictions related to the murders were made. He maintained his innocence in subsequent media interviews.[149] In May 2008, Simpson's associateMike Gilbert claimed that Simpson had admitted his role as the murderer, saying he used the knife that Brown was holding when she opened her condo's door for him that night, and that he had stopped taking his arthritis medicine so his hands would swell in court.[150] During the trial,Johnnie Cochran informedJudge Ito thatShawn Chapman contacted the Los Angeles County Jail doctor, who confirmed Simpson was taking his arthritis medication every day, and that the jail's medical records verified this.[151][135] In 1996 former LA County Deputy DAVincent Bugliosi publishedOutrage: The Five Reasons Why O. J. Simpson Got Away with Murder in which he explained why he felt Simpson was guilty.[152] In a 2025 Netflix Docuseries titledAmerican Manhunt: O.J. Simpson, directed by Floyd Russ, an interview segment with O.J Simpson's former sports agent Mike Gilbert revealed that Gilbert worked up the nerve to ask Simpson what really happened with Nicole, and told his client that he had always suspected he was guilty. According to Gilbert, Simpson responded: "If Nicole wouldn't have opened the door with a knife, she would still be alive." (Gilbert also made this claim in his 2008 book, "How I Helped O.J. Get Away with Murder: The Shocking Inside Story of Violence, Loyalty, Regret, and Remorse.")[153] Simpson's lawyer at the timeYale L. Galanter said none of Gilbert's claims were true and that Gilbert is "a delusional drug addict who needs money. He's fallen on very hard times. He is in trouble with the IRS."[150] "I've talked to O.J. about it," said Galanter, who refused to allow Simpson to comment directly because of his robbery trial in Las Vegas. "This stuff not only didn't occur but it's not factually supported by the evidence."[150]
Comparisons were made years later between theTrayvon Martin case and theO.J. Simpson case, and how race impacted both. During an interview withPiers Morgan, when asked if there was a similarity in the racial aspects of the cases,Ron Goldman's sister Kim said all of the evidence pointed towards guilt in Simpson's case, while she believedGeorge Zimmerman's not guilty verdict was correct because it was a self defense case and that the killing ofTrayvon Martin was not racially charged.[154] Fred Goldman also denied racism played a factor in the killing of Trayvon or the outcome of the Simpson trial in an interview.[155]
Simpson liable for the wrongful death of and battery against Goldman, and battery against Brown
Citation
SCO31947
Court membership
Judge sitting
Hiroshi Fujisaki
Following Simpson's acquittal of criminal charges, the families of Ron Goldman and of Nicole Brown Simpson filed a civil lawsuit against Simpson.Daniel Petrocelli represented plaintiff Fred Goldman (Ronald Goldman's father), while Robert Baker represented Simpson.[156] Superior Court Judge Hiroshi Fujisaki presided,[156] and he barred television and still cameras, radio equipment, and courtroom sketch artists from the courtroom.[157] The trial excluded discussion of racial issues, which were considered "inflammatory and speculative."[16] On October 23, 1996, opening statements were made, and on January 16, 1997, both sides rested their cases.[158]
On February 5, 1997, a civil jury inSanta Monica, California, unanimously found Simpson liable for thewrongful death of andbattery against Goldman, and battery against Brown. (The Brown family had not filed a wrongful death claim.)[159] Simpson was ordered to pay $33,500,000 in damages: $8.5 million in compensatory damages to the Goldman family, and $12.5 million in punitive damages to each family.[160] Hisnet worth at the time was $11 million.[16]
In 1997, Simpson defaulted on his mortgage at the home in which he had lived for 20 years, at 360 North Rockingham Avenue, and the lenderforeclosed the property. In July 1998, the house was demolished by its next owner, Kenneth Abdalla, an investment banker and president of theJerry's Famous Deli chain.[161] In February 1999, an auction of Simpson'sHeisman Trophy and other belongings netted almost $500,000, which went to the Goldman family.[162] The Goldman family also tried to collect Simpson's NFL $28,000 yearly pension,[163] but failed to collect any money.[164]
