Current:Home > InvestO.J. Simpson's Cause of Death Revealed -AssetLink
O.J. Simpson's Cause of Death Revealed
View
Date:2025-04-14 21:35:01
New details have emerged about O.J. Simpson's passing.
Two weeks after the former NFL player—who was better known later in life for his 1995 trial for the murders of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman—died at age 76, his cause of death has been confirmed.
Simpson died after a private battle with prostate cancer, his attorney Michael Lavergne, confirmed to E! News.
Earlier this month, Simpson's kids—including Arnelle and Jason, from his first marriage to Marguerite Whitley, and Sydney and Justin, from his marriage to Nicole—announced he had passed away in a statement posted on their dad's social media accounts.
"On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer," the April 11 statement read. "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."
However, in the months ahead of his death, Simpson had refuted claims about his health, including rumors he was in hospice. "Hospice? Hospice? You talkin' 'bout hospice?" he said in a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, in February. "No, I'm not in any hospice, I don't who put that out there."
Following the news of Simpson's death, many involved in the 1995 murder trial—of which he was infamously acquitted of the charges—reacted with their thoughts on the former athlete and his legacy. (Simpson was later found liable for Brown and Goldman's deaths in civil court.)
Marcia Clark—the lead prosecutor during his 1995 trial— expressed in a statement to Entertainment Tonight, "I send my condolences to Mr. Simpson's family."
Meanwhile, Caitlyn Jenner—who was previously married to Nicole's close friend Kris Jenner—shared a simple, biting response to learning of Simpson's death, writing on X, "Good Riddance."
For more about Simpson's life, keep reading.
Simpson was born in 1947 and started his football career at the City College of San Francisco. After playing for two seasons and being named a junior college All-American, Simpson transferred and started playing for the University of Southern California's Trojans in 1967.
The following year, he won the Heisman Trophy.
Following his college football career, the running back entered the NFL and played for the Buffalo Bills from 1969 to 1977.
In addition to playing football, Simpson explored acting—including in the movie The Klansman. He later appeared in The Towering Inferno, Killer Force and The Cassandra Crossing.
Simpson attended the Cannes Film Festival with producer Patrick Wachsberger in 1975.
Simpson was married to Marguerite Whitley from 1967 to 1979. Together, they welcomed three children: Arnelle, Jason and Aaren. Aaren died following a drowning accident in 1979.
The family is pictured at their home in 1975.
Following his near-decade with the Bills, the athlete joined the San Francisco 49ers, where he played for a two seasons before retiring from football.
Simpson pictured here posing with his Ferrari at Warner Bros Studios.
After playing the game, Simpson became a sports analyst. Here, he can be seen covering a game for NBC in 1980.
Simpson married Nicole Brown in 1985, the same year they welcomed their first child together, Sydney, and Simpson was inducted into the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
Here, the pair is pictured at an Oscars viewing party in 1983.
Simpson and Brown also welcomed a son, Justin, in 1988. The couple divorced four years later in 1992.
Here the family is pictured at the Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult premiere in 1994—the same year that she was killed.
In June 1994, Simpson was accused of murdering Brown and her friend Ron Goldman. He took off in a white Bronco, and millions of people watched the televised police chase.
Simpson's 1994 mug shot after his arrest.
Simpson went to trial in 1995, and the case captured the nation. He pleaded not guilty and was acquitted on all counts.
He was found liable for Brown and Goldman's deaths in 1997 in a civil lawsuit filed by their families and was ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages, according to The New York Times.
Simpson would make headlines again when he penned the book If I Did It. The Goldman family later obtained the rights to the manuscript as a way to help satisfy the amount Simpson owed them, CBS News reported, and the subhead Confessions of the Killer was added.
However, these wouldn't be Simpson's last trials. In 2008, he was found guilty of armed robbery, kidnapping and 10 additional charges that were in regard to a memorabilia robbery in Las Vegas, and he was sentenced to nine to 33 years in prison, per The New York Times. Simpson, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, served nine years in prison before he was released on parole.
Simpson speaking at a parole hearing.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (8)
Related
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- Most teens report feeling happy or peaceful when they go without smartphones, Pew survey finds
- Luke Burbank on taking spring ahead to the next level
- How Killers of the Flower Moon's Martin Scorsese Consoled Lily Gladstone After 2024 Oscars Loss
- The FBI should have done more to collect intelligence before the Capitol riot, watchdog finds
- RHOC's Alexis Bellino and John Janssen Make First Red Carpet Appearance as a Couple
- Sleep Better With Sheets, Mattresses, and More Bedroom Essentials for Sleep Week 2024
- How soon will the Fed cut interest rates? Inflation report this week could help set timing
- What to know about Tuesday’s US House primaries to replace Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz
- Who has the most Oscars of all time? Academy Awards records that made history
Ranking
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Breaking News
- 2 women who bought fatal dose of fentanyl in Mexico for friend sentenced to probation
- Biden is issuing a budget plan that details his vision for a second term
- Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
- Kate Middleton's New Picture Pulled From Photo Agencies for Being Manipulated
- Why Bad Bunny's 2024 Oscars Look Is So Unexpected
- The 2024 Oscars were worse than bad. They were boring.
Recommendation
Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
Justin Theroux and Nicole Brydon Bloom Confirm Romance With Vanity Fair Oscar Party Date
Who is Robert Hur? A look at the special counsel due to testify on Biden classified documents case
Florida rivals ask courts to stop online sports gambling off tribal lands
Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
Sen. Bob Menendez enters not guilty plea to latest criminal indictment
Federal judge in Texas blocks US labor board rule that would make it easier for workers to unionize
Oscar Moments: Talk of war and peace, a coronation for Nolan, and Ken-demonium for Gosling