OJ Simpson has died at the age of 76, his family says | US News
Former American footballer OJ Simpson has died at the age of 76, according to reports.
In a statement on X, his family said: “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.”
Simpson was tried for murder in October 1995, in what was dubbed the “trial of the century”. He was found not guilty of murdering two people.
The former NFL running back said in February that he was undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.
Nicknamed “The Juice”, Simpson rose to fame in US sport for his achievements as part of the Buffalo Bills.
He was enrolled in the NFL’s hall of fame and was the first running back to gain 2,000 yards in a season in 1973.
He also became known as a pitchman, football commentator and actor, appearing in a number of TV and film roles including the Naked Gun movie series.
OJ Simpson became famous as a running back for the Buffalo Bills. Pic: AP
Nicknamed ‘The Juice’, Simpson became a star of TV and film after his NFL career. Pic: AP
But after his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman were stabbed to death at her Los Angeles home in 1994, Simpson was charged with two counts of first degree murder.
He was acquitted the next year after a trial watched by millions worldwide, before a civil wrongful death suit found him liable for the deaths in 1997.
Simpson was ordered to pay $33.5m in damages. He was later arrested in 2007 for armed robbery and kidnapping after an incident at a Las Vegas hotel room, and was sentenced to 33 years in prison in 2008.
After nine years in a Nevada prison, Simpson was discharged from parole and released early for good behaviour in 2021.
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