LAS VEGAS - SEPTEMBER 26: O.J. Simpson appears in District Court during his trial at the Clark County Regional Justice Center September 26, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Simpson and co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart are standing trial on 12 charges, including felony kidnapping, armed robbery and conspiracy related to a 2007 confrontation with sports memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel. (Photo by Steve Marcus-Pool/Getty Images)
O.J. Simpson has passed away. His family made the news public via his X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday (April 11). According to the brief statement, O.J.’s death was due to a battle with cancer. He died on Wednesday (April 10) at age 76.
“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,” the statement read.
Swipe below to see the statement.
In February, Las Vegas’ Local 10 reported that O.J. was diagnosed with cancer. Citing sources, the outlet reported that he was undergoing chemotherapy in Sin City for prostate cancer.
Around that same time, he hopped on X with a video, denying rumors that he was in hospice. He assured fans that “all is well” and revealed plans to host friends to watch the Super Bowl.
Watch what he said below.
Simpson was a former football star who was born in San Francisco on July 9, 1947.
He played 11 NFL seasons, nine of them with the Buffalo Bills. During that time, he earned the nickname “The Juice” on an offensive line known as “The Electric Company.”
Ultimately, he won four NFL rushing titles, rushed for 11,236 yards in his career, scored 76 touchdowns, and played in five Pro Bowls.
However, his football legacy was tainted after being charged with the 1994 murders of his second wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman. Live TV coverage of his arrest after a famous slow-speed chase was one of the biggest moments in the case’s coverage.
Though a jury acquitted him in the criminal trial in 1995, a civil trial jury found him liable for the deaths in 1997. The court ordered him to pay $33.5 million to the families of the victims, per AP.
Amid news of O.J.’s passing, TMZ spoke to a lead detective in the 1994 case named Tom Lange. He said, “I have nothing to say, I simply don’t care.”
Meanwhile, Goldmans’ attorney, David Cook, told the outlet that “O.J. died without penance.” The family reportedly plans to explore legal action to collect any money/assets left behind in his estate.
A decade after the double-murder acquittal, Simpson led five men he barely knew into a confrontation with two sports memorabilia dealers in a cramped Las Vegas hotel room. Two men with Simpson had guns. A jury convicted Simpson of armed robbery and other felonies.
Imprisoned at age 61, he served nine years in a remote northern Nevada prison, including a stint as a gym janitor. Then, in October 2017 he was released on parole and remained on it until late 2021.
Associated Press Staff Ken Ritter and former AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch contributed to this report.
