The infamous football player O.J. Simpson’s , whose trial for the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, has died following a battle with cancer, according to a statement from his family.
At the age of 76, O.J. Simpson’s , the former NFL player famously tried for the double murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, has passed away after battling cancer. His family conveyed the news through a statement shared on his X account, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday, April 10th.
The family of the former football star disclosed that he was surrounded by his children and grandchildren at the time of his passing. O.J. Simpson’s had reportedly been facing prostate cancer, as per TMZ reports. In a statement shared on April 10th, his family requested privacy and compassion during this period of transition. Additionally, his attorney confirmed his demise.
Orenthal James Simpson, born in 1947 in San Francisco, began his football journey as a college player for the University of Southern California in 1967, where he excelled as a running back. His collegiate career saw him leading the nation in rushing yards and culminated in him being awarded the prestigious Heisman Trophy during his senior year.
Drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 1969, Simpson continued his football prowess in the professional arena, consistently topping the league in rushing yards and touchdowns. He earned the title of MVP in 1973 and participated in numerous Pro Bowls during his tenure with the Bills. Following his stint with the Bills, Simpson concluded his career with the San Francisco 49ers, retiring from professional football in 1979 after two final seasons with the team.
Apart from his football career, O.J. Simpson’s explored acting, taking on roles in several productions, including the film “The Towering Inferno,” starting in the mid-1970s. Additionally, he contributed as an NFL commentator. In 2006, Simpson ventured into television with his appearance in a hidden camera prank show titled “Juiced,” a playful nod to his nickname “The Juice.”
Following an exhaustive 11-month trial, O.J. Simpson was acquitted of the charges in 1995, but public sentiment remained divided. A 2016 survey conducted by The Washington Post revealed that a majority of Americans still believed Simpson was guilty of the crimes. Despite the acquittal, Simpson faced further legal ramifications when the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson pursued a wrongful death civil lawsuit against him. The court found Simpson liable and mandated him to pay substantial damages to the victims’ families.
Subsequent to the trial’s conclusion, Simpson courted controversy by authoring the book “If I Did It,” in which he presented a hypothetical account of the murders. The publication stirred immense public outcry. In 2007, following the civil lawsuit, the rights to the book were acquired by Ron Goldman’s family. They modified the cover design, minimizing the prominence of the word “If” and appending the subtitle “Confessions of the Killer,” thereby altering the title to read “I Did It: Confessions of the Killer.”
In 2007, O.J. Simpson faced legal trouble once again when he was arrested in connection with a robbery at a Las Vegas hotel, during which he purportedly took sports memorabilia from a room at the Palace Station. Following his arrest, he was convicted in October 2008 and subsequently sentenced to 33 years in prison in December of the same year. After serving a portion of his sentence, Simpson was granted parole in July 2017, leading to his release in October of that year.
Two years following his release, in June 2019, O.J. ventured into the realm of social media by joining Twitter. Through his Twitter account, he sporadically expressed his thoughts and opinions on various current events.
O.J. Simpson is survived by four of his five children. Tragically, his daughter Aaren passed away in 1979 at the age of two.