In July 2017 after Simpson was granted parole, Ron Goldman's father Fred inquired about the real estate purchases made by Sydney and Justin Simpson, Brown's children with Simpson. David Cook, a lawyer for Fred Goldman, said he would seek bank records and depositions to follow the Simpson children's money trail and see if any of the homes were bought with their father's cash, which could make them eligible for aclawback. "The kids' loss is no greater than Fred's, but Fred's loss should be no greater than theirs," Cook said.[165] In June 2022 Fred alleged in court papers (intended to keep the wrongful death and battery judgment viable) that Simpson owed $96 million due to significant interest generated on the initial order to pay damages.[166]
On November 17, 2025, it was reported that the Simpson Estate agreed for pay nearly $58 million to Goldman's father to settle the civil claim, but it rejected the $117 million claim that was originally sought.[167]
Other legal troubles
In the late 1990s, Simpson attempted to register "O. J. Simpson", "O. J.", and "The Juice" as trademarks for "a broad range of goods, including figurines, trading cards, sportswear, medallions, coins, and prepaid telephone cards."[168] A "concerned citizen", William B. Ritchie, sued to oppose the granting of federal registration on the grounds that doing so would be immoral and scandalous.[169]
In February 2001, Simpson was arrested in Miami-Dade County, for simple battery and burglary of an occupied conveyance, for pulling the glasses off another motorist during a traffic dispute three months earlier. If convicted, Simpson could have faced up to 16 years in prison, but he was tried and quickly acquitted of both charges in October.[170][171]
On December 4, 2001, Simpson's Florida home was searched by theFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on suspicion ofecstasy possession andmoney laundering. The FBI had received a tip that Simpson was involved in a major drug trafficking ring after 10 other suspects were arrested in the case. Simpson's home was thoroughly searched for two hours, but no illegal drugs were discovered, and no arrest or formal charges were filed following the search. Investigators uncovered equipment capable of stealing satellite television programming, which was later evidence in a federal lawsuit.[172]
In July 2002, Simpson was arrested in Miami-Dade County for water speeding through amanatee protection zone and failing to comply with proper boating regulations.[173] The misdemeanor boating regulation charge was dropped, and Simpson was fined for the speeding infraction.[174]
In March 2004, satellite television networkDirecTV, Inc. accused Simpson in a Miami federal court of using illegal electronic devices topirate its broadcast signals. The company later won a $25,000 judgment, and Simpson was ordered to pay an additional $33,678 in attorney's fees and costs.[175]
In 2007, the state of California said that Simpson owed $1.44 million inback taxes.[176] Atax lien was filed in his case in September 1999.[177]
In 2006, publisherReganBooks had planned to release Simpson's bookIf I Did It, which was supposed to be his account of how he would hypothetically kill Brown and Goldman.[132] Simpson's eldest daughter, Arnelle Simpson, testified in a deposition that she and Van Exel, president of Raffles Entertainment and Music Production, came up with the idea for the book and pitched it to her father in an attempt to make money.[178] She testified that her father thought about it and eventually agreed to the book deal.[178] Simpson stated, "I have nothing to confess. This was an opportunity for my kids to get their financial legacy. My kids understand. I made it clear that it's blood money, but it's no different than any of the other writers who did books on this case."[178]
Nicole. Jesus. I looked down and saw her on the ground in front of me,curled up in afetal position at the base of the stairs, not moving.Goldman was only a few feet away, slumped against the bars of thefence. He wasn't moving either. Both he and Nicole were lying ingiant pools of blood. I had never seen so much blood in my life. Itdidn't seem real, and none of it computed.
If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer, Simpson, Fenjves (2006), p. 81.
