O.J. Simpson, the former champion football running back-turned-actor, passed away at the age of 76 after a battle with cancer. While he was famously acquitted in a sensational trial of charges that he murdered his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, Simpson was found liable in a civil suit brought by the victims’ families three years later. Born in San Francisco, Simpson won the Heisman Trophy while at USC before setting records as a professional football player for the San Francisco 49ers and the Buffalo Bills. He also dabbled in acting, appearing in films such as “The Klansman,” “The Cassandra Crossing,” and “The Towering Inferno.”
Despite his success on the football field and in Hollywood, Simpson’s life took a dark turn when his ex-wife and her friend were found murdered outside her Brentwood condo in 1994. A media frenzy ensued when Simpson attempted to flee in his white Ford Bronco, leading to a slow-speed chase that was televised and watched by millions. The subsequent trial became a media circus, with Simpson ultimately being found not guilty of the murders. However, he faced civil charges and was found liable for wrongful death and battery against Goldman and battery against Nicole Brown Simpson, resulting in a hefty judgment of $33.5 million in damages.
Simpson’s legal troubles were far from over, as he later served almost nine years in prison for robbery, kidnapping, and other counts in a Las Vegas sports memorabilia scheme. He was released in 2017 after demonstrating good behavior. Throughout the years, Hollywood films and docuseries have chronicled Simpson’s infamous trial, including the Oscar-winning “O.J.: Made in America” and FX’s “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. Sacha Baron Cohen also famously attempted to get a confession out of Simpson during an interview for his Showtime series “Who Is America?”.
Following his release from prison, Simpson was released early from parole in 2021 for good behavior. His family confirmed his passing on his official social media account, asking for privacy and grace during this time of transition. Simpson’s legacy will forever be intertwined with both his athletic accomplishments and his legal troubles, leaving a lasting impact on popular culture.
