Former US football star OJ Simpson, who was acquitted of the murder of his ex-wife in a spectacular trial in 1995, is dead. Simpson died of cancer on Wednesday at the age of 76, his family announced on Thursday on the online Platform X, formerly Twitter, with. His lawyer also confirmed the news of Simpson’s death to the online portal “TMZ”.
Simpson was surrounded by his children and grandchildren when he died, the family said. “During this time of transition, his family asks that their wishes for privacy and decency be respected.” Simpson’s on-field accomplishments would be preserved in the archives of the Ohio State Football Hall of Fame, into which he was inducted in 1985 said Hall of Fame President Jim Porter.
Simpson was considered a charismatic figure
Orenthal James – “OJ” – Simpson was born on July 9, 1947 in San Francisco. His athletic talent was evident as a child and he soon set records in football and track and field at the prestigious University of Southern California. Simpson was nicknamed “The Juice” because of his agility. As a professional, he made it into the NFL football league, was successful for the San Francisco 49ers and the Buffalo Bills until the end of the 1970s and set records for the longest runs and most touchdowns.
After his career ended, the charismatic Simpson became a popular figure, appearing in films and television series and also commentating on sporting events. In his private life, Simpson had to cope with a stroke of fate when his third child, daughter Aaren, drowned in a pool in 1979. Two years later, Simpson and his wife Marguerite, whom he married in 1967, divorced. In 1985 he married Nicole Brown and had two more children with her. The couple divorced in 1992.
Escape from the authorities
Then comes the fateful year of 1994 for Simpson: The ex-football star is suspected of having murdered Brown and her acquaintance Ronald Goldman. On the night of June 12, 1994, a walker discovered the stabbed victims lying in pools of blood in front of Brown’s home in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Suspicion fell on ex-husband Simpson and an arrest warrant was issued.
OJ Simpson fled from police in a white Ford Bronco in 1994. Hours later he surrendered. Photo: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire
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On June 17, 1994, Simpson was supposed to turn himself in to the authorities – but he fled in a white Ford Bronco. Simpson sits in the back seat of the Ford Bronco and at times holds a gun to his temple. His friend and fellow athlete Al Cowlings is behind the wheel. Helicopters and police cars follow Simpson on the freeway in Los Angeles, the whole nation follows the spectacle live on television.
Life away from the public
The hunt finally ends in front of Simpson’s villa, where the then 46-year-old surrenders. He comes to court and protests his innocence. What follows is a court drama lasting around eight months that captivates the entire nation, goes down in US judicial history – and ends with a surprise: in 1995, Simpson is acquitted in the trial of the century. The legal community was shocked, as the evidence against Simpson in the circumstantial evidence trial was considered extremely overwhelming. It was only a small satisfaction for the victims’ families when Simpson was found guilty in a civil trial in 1997 and ordered to pay a fine worth millions.
OJ Simpson during his arrest. Photo: IMAGO/Bridgeman Images
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Because of another incident, Simpson ends up in prison. In 2008 he was sentenced to 33 years in prison in the US state of Nevada for armed robbery and assault. In a hotel room in Las Vegas, he and his accomplices pressured two collectors of fan items into handing over personal memorabilia. In 2017 he got out of prison much earlier. Since then, amateur golfer Simpson has lived a life away from the public eye in Las Vegas.
He sometimes spoke out in public – but he no longer wanted to talk about the murders and the trial. His last message on “I’m from the [San Francisco] Bay and I’m heading to the bay.”
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