In Simpson'shypothetical scenario, he has an unwilling accomplice named "Charlie" who urges him to not engage with Nicole, whom Simpson plans to "scare the shit out of."[179] Simpson ignores Charlie's advice and continues to Nicole's condo, where he finds and confronts Ron Goldman. According to the book, Nicole falls and hits her head on the concrete, and Goldman crouches in a karate pose. As the confrontation escalates, Simpson writes, "Then something went horribly wrong, and I knowwhat happened, but I can't tell youhow."[180] He writes that he regained consciousness later with no memory of the actual act of murder.[179]
Pablo Fenjvesghostwrote the book based on interviews with Simpson.[181] The publishing deal allegedly started when ReganBooks employeeJudith Regan received a phone call from Simpson's lawyers, who said he was ready to confess to the murders. Regan claimed the word "If" was put in the title so that Simpson would haveplausible deniability when his children read the book, because "he couldn't tell them that he had done it." The book was scheduled for release in November 2006, but was cancelled beforehand due to public outcry.[132] A scheduled TV interview withFox was also cancelled.[16]
In September 2006, Goldman's father took Simpson back to court to obtain control over Simpson's "right to publicity", for purposes of satisfying the judgment in the civil court case.[182] He claimed that Simpson was advanced $1 million for the book deal and interview, and that they were made to "cheat the family" of the damages owed.[16] In January 2007, a federal judge issued arestraining order prohibiting Simpson from spending any advance he may have received on the book deal and interview. The matter was dismissed before trial for lack of jurisdiction.[182] A California state judge also issued an additional restraining order, ordering Simpson to restrict his spending to "ordinary and necessary living expenses."[182] In March, a judge prevented Simpson from receiving any further compensation from the book deal and TV interview, ordering the bundled book rights to be auctioned.[183] In August, a Floridabankruptcy court awarded the book rights to the Goldman family, to partially satisfy the unpaid civil judgment. The family published the first edition of the book later that year, and they renamed it toIf I Did It: Confessions of the Killer. They also reduced the word "If" in size to such an extent that it appears within the large red "I" in the title, making the title appear to readI Did It: Confessions of the Killer. Additional material was added by the Goldmans, Fenjves, and investigative journalistDominick Dunne.[184][132]
On the night of September 13, 2007, a group of men led by Simpson entered a room at thePalace Station hotel-casino and tooksports memorabilia at gunpoint, which resulted in Simpson being questioned by police.[185][186] Simpson admitted to taking the items, which he said had been stolen from him, but denied breaking into the hotel room; he also denied that he or anyone else carried a gun.[187][188] He was initially released after questioning.[189]
Two days later, Simpson was arrested,[190] and he was initially held without bail.[191] Along with three other men, Simpson was charged with multiple felony counts, includingcriminal conspiracy,kidnapping, assault, robbery, and aggravated assault.[192][193] Bail was set at $125,000, with stipulations that Simpson have no contact with the co-defendants and that he surrender his passport. Simpson did not enter a plea.[194][195] By the end of October 2007, all three of Simpson's co-defendants hadplea-bargained with the prosecution in theClark County, Nevada, court case. Walter Alexander and Charles H. Cashmore accepted plea agreements in exchange for reduced charges and their testimony against Simpson and three other co-defendants, including testimony that guns were used in the robbery.[196] Co-defendant Michael McClinton told a Las Vegas judge that he too would plead guilty to reduced charges and testify against Simpson that guns were used in the robbery.[197] After the hearings, the judge ordered that Simpson be tried for the robbery.[198]
