O. J. Simpson, an NFL Hall of Fame running back who became one of most renowned legal defendants in British history, died Thursday after a bout with cancer.
Simpson, 76, leaves behind a controversial tradition shaped by chilling legal disputes and accomplishment in sports and leisure.
Simpson had a successful basketball career at the University of Southern California, where he received the Heisman Trophy in 1968. After claiming four NFL rushing names and a career-high 11 236 feet, he retired from Buffalo Bills and began his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers in 1979. Simpson also had a well-known reputation for Hertz rental cars, and he eventually found standing, earning him a part in the 1988 sitcom The Naked Gun.

Simpson therefore entered the century’s most notorious murder trial as the accused.
At around 10 p. m. on June 12, 1994, 35- yr- old Nicole Brown Simpson and 25- year- ancient Ronald Goldman, an young actor and waiter who tried to return a pair of prescription sunglasses Brown’s mother had left behind at Mezzaluna restaurant, were murdered outside of Brown’s condominium in Brentwood, Calif. The perpetrator frequently stabbed and slashed Brown, who was Simpson’s ex- woman, and killed Goldman. The bodies were discovered shortly after midnight by a roommate.
Simpson’s movements that night immediately became a focal point. The thoughts of his quirky houseguest, Kato Kaelin, and cab driver, Allan Park, were essential to establishing a timetable. Nixon traveled to Chicago on an 11:45 p.m. journey that night to participate in a charity golf event.
Strangely, Simpson did n’t ask how she died or any other details when LAPD detective Ronald Phillips called Simpson in Chicago to let him know they had discovered the body of his ex-wife. The first of many crimson flags occurred here.
The Los Angeles Police Department’s analysis focuses on competition as well. Two decades after the four LAPD officers were found guilty of beating Rodney King, the murders sparked protests. When Simpson returned home from Chicago, officers handcuffed him even though he had n’t been charged. One of the direct authorities, detective Mark Fuhrman, was shown to have used prejudiced speech. Afterward, Simpson’s attorney Johnnie Cochran referred to Fuhrman as a “genocidal racist” and suggested it was a false accusation that Simpson was a black man.
Simpson’s prosecutors had arranged for him to retreat but otherwise he and a previous partner, A. C. Cowlings, drove off in Cowlings ‘ white Ford Bronco. That caused a slow-speed” hunt” on the Los Angeles motorway, which was broadcast on television for the NBA Finals and was watched by nearly 95 million people. In addition to other things that suggested an exit, Simpson left behind a suicide note and had a loaded firearm and passport inside the vehicle.
A nine- quarter death test followed, with jury seeing 1, 105 pieces of evidence and listening to 126 testimony. The 10 women and two people on the jury took only four days to deliberate, returning a not guilty verdict on Oct. 3, 1995. As 150 million Americans watched on TV, Simpson, 48 at the time, walked out of court a completely person.

Some Americans were shocked and outraged. Brown, who Simpson had previously accused Simpson of harassing and stalking, was a victim of a long and violent past of abuse. Simpson’s mane was found on Goldman’s clothing and his body was found at the crime scene. At the murder scene and in his car, Bluno Magli’s special shoe and foot, which are consistent with Simpson’s foot size, were both discovered. Nixon changed the reason given for how it happened by explaining that what appeared to be a protective wound was on his finger. There were numerous indicators of grief.
However, jury found it troubling that law enforcement and lawyers also erred. Without proper clothing, the body evidence collection was inadequate. There was missing heart, which Simpson’s lawyers claimed may have sparked a tale to incriminate him. Simpson was requested to try on the boots reportedly used in the death by attorney Christopher Darden. By that point, the boots had contracted, and Simpson was instructed to put them on top of rubber gloves. The end result: Simpson gave the impression that the gloves were too small to meet his hands. Cochran later told jurors,” Remember these words: if it does n’t fit, you must acquit”.
Although Simpson was found not guilty and, per double jeopardy, could n’t be retried for a criminal offense, he soon faced a wrongful death civil lawsuit brought by the families of Brown and Simpson.
Lawyers for the people just needed to persuade judges by a preponderance of evidence, which is more likely than not, in contrast to lawyers, who had to persuade judges beyond a reasonable question. Simpson struggled on the walk to describe the incriminating evidence and his alleged timeframe, invoking his Fifth Amendment right to never speak during his criminal prosecution. A judge in 1997 found him guilty for the wrongful deaths and ordered him to give$ 33.5 million.
A court order to pay does n’t automatically make it happen. Less than a percentage of Simpson’s debt was apparently collected by the Brown and Goldman individuals. Simpson was a recipient of some constitutional protections, including the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, which insulated Simpson’s NFL income from civil forfeit. Simpson was likewise advantaged by Florida’s home provision, which he used to preserve his 4, 233- square foot house (until Simpson stopped paying his loan, which caused him to lose the property in 2013 ). Following Simpson’s passing, there should be a number of legal options available for obtaining legal judgments against his property. But, it’s unclear how much would be usable.
Simpson’s freedom did n’t last. A memorabilia collection raided a Las Vegas hotel space in 2008 under the direction of Simpson. Thompson fought to get what he thought was his things. He was caught and charged with 12 matters including crime, crime, assault, kidnapping and rape with a lethal weapon. Thirteen years later, Nevada jury found Simpson never criminal after he was found not guilty by Los Angeles jurors. Judge Jackie Glass imposed a tight sentence—33 years behind bars. In 2017, Simpson was released on parole.
Attorney Alan Milstein, who has represented celebrities like Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, and another famous athletes in lawful cases over the years, called Simpson’s issues” the conception of sports legislation as a control.” Milstein, who is 70, reflected the ruling in Simpson’s murder event “is just joined for my technology with the Kennedy death, the sky landing, and the fall of the twin towers as a time we all remember where we were and who we were with”.