KUALA LUMPUR – Orenthal James Simpson, famously known as OJ Simpson, the former American footballer who was controversially cleared of double murder, has died, his family confirms.
He was 76.
The BBC reported that Simpson died of cancer on Wednesday, as his family posted on X.
“He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren,” the post read.
Simpson rose to fame as a college footballer before playing in the NFL.
He was acquitted of the murders of his former wife, Nicole Brown, and a friend, in a trial that gripped America in 1995.
In 2008, he was sentenced to 33 years’ imprisonment on charges of armed robbery. He was released in 2017.
Before 1994, Simpson was regarded with affection by the public and was well known as a professional athlete, actor, and million-dollar spokesman for several United States companies.
However, that year, he was arrested as a suspect in his ex-wife’s murder. The ensuing trial gripped the nation, with his acquittal the following year proving highly controversial. – April 11, 2024