(CMR) O.J. Simpson, the former football legend who was accused of and ultimately acquitted of the brutal 1994 killings of his ex-wife and her friend, has died, according to his family. He was 76.
“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,” a statement from his family said.
In May 2023, Simpson posted a video on social media stating tht he had cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy. Earlier this year, it was again reported that he was undergoing treatment for an unspecified cancer. However, Simpson denied that report.
“My health is good. I mean, obviously, I'm dealing with some issues, but I think I'm just about over it,” he posted then.
Orenthal James Simpson, also known as “The Juice,” set multiple records as a college and professional football player. He then went on to become a famous sportscaster, as well as a movie and television actor. Additionally, he was a corporate spokesperson, most notably for Hertz rental cars.
His life took a major turn on June 12, 1994, when his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, were brutally stabbed to death outside her home in Los Angeles.
Five days after the killings, millions watched as Simpson's white Ford Bronco – with longtime friend Al Cowlings at the wheel and Simpson in the back seat with a handgun, threatening to kill himself – led police on a 60-mile, low-speed televised chase through Los Angeles that lasted some two hours.
Simpson ultimately surrendered to police and stood trial for the murders. In October 1995, after 11 months from jury selection to verdict, Simpson was acquitted in a trial that was televised daily and became an international sensation.
In 2007, Simpson led a group of men to steal his own sports memorabilia at gunpoint from a Las Vegas hotel and casino. He was charged with multiple felonies, including kidnapping and armed robbery, found guilty, and sentenced to up to 33 years in prison. He was released on parole in 2017.
O.J. Simpson is survived by four children: Arnelle and Jason, from his first marriage, and Sydney and Justin, from his marriage to Nicole Brown Simpson.
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