On November 8, 2007, Simpson had a preliminary hearing to decide whether he would be tried for the charges. He was held over for trial on all 12 counts. Simpson pleaded not guilty on November 29, with an initial setting for trial in April 2008, although it was soon set for September to give the defense more time for their case.[199][200] In January 2008, Simpson was taken into custody in Florida and was extradited to Las Vegas, where he was incarcerated at theClark County jail for violating the terms of his bail by attempting to contact co-defendant Clarence "C. J." Stewart. District Attorney David Roger of Clark County provided District Court Judge Jackie Glass with evidence that Simpson had violated his bail terms. A hearing took place on January 16. Glass raised Simpson's bail to US$250,000 and ordered that he remain in county jail until 15 percent was paid in cash.[201] Simpson posted bond that evening and returned to Miami the next day.[202]
The trial began on September 8, 2008, in the court ofNevada District Court Judge Jackie Glass, before anall-white jury,[203] in stark contrast to Simpson's earlier murder trial.[204] Simpson and his co-defendant were found guilty of all charges on October 3.[205] On October 10, Simpson's counsel moved for a new trial (trial de novo) on grounds of judicial errors andinsufficient evidence.[206] Simpson's attorney announced he would appeal to theNevada Supreme Court if Judge Glass denied the motion.[206] The attorney for Simpson's co-defendant, C. J. Stewart, petitioned for a new trial, alleging Stewart should have been tried separately and cited possible misconduct by the jury foreman.[206][207][208]
Simpson faced a possiblelife sentence with parole on the kidnapping charge, and mandatory prison time for armed robbery.[209] On December 5, 2008, Simpson was sentenced to a total of 33 years in prison,[210] with the possibility of parole after nine years, in 2017.[211] In September 2009, the Nevada Supreme Court denied a request for bail during Simpson's appeal. In October 2010, the Nevada Supreme Court affirmed his convictions.[212] He served his sentence at theLovelock Correctional Center as inmate 1027820.[213] He worked as a gym janitor there.[136]
A Nevada judge agreed in October 2012, to "reopen the armed robbery and kidnapping case against O. J. Simpson to determine if the former football star was so badly represented by his lawyers that he should be freed from prison and get another trial."[214] A hearing was held beginning May 2013, to determine if Simpson was entitled to a new trial.[215] In November, Judge Linda Bell denied Simpson's bid for a new trial on the robbery conviction. In her ruling, Bell wrote that all Simpson's contentions lacked merit.[216]
Release from prison
On July 31, 2013, theNevadaParole Board granted Simpson parole on some convictions, but his imprisonment continued based on the weapons and assault convictions. The board considered Simpson's prior record of criminal convictions and good behavior in prison in coming to the decision.[217] At his parole hearing on July 20, 2017, the board decided to grant Simpson parole, with certain parole conditions such as travel restrictions, non-contact with co-defendants from the robbery, and not drinking excessively. He was released on October 1, having served almost nine years.[218][219] In December 2021, Simpson was granted an early discharge from parole by the Nevada Division of Parole and Probation, for good behavior.[220]
Personal life
In 1995, afterhis acquittal for murder, Simpson began a relationship with Christie Prody which lasted for 13 years. At the time their relationship started, Prody was 19 years old and working as a cocktail waitress. After their relationship ended, Prody stated that she often feared for her life during the relationship.[221][222]
Simpson sought refuge in Florida to avoid paying the judgement he received in his 1997 civil trial; Florida is one of few states where pensions and residences cannot generally be seized to collect debts.[223][171] In 2000, he purchased a home inMiami-Dade County, 20 miles (32 km) south of Miami.[171] He "struggled to remake his life, raise his children, and stay out of trouble", and lived off pensions from the NFL,Screen Actors Guild, and other sources. He sent two of his children to prep school and college.[16] After his release from prison in 2017, Simpson joined Twitter, and gained a following of 800,000 followers by the time of his death.[73]
After Simpson retired from football, he began playing golf, which was a "constant" in his life before and after the acquittal. He often played in both the Los Angeles area and (after he moved to Florida) the Miami area. He played with professional golfers likeArnold Palmer, until they stopped associating with him around the time of his murder trial. Afterwards, however, he still played with notable people likeMichael Jordan. Simpson's membership at theRiviera Country Club in Los Angeles was suspended, so he started playing atRancho Park when in that city.Sports Illustrated reported in 1997 that other golfers did not want him in their presence.[224][225]
