Former NFL running back O.J Simpson, who was acquitted in the trial of the century dies, aged 76
O.J. Simpson has died at the age of 76.
The former NFL running back and actor, whose achievements were marred by his trial for murder in 1995, died on Wednesday following a battle with cancer.
The Simpson family released a statement via O.J.'s official X account which read: "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."
According to the , O.J. had been battling prostate cancer, with his health taking a turn for the worse in recent months.
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In February of this year, Simpson dispelled rumors he was receiving hospice care.
"Hospice?! Hospice?! You talking about Hospice?" Simpson said at the time in a video uploaded to social media.
"No, I'm not in any hospice. I don't know who put that out there, but whoever put that out there, I guess, it's like the Donald said, 'You can't trust the media.'
"All is well," Simpson added.
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Simpson is a Hall of Fame running back who spent 11 seasons in the NFL primarily with the Buffalo Bills.
'The Juice' enjoyed a decorated college football career and was a Heisman Trophy winner with the USC Trojans before the Bills selected him with the No.1 overall pick in the 1969 NFL Draft.
He quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the NFL and was named the 1973 NFL MVP and 1973 Offensive Player of the Year.
He also became the first NFL player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season and led the league in rushing yards four times and in rushing touchdowns twice.
Despite the accolades, he never made it to the Super Bowl and only appeared in the postseason once with the Bills.
Simpson was a five-time Pro Bowler during his career and retired in 1979 after a two-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers.
He rushed for 11,236 yards in his career and scored 76 touchdowns.
After his football career, Simpson moved into acting and appeared in various films and TV shows including the Naked Gun movie series.
However, he became infamous in 1994 after being charged with murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman.
At first, Simpson failed to turn himself in and led police on an infamous low-speed chase on an L.A freeway that was televised nationally.
Simpson eventually pleaded not guilty to the killings and after a high-profile trial dubbed "the trial of the century" was acquitted by a jury.
After being acquitted, a separate civil trial jury in 1997 found him liable for the deaths and ordered him to pay $33.5 million in damages to family members of Brown and Goldman.
Simpson had three children from his first marriage to Marguerite L. Whitley, Arnelle, Jason and Aaren - the latter of whom sadly drowned in the family's swimming pool when he was just two years old.
The former NFL star met Nicole Brown in 1977 while she was working as a waitress at a Beverly Hills nightclub called 'The Daisy'.
They married in 1985 and had two children, Sydney and Justin.
The marriage lasted seven years and they divorced in 1992.
Nicole was killed in 1994 but Simpson was acquitted of all charges.
In 2008, Simpson faced further legal issues after being sentenced to nine to 33 years in prison for an armed robbery in Las Vegas.
He was released on parole in 2017 which ended in late 2021.
Simpson spent the last years of his life residing in Las Vegas where he lived a relatively private and peaceful life out of the public eye.
Last July, he underwent emergency heart surgery and more recently had been spotted walking around his Las Vegas neighborhood with a cane.
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However, he was still active on social media and appeared on the Come And Talk 2 Me podcast in September 2023.
He died on 11 April, 2024 surrounded by his children and grandchildren.