From football stardom to an acting career and then the whirlwind of legal battles that saw his reputation tainted for life, OJ Simpson’s saga is a long and complicated one that stretched until his death this week

Crooked OJ Simpson’s life was a tale of soaring highs and crashing lows, all entwined with the intoxicating allure of celebrity and the belief that he was above the law.

The former American football con died on Wednesday in Las Vegas following a battle with cancer. He was 76. “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” the family wrote on Twitter.

READ MORE: Seven unanswered questions about murder of OJ Simpson’s ex-wife after he was cleared

The brief statement added: “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.”

The NFL star had been receiving treatment in Sin City after a prostate cancer diagnosis. Last night, tributes to the Simpson were few and far between.

Former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner, whose ex-wife Kris was a close friend of the athlete and his murdered ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, instead took to social media and wrote, “Good Riddance.”

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OJ was pictured in a historic mugshot after his arrest in 1994 for the murders (
Image:
Los Angeles Police Department/AF)
From his days as an American football hero to his infamous “Trial of the Century’ over the killing of Nicole and her friend, Ronald Goldman, Simpson wielded his fame and influence to shield him from the consequences of his actions.

Life of stardom

On the field and later in Hollywood, he basked in fans’ adulation and the perks of stardom. Known by his nickname ‘The Juice’, his charm and charisma made him a beloved figure, while his athletic prowess elevated him to legendary status.

He became a crossover star, lending his handsome face and affable personality to the slapstick ‘Naked Gun’ movies while earning millions from TV ads.

OJ’s football career first launched him into stardom (
Image:
WireImage)

OJ married Nicole in 1985 before he was accused of killing her in 1994 (
Image:
Getty Images)
It was a far cry from the start he received when he was born on July 9, 1947, in a housing project in the depressed Potrero Hill section of San Francisco.

But behind the dazzling facade lay a darker reality – a man accustomed to getting what he wanted when he wanted it, with little regard for the law. Following his retirement from American football in 1979, he moved to become a sportscaster before turning to acting.

Romance marred by violence

By now, he had already met his future wife, Nicole, a waitress at the Daisy, a Beverly Hills nightclub. She was 30 years his junior. Their relationship was marred by domestic abuse.

On New Year’s Day in 1989, an anonymous 911 call summoned police to the Simpsons’ Californian home. When police arrived at 3.30am, Nicole rushed out from the bushes where she had been hiding.

Her lip was split, her eye was black, and a handprint was visible on her neck. “He’s going to kill me, he’s going to kill me,” she cried, according to the police report. Simpson emerged from the house, shouting, “I got two women, and I don’t want that woman in my bed anymore.”

He later pleaded no contest to domestic violence. He was ordered to pay a $700 fine, obtain psychiatric counselling and perform 120 hours of community service. He also was placed on two years’ probation.

The couple issued a statement calling the altercation “an isolated and unfortunate incident”, but three years later, they divorced. But on October 25, 1993, Nicole called the police again. “He’s back,” she told an emergency operator, and officers once more intervened.

‌Two victims found dead – and a TV car chase

So when his ex-wife and Goldman were found brutally murdered outside her LA condominium on June 12, 1994, the spotlight immediately turned on Simpson.

Five days later – and after he had attended her funeral – the former Buffalo Bills running back was charged with the murders, leading to a surreal scene unfolding on the streets of Los Angeles.

The footballer, driven by his pal and former teammate, Al Cowlings, was spotted fleeing from police in a white Ford Bronco as he crouched in the back seat.

OJ was involved in a 90-minute police chase in 1994 while in a white Ford Bronco (
Image:
Getty)
What ensued was a slow-speed pursuit that played out live on television screens across the world. News helicopters trailed the truck from above, and millions of viewers watched in disbelief.

For nearly two hours, the Bronco meandered along the freeways of Los Angeles, with Cowlings at the helm and Simpson reportedly holding a gun to his own head, threatening suicide.

As they made their way through the city, crowds gathered on overpasses and street corners, waving signs of support or simply staring in shock at the surreal spectacle unfolding before their eyes.

The chase brought traffic to a standstill, with police cars trailing behind in a surreal caravan that seemed to stretch on endlessly. At one point, Simpson could be heard speaking to police negotiators on his mobile phone, expressing his desperation and frustration with the situation.

“I’m the only one who deserves to get hurt. I wanna say goodbye to my kids … I wanna’ be with Nicole,” he reportedly said at one point.

After nearly two hours on the road, the Bronco pulled into the driveway of Simpson’s Brentwood mansion, where he surrendered to police without incident.

“Don’t feel sorry for me,” the athlete said in a suicide note his friend, attorney Robert Kardashian, read at a news conference in the day.
The note ended with a plea: “Please think of the real OJ and not this lost person.”

Trial of the century

But as the trial began on January 24, 1995, the evidence seemed damning. It included blood-stained gloves, a trail of incriminating clues, and a history of domestic violence allegations against the millionaire footballer – yet Simpson remained defiant, confident in his ability to, much like he did opponents, outmanoeuvre the legal system.

With a dream team of high-profile lawyers and a strategy that exploited racial tensions and cast doubt on the prosecution’s case, Simpson mounted a defence that seemed to defy the odds.

Robert Kardashian represented OJ in the trial, as did Robert Shapiro (
Image:
Soqui Ted)
Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, including DNA matches linking him to the crime scene, his celebrity status and the circus-like atmosphere surrounding the trial created a perfect storm of doubt and controversy.

While seeming to have the odds stacked against him, the case shifted dramatically when his defence lawyer, Johnnie Cochran, rose to his feet during closing arguments.