In May 2023, Simpson reported that he had been diagnosed with cancer and expressed confidence that he would beat it.[229] He also said he startedchemotherapy.[2] In February 2024, it was reported that Simpson was undergoing treatment forprostate cancer.[230] A week and a half before his death, Simpson cancelled a scheduled memorabilia signing because he was not feeling well.[231] In his last Twitter video on February 11, he said that while he was "dealing with some issues", he was in good health.[17] In the final days before his death, all of Simpson's children visited him.[232] He died of the disease on April 10, 2024, at the age of 76.[233][16] At the time, Simpson had been living in Las Vegas, next to theRhodes Ranch Golf Club.[16] Simpson shared a home with his oldest daughter Arnelle while his youngest son Justin lived up the street from him.[234]
Simpson's death was met with mixed reactions, with his legal history overshadowing his sporting achievements.[235] TheBills,49ers, andUSC did not publish any condolences or tributes following his death.[236] The NFL did not release a statement, but a video that announced Simpson's death and featured highlights from his professional football career was uploaded on the NFL's website and YouTube channel.[237][238][239] ThePro Football Hall of Fame published a news release and lowered its flag to half-staff.[240][241] TheHeisman Trophy published a tribute to Simpson on Twitter and offered condolences to his family.[240]
Booker Edgerson, Simpson's teammate from theBuffalo Bills, said he was planning to visit Simpson inLas Vegas in three weeks when he got the news Simpson died. "We really didn't get along in the beginning. But eventually we became roommates and everything. So we had an outstanding relationship. We did a lot of things together. We went through a lot when he had his good years inBuffalo," Edgerson said of his friendship with Simpson. "We had good times together, and we understood each other. That's my memories."[242][243]Joe DeLamielleure, Simpson's teammate from theBuffalo Bills, reflected on his death, "I'm sad because, when people die you go 'Oh, God, that's terrible.' But what happened to him, and maybe he brought it upon himself, but he was an icon in the nation. And he meant a lot (to) people doing those commercials. He did a lot for the Black race even though he didn't know it. He wasn'tMuhammad Ali or anything, but he was doing things for athletes and not just Black athletes, but he kicked us into a really big thing. That's what I think of him. He was a groundbreaker."[244] DeLamielleure said he spoke with Simpson on the phone a month before his death, and that he last saw Simpson five years ago at an autograph session near Buffalo. "It was nice to see him. And as for O.J. and what he did or didn't do, it's not my place to judge anybody. But I really liked him as a teammate."[245]
The Goldman family issued a statement that read, "The news of Ron's killer passing away is a mixed bag of complicated emotions and reminds us that the journey through grief is not linear. For three decades we tirelessly pursued justice for Ron and Nicole, and despite a civil judgment and his confession inIf I Did It, the hope for true accountability has ended. We will continue to advocate for the rights of all victims and survivors, ensuring our voices are heard both within and beyond the courtroom. And despite his death, the mission continues; there's always more to be done. Thank you for keeping our family, and most importantly Ron, in your hearts for the last 30 years."[246][247]Nicole Brown Simpson's sister Denise later said of her sister's legacy, "Her life was stolen from her and while her abuser is finally gone, it doesn't take away the anguish we feel or the pain of her children who lost their mother."[248]
