O.J. Simpson/X
O.J. Simpson has died.
According to his family via a statement shared to X (Twitter) on Thursday morning, the 76-year-old died on Wednesday following a cancer battle. They explained:
“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. -The Simpson Family”
According to Local 10 News back in February, O.J. had been battling prostate cancer and was in hospice care in recent months, though he denied that before his death and his family has not revealed what form of the disease he was battling. His attorney, however, did confirm his death to TMZ.
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As Perezcious readers know, O.J. rocketed to fame as an acclaimed football star. He won the Heisman Trophy while at USC before becoming a Buffalo Bills legend. He’s still considered one of the greatest running backs of all time. He then transitioned to a life in the spotlight in Hollywood, appearing in many films, TV shows, and commercials for Hertz. But that all changed when he was accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994.
He stood trial in one of the most publicized court cases in American history. He had the help of friend and defense attorney Robert Kardashian for it, along with a huge and high-profile defense team — after leading cops on a low-speed chase in his Ford Bronco on the El Lay freeways. Then, of course, in a shock twist he was acquitted of the killings. But the victims’ families fought back in civil court later, eventually suing him for wrongful death. A Santa Monica judge found the athlete liable for the deaths and ordered him to pay millions in damages.
He couldn’t avoid prison altogether, though. In 2007, he was charged with armed robbery and kidnapping for an incident involving sports memorabilia in Las Vegas. That landed him in jail for years until his release in 2017. Since then, he’s laid low in Sin City, but his life’s story has been highlighted in several films and docuseries.
Simply put, he led a complicated, controversial, and high-profile life that will go down in history books forever — for better or worse.
[Image via O.J. Simpson/X]