O.J. Simpson Passes Away at 76: Celebrated Athlete and Controversial Figure

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FILE - Defendant O.J. Simpson and members of his defense team react as the jury, many wearing white T-shirts sporting a slogan from a local pizza chain, walk into the courtroom in Los Angeles Friday, May 5, 1995. From left to right are" Barry Scheck, Peter Neufeld, O.J. Simpson, Johnnie Cochran Jr., and Robert Shapiro. Background is Deputy Guy Magnera. Simpson, the decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but later found liable in a separate civil trial, has died. He was 76. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, Pool, File)
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O.J. Simpson, a trailblazer in American sports and culture, has passed away at the age of 76. He first rose to fame as an exceptional football player, securing the Heisman Trophy in 1968 while at the University of Southern California. His success broke significant barriers, cementing him in history.

Former NFL star O.J. Simpson, is besieged by media as he leaves Parker Center in downtown Los Angeles, Calif., June 13, 1994, after undergoing questioning in connection with the apparent murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and an unidentified 26-year-old man in the woman’s Los Angeles area condominium. (AP Photo/Michael Caulfield)
Southern Cal’s O.J. Simpson poses with the Heisman Trophy at New York’s Downtown Athletic Club, Dec. 5, 1968. O.J. Simpson, the decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but later found liable in a separate civil trial, has died. He was 76. Simpson’s attorney confirmed to TMZ he died Wednesday night, April 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/File)

Transitioning from sports to entertainment, he became a popular figure in television and film, maintaining a high public profile after his athletic career. His legacy, however, was overshadowed when Simpson faced a highly publicized trial for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman.

His acquittal was a pivotal moment that highlighted deep racial tensions and social divisions. Despite being cleared in the criminal trial, a civil court later found him liable for the deaths, leading to a $33.5 million judgment against him.

In this June 21, 1995 file photo, O.J. Simpson holds up his hands before the jury after putting on a new pair of gloves similar to the infamous bloody gloves during his double-murder trial in Los Angeles. Simpson, the decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but later found liable in a separate civil trial, has died. He was 76. (Vince Bucci/Pool Photo via AP, File)

Simpson’s later years were marred by legal troubles, including a conviction for robbery in Las Vegas, for which he served nine years before his release in 2017. His legacy is a significant part of American culture and discourse.


Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.

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