OJ Simpson Passes away at 76
posted by Trevor Lloyd | April 16, 2024 | In News, SportsOne of the best running backs and most controversial figures in popular sports media has passed away. On April 11, it was reported that O.J. Simpson passed away due to a battle with cancer.
His family took to X to break the news of his homecoming. The tweet read: “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.”
Simpson was widely considered one of, if not the best running back, of the ‘70s while he played for the Buffalo Bills. Simpson’s 1973 season is considered to be one of the best by a running back of all time, as he rushed for over 2,000 yards back when the NFL had only 14 games in a regular season.
After his illustrious football career Simpson transitioned into acting and had a successful career in the ‘80s, probably most well-known for co-starring in the satirical Naked Gun series of films.
However, Simpson’s luck and public image would never truly recover when he was charged and tried for murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994. This trial brought some of the most memorable moments in media history with Simpson having a low-speed chase in a white Ford Bronco on June 17, 1994, and the famous line “if the glove doesn’t fit, you must acquit” during court hearing. The trial of the century ended with Simpson being found not guilty with public reaction being split almost down the middle and the case was the topic of many racial discussions.
While he was found not guilty in the criminal trial Simpson was found liable in a civil suit filed by the parents of the victims that resulted in Simpson owing Goldman’s family $33 million.
Simpson would continue to have legal trouble in the 2000s, with a series of arrests, including one for battery in a road rage incident, and an arrest and conviction for armed robbery in 2007 for which he served 9 years in prison.
Also in 2007, Simpson continued to court controversy when he published a book titled If I Did it: Confessions of a Killer, which he claimed was a hypothetical account of the crime. After public outrage, the book was first pulled from the shelves, and then re-issued with all the proceeds going to the children of Brown and Simpson as part of a legal agreement with the Brown family.
The death of The Juice has seen a multitude of people come out and reactions have been mixed to say the very least.
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