O.J. Simpson, a former professional football star acquitted of charges in the murder of his former wife and her friend — but later found liable in a separate civil trial — has died.
He was 76 years old.
His family shared the news on social media Thursday, saying he passed away the day before.
On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” the family wrote. “He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace.”
In 1994, Simpson’s ex-wife and mother of two of his children, Nicole Brown, was found stabbed to death with her friend, Ron Goldman in Los Angeles.
Simpson was accused of killing them both, but was acquitted in a highly-publicized trial in 1995. He was later found liable for both deaths by a criminal court jury in 1997 and ordered to pay $33.5 million to family members of Brown and Goldman.
Live TV coverage of his arrest after a famous slow-speed chase in a white Ford Bronco began a stunning fall from grace for the sports hero. The public was then mesmerized by his “trial of the century” on live TV.
Simpson and Brown, who were married for seven years, had a rocky relationship, with Simpson allegedly abusing her. Her murder took place two years after their divorce.
Simpson’s trouble with the law continued in 2007 when he was arrested in Las Vegas on armed robbery and kidnapping charges after he led five men he barely knew into a confrontation with two sports memorabilia dealers in Las Vegas.
Two of the men with Simpson had guns. He was convicted a year later and sentenced to 33 years behind bars. He was released on parole in 2017.
I’ve basically spent a conflict-free life, you know,” Simpson, whose parole ended in late 2021, said.
Simpson rose to fame as a NFL star in the late 1960s. He played mostly for the Buffalo Bills and is considered to be one of the greatest running backs of all time.
He also had an acting career, starring in movies and TV shows.
Simpson was reportedly diagnosed with prostate cancer in February and had been undergoing treatment.