Former American footballer OJ Simpson dies at 76

In 1994, Simpson found himself under arrest as a suspect in the killings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and her companion, Ron Goldman, who were discovered fatally stabbed outside Ms. Brown’s residence in Los Angeles. This instantly placed Simpson under intense scrutiny in the investigation.

Scheduled to surrender himself, Simpson instead fled in a white Ford Bronco accompanied by a former teammate, initiating a slow-speed pursuit by the police across the Los Angeles vicinity.

The pursuit captivated audiences both domestically and internationally as it was broadcast live on emerging 24-hour news channels.

The subsequent trial, famously labeled the “trial of the century” by the American media, witnessed prosecutors alleging Simpson’s involvement in Brown’s murder fueled by jealousy. Evidence presented included blood, hair, and fiber analysis linking Simpson to the crime scene.

In contrast, the defense posited that Simpson was a victim of police framing, motivated by racial bias.

One of the trial’s most memorable episodes occurred when prosecutors asked Simpson to don a pair of blood-stained gloves allegedly recovered from the murder scene. However, Simpson struggled to fit his hands into them, leading his lawyer, Johnnie Cochran, to assert in his closing statement to the jury: “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”

The jury ultimately sided with Simpson, who vehemently declared his innocence with the statement, “absolutely 100% not guilty.” However, the acquittal stirred significant controversy.

Despite the verdict, the families of Ms. Smith and Mr. Goldman persisted, pursuing a civil case against Simpson in 1997. In this separate legal proceeding, a jury found Simpson responsible for the two deaths, ordering him to pay $33.5 million (£25.8 million) in damages to their families.

In 2006, Simpson attempted to capitalize on his notoriety by selling a book manuscript titled “If I Did It,” along with a proposed TV interview presenting a “hypothetical” account of the murders he consistently denied. Public outcry forced the cancellation of both projects. Nevertheless, Mr. Goldman’s family acquired the book rights, incorporating material suggesting Simpson’s guilt and publishing it.

Simpson’s downfall culminated in 2008 when he was convicted of armed robbery for his involvement in breaking into a Las Vegas hotel room with four accomplices. They held two sports memorabilia dealers at gunpoint and stole items related to Simpson’s NFL career. He received a 33-year prison sentence but was granted parole after serving the minimum of nine years.

Before his legal troubles, Simpson was widely admired, renowned as an athlete, actor, and spokesperson for numerous major companies. A standout college football player at the University of Southern California, he joined the Buffalo Bills in 1969, where he played until 1977. Simpson emerged as one of the greatest ball carriers in NFL history, achieving the remarkable feat of rushing for over 2,000 yards in a single season in 1973, a milestone no NFL player had previously accomplished.

Following his retirement from football in 1979, Simpson focused on building a career in film and television, with notable roles in productions such as “The Towering Inferno,” “Capricorn One,” and the “Naked Gun” series.

Bob Costas, a broadcaster who collaborated with Simpson on NBC’s American football coverage, noted that Simpson, while not the first African American sports icon, was among the earliest to achieve widespread recognition. Costas described him as breaking barriers “in a big way.”

The Heisman Trophy organization, responsible for naming college football’s player of the season, expressed condolences for Simpson’s passing in a tweet, acknowledging his 1968 win.

In a statement, the Pro Football Hall of Fame commemorated Simpson’s NFL achievements, stating that records of his contributions would be preserved in its archive.

Fred Goldman, Ronald Goldman’s father, characterized Simpson’s death as “no great loss.”