OJ Simpson dead at 76, family says

Former NFL running back O. J. Simpson has passed away, according to his family. He was 76.

"On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer," they wrote on X.

He died surrounded by his children and grandchildren, they said.

His bout with cancer was mostly kept from the public.

"During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace," the statement added.

Simpson was widely regarded as a legendary running back — and perhaps one of the best running backs of all time — but his fame was eclipsed by the double murder trial of his ex-wife and her friend.

He became embroiled in a murder trial following a June 1994 arrest in connection with the brutal slayings of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman. Simpson was 46 years old at the time.

On June 21, 1994, Simpson was arraigned and pleaded not guilty.

His status as an accused double murderer rocked the country and his courtroom trials captivated households. His fall from grace continued throughout the mid-'90s and early 2000s.

That murder case, dubbed "The Trial of the Century," received international press attention and was recently dramatized in the popular TV show, "The People v. O. J. Simpson." It was also examined in the 2016 documentary, "OJ: Made in America."

The case's enormous popularity stemmed from Simpson's fame and whether he was innocent — or whether he was guilty and he got away with it.

A glove was recovered at the scene, but DNA evidence was relatively unknown technology at the time. Simpson's lawyer, Johnnie Cochran Jr., famously proclaimed that if the glove "doesn't fit, you must acquit."... (Read more)

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