O.J. Simpson, a legendary football star and entertainer, passed away on April 10, 2024, at the age of 76 due to cancer.
His life was marked by a successful football career, a successful second act in movies, television and advertising, and a controversial and highly publicized trial for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald L. Goldman.
Despite his acquittal in the criminal trial, Simpson was later found liable for their deaths in a civil suit and ordered to pay millions in damages.
His life has been the subject of numerous books, films, and documentaries, many of which explore themes of justice, race relations and celebrity culture.
Table of Contents
Siblings
Simpson has two living siblings, Melvin Leon “Truman” Simpson and Shirley Simpson-Baker and one deceased sister, Carmelita Simpson-Durio.
Truman, born on December 29, 1946, is a retired judge who served on the Los Angeles Superior Court.
Truman and Simpson have had a close relationship throughout their lives.
Shirley, born on September 24, 1943, is a retired school teacher who taught in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
She has been less publicly involved in O.J.’s legal issues than Truman.
Carmelita was Simpson’s older sister, born on January 10, 1941, and passed away on May 10, 2014.
She was a nurse and was married to a police officer. Carmelita was also a strong supporter of the former NBA star during his murder trial.
The Simpson siblings grew up in a working-class neighborhood in San Francisco, where their father, Jimmy Lee Simpson, was a chef and their mother, Eunice, was a hospital administrator.
Simpson was a talented athlete and went on to have a successful football career, while his siblings pursued careers in education and the legal system.
Parents
Simpson was born in San Francisco, California, in 1947, to Eunice, a hospital administrator and Jimmy Lee Simpson, a chef and bank custodian.
Jimmy was reportedly a well-known drag queen in the San Francisco Bay Area and later came out as gay, dying of AIDS in 1986.
Simpson’s maternal grandparents were from Louisiana, and his aunt gave him the name Orenthal, which she said was the name of a French actor she liked.
NBA career
Simpson was a successful football player, but he did not have an NBA career.
He was a running back in the NFL, playing for the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers.
Simpson was a prolific runner, finishing his Hall of Fame career with 11,236 rushing yards and 61 touchdowns in 135 games.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
Simpson’s popularity extended beyond the NFL, as he enjoyed success as a spokesperson and occasionally acted in films and TV shows.
He was also a sports commentator after retiring from the NFL.
Also Read:Zoe Saldana Siblings: The Powerhouse Saldana Siblings
Murder trial
Simpson’s murder trial, also known as the “trial of the century,” was a criminal trial held in Los Angeles County Superior Court in 1994-1995.
The former NFL player, broadcaster and actor, was tried and acquitted for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole, and her friend, Ronald.
The pair were stabbed to death outside Nicole’s condominium in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles on June 12, 1994.
Simpson was charged with first-degree murder with special circ*mstances (2 counts) and was ultimately acquitted of both counts of murder on October 3, 1995.
The trial spanned eleven months, from November 9, 1994, to October 3, 1995.
The defense capitalized on anger among the city’s African-American community toward the LAPD, which had a history of racial bias, to convince the majority-Black jury to acquit Simpson.
The trial is often characterized as the trial of the century because of its international publicity, and has been described as the “most publicized” criminal trial in human history.
Following questioning by police detectives, Simpson was formally charged with the murders on June 17 after investigators found a blood-stained glove on his property.
When he did not turn himself in at the agreed time, he became the subject of a low-speed police pursuit while riding in a white 1993 Ford Bronco SUV owned and driven by his friend.
The trial was a media sensation, with millions of people watching the proceedings on television.
The jury found Simpson not guilty, but a civil lawsuit was later filed by the Brown and Goldman families, and Simpson was found liable for the murders and ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@kahawatungu.com or WhatsApp +254707482874
