OJ Simpson dead at 76
OJ Simpson, the former NFL star who was tried and controversially acquitted for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown and her friend, Ronald Goldman, has died aged 76.
His death has been confirmed by his family, who posted on Simpson’s official X 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.”
Simpson had been privately battling prostate cancer for some time, and his health had gradually worsened over recent months.
In February, it was widely reported that he had entered a hospice facility, but he took to social media to deny the claims, stating: “I’m not in any hospice. I don’t know who put that out there. I guess it’s like Donald (Trump) says, ‘You can’t trust the media.’”
While Simpson rose to prominence as an NFL running back, playing in the league for 11 seasons, it was his trial over the murders of Brown and Goldman that made him become an infamous figure in popular culture.
After retiring from the sport in 1979, Simpson moved into the world of acting, most notably appearing in The Naked Gun trilogy. He also set up his own production company, Orenthal Productions, and at one stage, was considered by James Cameron to star in The Terminator.
On June 12th, 1994, Simpson’s reputation as an American hero evaporated in an instant when the bodies of Brown and Goldman were found, after the pair were stabbed to death in Los Angeles. Simpson was later charged with their murders, before he was eventually acquitted in a highly-publicised trial.
Although he was acquitted over the murder of the pair, Simpson was found liable for their deaths in 1997 during a civil suit. He was told to pay $33.5million to the victims’ families.
Additionally, in 2007, Simpson was charged with armed robbery and kidnapping in Las Vegas. The former NFL player was later found guilty, and sentenced to 33 years in prison. He was granted parole in 2017.
This is a developing story.
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