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Widely suspected murderer, and former NFL running back and actor O.J. Simpson has passed away at the age of 76 years old following a brief battle with prostate cancer.
Simpson passed away on Wednesday, April 10, according to his family. Back in February, it was reported that Simpson was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy treatment in Las Vegas.
“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. 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,” reads a statement posted to his Twitter account.
On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer.
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.
-The Simpson Family
— O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) April 11, 2024
Once revered for being one of the greatest running backs to ever live, Simpson’s image, legacy, and soul were forever tarnished in June 1994 when he was charged with the murders of former wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman.
The pair were found stabbed to death outside of Brown’s apartment in Los Angeles on the night of June 12, 1994. Simpson’s trial and subsequent acquittal resulted in one of the most high-profile court cases in American history, earning the nickname “the trial of the century.”
Five days later, Simpson infamously took part in a low-speed police pursuit by threatening his own life while driving down the highway in a 1993 white Ford Bronco.
Simpson’s trial sparked a massive racial discussion in the United States, as studies showed that most African Americans thought Simpson was innocent while most White Americans felt he was guilty.
In the years since, however, that disparity has closed, as a 2016 poll found that “the majority of black respondents believed Simpson was guilty.” Simpson himself even leaned into the controversy surrounding his verdict, publishing a book titled If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer in 2007.
While Simpson was infamously and controversially acquitted of murdering Simpson and Goldman, he did eventually go to prison in 2008 after he was convicted on armed robbery and kidnapping charges that stemmed from an incident with a sports memorabilia dealer in Las Vegas.
Simpson was ultimately sentenced to 33 years in prison but was eventually released on parole in 2017. He was actually found guilty of the armed robbery and kidnapping exactly 13 years after he was acquitted of the Brown and Goldman murders — October 3, 2008.
As for his long-forgotten, intensely overshadowed time in the NFL, Simpson was drafted #1 overall in the 1969 draft and played with the Buffalo Bills from 1969 to 1977 and the San Francisco 49ers from 1978 to 1979. He was named MVP in 1973.