LOS ANGELES, CA – O.J. Simpson, a name synonymous with American football and one of the most sensational trials in U.S. history, has died at the age of 76 after a fight with cancer, as confirmed by his family.
Simpson’s fame started on the football field. In 1967, he emerged as a star running back at the University of Southern California, leading all college running backs in rushing during his first season. His prowess on the field earned him the prestigious Heisman Trophy in 1968. Simpson’s talent took him to the Buffalo Bills as the first pick in the 1969 draft. He retired a decade later, ranking second in NFL history with 11,236 rushing yards. In 1985, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
However, Simpson’s life took a dramatic turn in 1994 when his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, were found brutally murdered outside her Los Angeles home. Simpson, who had married Nicole in 1985 and had two children with her before their divorce in 1992, became the prime suspect.
The ensuing trial, often referred to as the “trial of the century,” was a media spectacle. Simpson’s televised car chase in a white Ford Bronco, after he was ordered to surrender to the police, was one of the most-watched moments of the decade. The trial concluded on October 3, 1995, with Simpson’s acquittal on two counts of murder, despite evidence such as a pair of gloves believed to have been worn by the killer.
In 1996, a civil trial found Simpson responsible for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Goldman. The families were awarded $33.5 million in damages, a sum that remained largely uncollected.
In 2007, Simpson found himself on the wrong side of the law again when he confronted two sports-memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room, claiming the memorabilia they planned to sell was his. He was found guilty of 12 felonies, including kidnapping and armed robbery, and was sentenced to 33 years in prison. He served nine years before being released on parole in 2017.
Simpson passed away on Wednesday, April 10, after a long battle with cancer. His family confirmed his death and requested privacy.