White House press secretaryKarine Jean-Pierre said in a short statement, "Our thoughts are with his families during this difficult time... I know that they have asked for some privacy and so we're going to respect that."[249]Magic Johnson tweeted that he and his wife Cookie were praying for Simpson's children and grandchildren during his difficult passing.[250]Caitlyn Jenner posted "Good Riddance" on Twitter after news broke of Simpson's death.[251] RappersCam'ron andMase paid tribute to Simpson on the independently produced sports' news talk showIt is What It is, where Simpson joined as a football analyst in the last months of his life, and also criticizedCaitlyn Jenner for her tweet about Simpson's death.[252][253][254] Sports analystStephen A. Smith mentioned, "One of the greatest athletes we have ever seen... But it all pales in comparison to him being perceived as a double murderer."[255][256] SingerStephanie Mills posted tributes to Simpson on her social media accounts remembering him for his NFL career andHertz commercials.[257][non-primary source needed]David Zucker, director ofThe Naked Gun movies, posted a picture of Simpson on his Instagram, with the caption, "His acting was a lot like his murdering: He got away with it, but no one believed him."[258] Former professional football playerTodd Gurley paid tribute to Simpson on Twitter by listing his on-field accomplishments and praised Simpson for being like family to him.[259] Former professional football playerTorrey Smith wrote on Twitter that while he's "not a big OJ guy," he feels "the amount [of] journalists/media companies that are using OJ's court pictures to announce his death is disgusting! Regardless of what you may think about him he was innocent in court and has kids out here. Y'all have no respect."[260] SportscasterBob Costas who worked with Simpson for several years atNBC Sports, reflected on Simpson's complicated legacy, "I can't think of anyone historical or someone that we may have known where the first chapter and the second chapter of their lives are such a stark contrast," he said noting that Simpson went from a "revered" figure to a "reviled" one.[261]
Simpson was cremated at the Palm Mortuary inDowntown Las Vegas on April 17, 2024.[262][263] Theexecutor of Simpson's estate announced plans to fight the estate's money going to the Brown and Goldman families,[264] but reversed course soon after.[265] No plans were made for a public memorial, while there were tentative discussions of a celebration of life ceremony for the family.[262][266] Malcolm LeVergne, the attorney handling Simpson's estate, stated that hiscremains will be given to his children.[262]
Simpson was featured in the "In Memoriam" segment at the24th BET Awards, surprising people in attendance.[267] Simpson was left out of the "In Memoriam" segment at the76th Primetime Emmy Awards, but was included in the full list of the names featured on the Television Academy's website.[268]Simpson was also featured in the "In Memoriam" segment at the56th NAACP Image Awards.[269]
Money owed
Simpson's longtime Las Vegas attorney Malcolm LaVergne was named as Simpson's "personal representative" and executor of the will and testament, according to court records. Justin Simpson, Simpson's son, was named as "successor personal representative." In August 2024, LaVergne revealed that Simpson owed him $269,000 at the time of his death and that he was seeking to claim possession of Simpson's "forever home" in Las Vegas from Simpson's son Justin as part of a way to pay off the debt.[270][271][272] Speaking toTMZ, LaVergne confirmed that due to Simpson's outstanding debts, such as those related in the 1997 civil ruling, the expensive funeral and $500,000 Simpson owed to the state of California, he was making an effort to liquidate Simpson's assets, and that Simpson's family was putting up resistance to his efforts.[270][271] Simpson's creditors include not just the Goldman family, but also the IRS and the California Tax Board.[271][270] Simpson's decision to change his primary residence from Florida to Nevada also made him more vulnerable to the Goldman family being able to collect money from what he earned through his NFL pension, with Ron Goldman's father Fred seeking $117 million as of July 2024.[272][273] Simpson's ashes would be made into jewelry (memorial diamonds), with only his four children taking possession.[272][274] LaVergne confirmed that he did not take possession of any of the cremation jewelry, tellingTMZ that he had no interest in possessing Simpson's ashes.[272][274] According to Lavergne, $4,243.06 was spent to go through with Simpson's cremation, create the jewelry, and draw up the death certificates.[272]
In popular culture
Overview
The New York Times wrote that Simpson "generated a tide of tell-all books, movies, studies and debate over questions of justice, race relations and celebrity in a nation that adores its heroes." More than 30 books were written on Simpson by the time of his death.[16]