T‌he bombshell glove moment

Taking out the black gloves prosecutors said Simpson wore, the lawyer reminded the jury how his client struggled to get them on. Cochran told the panel: “If the glove doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”

The phrase became the pivotal moment encapsulating the defence’s strategy and ultimately influencing the outcome of the case. The significance of the moment could not be overstated.

The infamous bloody glove from OJ Simpson’s 1995 double-murder trial, of which he was acquitted by a jury, have been preserved in the evidence lock-up by the LA District Attorney’s Office (
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
Cochran’s assertion tapped into jurors’ common sense and emotions, planting doubt about the prosecution’s case and raising questions about the integrity of the evidence.

By framing the glove as a symbol of the prosecution’s flawed narrative, the attorney effectively undermined the credibility of the entire prosecution’s case.

OJ sensationally found NOT guilty

Polls at the time showed a profound disparity between Black people and white people on the question of his innocence.

When a predominantly Black jury acquitted him of all criminal charges after just three hours of deliberation in October 1995, it drew those racial suspicions into even sharper focus.

For the now-Hollywood star, it was a moment of triumph – a vindication of his belief in his own invincibility and a testament to the power of celebrity to sway hearts and minds.

A new civil trial begins

But justice would not be denied forever. In February 1997, a civil jury found Simpson liable for the wrongful deaths of Nicole and Goldman.

The jury awarded significant damages to the families of the victims: $8.5 million to the estate of Goldman and $25 million to Nicole Brown Simpson’s estate.

OJ was accused of robbery and kidnapping, then convicted of the same in 2008
The civil trial presented a different burden of proof compared to the criminal trial. In civil court, it’s the preponderance of evidence rather than beyond a reasonable doubt – making it easier for plaintiffs to win.

The families’ evidence included testimonies, expert analyses, and exhibits that were not admitted in the criminal trial.

How OJ hid his massive wealth

Despite the significant monetary awards, much of the damages awarded in the civil trial went unpaid by Simpson. He sneakily took steps to shield his assets from seizure making himself bankrupt at one point.

He paid little of the debt, moved to Florida and struggled to remake his life, raise his children and stay out of trouble. In 2006, he sold a book manuscript, “If I Did It,” and a prospective TV interview, giving a “hypothetical” account of murders he had always denied committing.

A public outcry ended both projects. The Goldman family secured the book rights, changed the narrative to put guilt on Simpson and had it published.

‌Finally imprisoned

But in 2007, more than a decade free following his acquittal, Simpson’s luck finally ran out. In a bizarre scheme to retrieve sports memorabilia that he claimed had been stolen from him, Simpson found himself facing a new set of charges – this time for armed robbery and kidnapping in a Las Vegas hotel.

With the glare of the spotlight once again upon him, his fall from grace was swift and merciless. Despite his attempts to downplay his role in the botched robbery and portray himself as a victim of circumstance, the evidence against him was overwhelming.

In 2008, he was convicted on all charges and sentenced to 33 years in prison, effectively bringing an end to his decades-long reign as a celebrity icon.

OJ was imprisoned after his second trial where he was convicted of robbery and kidnapping (
Image:
MEGA)
“In no way did I mean to hurt anybody, to steal anything from anybody. I just wanted my personal things,” he told the judge after hearing his sentence.

Then, with wrists shackled to a chain around his waist, he was taken to his cell. Ultimately serving just nine years, his incarceration was widely viewed as a long-overdue punishment for the murders of Nicole and Goldman.

For Simpson, the journey from gridiron hero to disgraced felon was a cautionary tale of his self-belief and arrogance, a stark reminder of the dangers of believing oneself to be above the law. In the end, his celebrity power proved to be no match for the long arm of justice.

Why OJ trial grabbed attention of the world

By Jessica Boulton, Daily Mirror columnist

A fallen All-American superstar. Two slaughtered in Beverly Hills. The world’s slowest police chase. Justice in the hands of an ill-fitting glove.

And every spit and cough captured on live TV.When it comes to celebrity culture, OJ Simpson’s descent into infamy was game-changer. It snared the world’s attention – and never it let go.Why? Because it was a tale of shock and gore, a self-destructing superstar whose life imploded overnight. A true crime tale with a Hollywood angle – perfect fodder for the emerging gossip magazines and 24-hour TV news channels of the time.His guilt or innocence didn’t just affect his own fate either.

The case was entrenched in the racial tensions still bubbling since the LA Riots just two years earlier, sparked by the torture of Rodney King.OJ woke up on June 12, 1994, America’s golden boy, an all-star NFL player-turned-Hollywood actor, starring in the likes of Naked Gun, and a black role model, universally adored.On June 13, he woke up a suspected double murderer – one whose ex-wife and male friend were found in a bloody puddle on her doorstep.

It was a tinderbox, a race bomb waiting to explode. And when the defence was accused of playing to the public gallery, this time that meant the world – thanks to it being one of the first high-profile cases filmed for TV.And that’s what really made this case so sadly iconic. We all remember seeing the moment with The Glove, playing out like a Hollywood movie.If it fit, he was guilty, if it didn’t….We all know what happened next.

So powerful was that twist, the trial was referenced in everything from The Simpsons to Friends. Then came 2016’s hit The People Vs OJ Simpson, starring Ross Geller and John Travolta. And don’t think Gen Z don’t care about OJ. He had the magic ingredient for fame in the TikTok world – a scandalous connection America’s first family….The Kardashians. The man can die, but interest in his scandal won’t.