Acquitted Murderer O.J. Simpson Dead At 76 Following Cancer Diagnosis
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on April 11, 2024 at 10:50 AM EDT
Updated on April 11, 2024 at 12:02 PM EDT
Former football star and acquitted murderer O.J. Simpsonhas died at the age of 76 following his prostate cancer diagnosis.
In February, it was reported that he was undergoing chemotherapy in Las Vegas, Nevada.
O.J. Simpson Passes Away
According to his family, O.J. passed away on April 10th after he "succumbed to his battle with cancer."
"He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren," the family stated on social media. "During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace."
The former NFL player previously claimed the cancer was not terminal and said he was not dying.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, with many growing slowly and are confined to the prostate gland, where they may not cause serious harm, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, other types are aggressive and can spread quickly.
Social Media Users Claim O.J. Simpson Is Going To Hell
aaron hernandez greeting OJ simpson in hell pic.twitter.com/s7Px96CkDr
— megan (@3x5) April 11, 2024
Following the news of his death, many social media users took to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, claiming he would be going to Hell.
"Nicole Brown taking OJ Simpson straight to Hell," one user shared along with a GIF from 'Family Guy.'
"Rest in p-ss O.J. Simpson. You were a crazy m-therf-cker," another wrote.
One X user shared a GIF of Michael Keaton, writing, "The Devil welcoming OJ Simpson to Hell."
O.J. Simpson Accused Of Murder
O.J. Simpson is best known for his 11-season run in the NFL, primarily for playing with the Buffalo Bills. In 1968, he won the Heisman Trophy, which is an award for the most outstanding player in college football. He played at the University of Southern California (USC).
He was then drafted as the first overall pick in 1969 by the Buffalo Bills, where he played running back from 1969 to 1977. He then played for the San Francisco 49ers in 1978 and 1979.
The late NFL player was the first to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season. The record stood for 11 years until it was broken by Eric Dickerson in 1984.
But, he is also famously known for being accused of a double homicide of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend. In June 1994, O.J.'s ex-wife and her friend, Ron Goldman, were found stabbed to death outside her condo in Los Angeles. The former Buffalo Bills player was immediately the prime suspect.
The crime led to one of the biggest police car chases in history.
The Infamous O.J. Simpson Car Chase
After being notified that he would be charged with these murders, O.J. Simpson failed to turn himself in to the Los Angeles Police Department as they originally had planned, leading to the televised car chase.
The former NFL player fled in the infamous white Ford Bronco, which was being driven by his friend, Al Cowlings. Simpson was in the backseat, holding a gun to his own head.
As you may recall, the police car chase was televised live and drew in millions of viewers as they watched the slow-speed pursuit along the freeways of Los Angeles. Police followed the vehicle for 90 minutes at a safe distance until the chase eventually ended at Simpson's home in Brentwood. He was immediately taken into custody.
O.J. Simpson Charged With Armed Robbery
O.J. Simpson went to trial on January 24, 1995, and lasted for nearly nine months. It was highly televised and one of the most-watched and most-talked-about trials in history.
On October 3, 1995, after less than four hours of deliberation, the jury found O.J. Simpson not guilty of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. The verdict was met with shock and divided public opinion along racial lines.
The former NFL player later faced civil litigation and was found liable for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in a wrongful death lawsuit in 1997.
In addition, in 2007, the former NFL player was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, and charged with armed robbery and kidnapping. In 2008, he was convicted and sentenced to 33 years in prison, with a minimum of nine years without parole.
He was discharged from parole on December 1, 2021.