Film and television
During and after the murder trial, Simpson was the frequent subject of mocking jokes byNorm Macdonald onSaturday Night Live. These jokes, which became famous, are widely believed to have caused Macdonald to be fired by NBC executiveDon Ohlmeyer, who was friends with Simpson.[275][276] Television hostConan O'Brien remembered Macdonald's comedy as the most notable commentary about Simpson's trials.[277] In the wake of Simpson's death, Macdonald's jokes about him went viral.[278] Prior to Macdonald's death, he jokingly claimed to have changed his mind about Simpson's guilt. According to Macdonald's friend Lori Jo Hoekstra, however, that new commentary was enough for Simpson to reach out to Macdonald and offer to play golf.[279]
BBC TV's documentary,O.J. Simpson: The Untold Story (2000), produced by Malcolm Brinkworth, "reveals that clues that some believe pointed away from Simpson as the killer were dismissed or ignored and highlights two other leads which could shed new light on the case."[284] TheInvestigation Discovery TV movie documentary,OJ: Trial of the Century (2014), begins on the day of the murders, ends on the reading of the verdict, and comprises actual media footage of events and reactions, as they unfolded.[285] Also an Investigation Discovery TV documentary isO.J. Simpson Trial: The Real Story (2016), which entirely comprises archival news footage of the murder case, the Bronco chase, the trial, the verdict, and reactions.[286]
The documentary miniseries,O.J.: Made in America (2016), directed byEzra Edelman and produced by Laylow Films, is an American five-part,7+1⁄2-hour film that previewed at theTribeca andSundance Film Festivals, and aired as part of the30 for 30 series airing on theABC andESPN sister networks. This film adds "rich contextual layers to the case, including a dive into the history of Los Angeles race relations that played such a central role in his acquittal."[287]Mary McNamara wrote she was impressed the film had "that ability to show all sides of this history, to balance opposing forces and push them forward."[288] James Poniewozik observed in hisNew York Times review that "the director Ezra Edelman pulls back, way back, like a news chopper over a freeway chase. Before you hear about the trial, the documentary says, you need to hear all the stories – the stories of race, celebrity, sports, America – that it's a part of."[289] The film won the 2017Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.[290]
Fox's TV specialO.J. Simpson: The Lost Confession? (2018) features an interview Simpson gave in 2006 with publisherJudith Regan, where he gave "hypothetical" details about his role in the murders.[292][293] Though Simpson stated that the details he described werehypothetical, the interview was considered to be animplied confession to the murders.[292][294][295][296][297] In 2018, it was announcedBoris Kodjoe would portray Simpson in a film titledNicole & O.J.[298] The movie, whose title has been changed toThe Juice, is scheduled for release in 2025.[299] In 2020,Court TV premieredOJ25, a 25-part series documenting each week of the trial and hosted by former Los Angeles prosecutor and legal analyst Roger Cossack.[300]
Exhibits
The Bronco from Simpson's police chase is on display in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee'sAlcatraz East Crime Museum.[301][302]
In 2017, Adam Papagan curated a pop-up museum featuring artifacts andephemera from the trial atCoagula Curatorial gallery in Los Angeles.[303][304]
^The Bills used these picks to draftScott Hutchinson andDanny Fulton in 1978,Tom Cousineau andKen Johnson in 1979, andJoe Cribbs in 1980. Cousineau elected to play in theCFL over playing in Buffalo, with the team later trading his rights for three draft picks in 1983, with one pick being used to draftJim Kelly.[50]
^Bonfante, Jordan (October 27, 1967)."The best college halfback—just call him O.J."Life. Vol. 63, no. 7. p. 74b.ISSN0024-3019.Archived from the original on April 17, 2024. RetrievedApril 17, 2024 – via Google Books.The only thing she ever told me about Orenthal was that it was the name of some French or Italian actor.
^"O. J. at 29".Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. January 19, 1977. p. 2B.Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. RetrievedMay 8, 2024.
^Fernandez, Bernard (September 2, 1994)."A host of changes".Philadelphia Daily News. p. 122.Archived from the original on April 18, 2024. RetrievedApril 18, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
