O.J. Simpson Trial Revisited, Looking Back At The Former NFL Player’s Infamous Murder Trial, and Surrounding Events

O.J. Simpson, the Hall of Fame football player and one of the most controversial personalities in U.S. sports history, has died after a long battle against prostate cancer.

He had an illustrious career that spanned 11 years in the NFL.

He was an exceptional running back at USC where he won a Heisman Trophy just before his association with the NFL.

However, he is more known not for his prowess in the field but for the infamous murder trial of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman.

The case was one of the most widely covered by the media and now with the news of Simpson’s death the case has once again hit the limelight.

In 1994 Simpson was charged with murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.

The lifeless body of the duo was found by the neighbors when police went in to investigate after they heard the dogs barking.

Nicole Brown Simpson who was married to OJ Simpson from 1985 to 1992 was found stabbed to death along with her friend waiter Ron Goldman who was also murdered in the attack.

Simpson was the primary suspect and after investigation he was formally charged with the murder of his former wife and her friend.

The police also recovered a blood-stained glove from Simpsons’ house which led the police to believe he was involved in the murders.

Simpson was arrested after a infamous police chase in his white Ford Bronco and was interned in the Los Angeles County Jail.

The trial began on January, 24, 1995 and was presided over by Judge Lance Ito. The case lasted for seven months and there were many ups and downs in the case.

A crack team of high profile lawyers which included Simpson’s best friend Robert Kardashian who came out of retirement as well as many legal luminaries defended Simpson.

The defense punched a number of holes in the prosecution’s story and was able to convince the jury that there were many instances where crucial blood samples were manhandled and there was an element of doubt.

The defense also argued that Simpson was a victim of racial bias and the recovered gloves were too small to fit his hands.

The glove ended up becoming a key part of the trial. After a lengthy trial the Jury concluded that Simpson was found not guilty by the jury on both counts of murder.

Incidentally, Simpson was pronounced non- guilty by a Jury which was a predominantly black panel of 10 women and two men.

However Goldman and Brown families put up a death lawsuit against Simpson in civil court and in 1997, a predominately white jury in Santa Monica, California held OJ Simpson liable for the two deaths and ordered him to pay $33.5 million in damages.

However problems did not leave Simpson who escaped unscathed from the murder trial but was sentenced to up to 33 years in prison for a number of charges, including kidnapping and armed robbery on October 3, 2008.

Simpson was released in 2017 on parole and moved into a gated community in Las Vegas.

In 2024, Simpson was released on the grounds of good conduct and was granted early release from parole at age 74.

Simpson’s defending lawyer team also included Robert Kardashian who played a crucial role in the trial.

Robert Kardashian was a close friend and lawyer to Simpson and was married to Kris Jenner in 1978 and the couple had four children together:: Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Robert Kardashian Jr. Robert.

However, Robert Kardashian defending Simpson also led to a massive rift between Kris and Robert, who were already divorced at the time but remained in touch as good friends.

Also Read: O. J. Simpson Net Worth 2024: How Much was the Former American Football Player Worth?