O.J. Simpson has passed away at the age of 76 following a battle with prostate cancer. The controversial NFL football player, who in 1994 was arrested and later acquitted for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, was a highly divisive public figure and faced several legal challenges during his lifetime.
Simpson’s family shared the following statement regarding the football player’s death: “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.”
Up until the mid-1990s Simpson was best known for his athletic abilities and had been regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time. However, in 1994, Simpson’s former partner was brutally murdered outside of her condo in Los Angeles and due to previous domestic violence charges Simpson was immediately considered a person of interest.
What followed was one of the most publicised court trials in American history—so much so that it was often referred to as “the trial of the century” by media publications. Moreover, the trial was led by the infamous lawyer Robert Kardashian.
Simpson was ultimately acquitted of murder. However, in the proceeding years, the football player was confronted with a slew of other legal issues. In fact, in 2007, the football player was charged with multiple felony counts, including criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, assault, robbery, and using a deadly weapon. Simpson was released from prison in 2017.
During his battle with cancer Simpson took a step back from the public but continued to share aspects of his everyday life on his X account. His family have not released any other statements regarding his death.