O.J. Simpson: What Did He Do? Trial, Death, and Legacy

There are few figures in American history who provoke as many conflicting reactions as O.J. Simpson. From his record-breaking NFL career to the 1994 murders that led to the “Trial of the Century,” his life became a mirror for the nation’s divisions over race, celebrity, and justice. Simpson died on April 10, 2024, at 76, but the conversations around his legacy are far from over.

Born: July 9, 1947 ·
Died: April 10, 2024 ·
NFL Career: 1969–1979 (Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers) ·
Murder Trial Verdict: Acquitted (1995) ·
Civil Trial Verdict: Liable for wrongful death (1997) ·
Armed Robbery Sentence: 33 years (2008, paroled 2017)

The table below lays out the key biographical and legal milestones that define Simpson’s life.

What did O.J. Simpson do exactly?

The 1994 murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman

• On June 12, 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were found stabbed to death outside her Los Angeles condominium (NPR).
• O.J. Simpson became the primary suspect after evidence including a bloody glove at the scene and a history of domestic violence (Britannica).

The police chase and arrest

• On June 17, 1994, Simpson led police on a low-speed chase in a white Ford Bronco, broadcast live and watched by an estimated 95 million people (ABC7 News).
• He was taken into custody and charged with two counts of murder (CBS News).

The trial and acquittal

• The trial lasted 133 days, with the jury beginning deliberations on October 2, 1995, and reaching a verdict in less than four hours (Britannica).
• On October 3, 1995, Simpson was acquitted of all criminal charges (NPR).
• A later civil trial in 1997 found him liable for the wrongful deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, ordering him to pay $33.5 million in damages (CBS News).

The implication: The verdict exposed a deep racial chasm in perceptions of the justice system — a wound that still hasn’t healed.

Why didn’t the glove fit OJ?

The glove demonstration

• During the trial, prosecutor Christopher Darden asked Simpson to try on a pair of leather gloves that matched the one found at the crime scene (Famous Trials).
• Simpson struggled to pull the gloves over latex gloves he was wearing, and they appeared too small for his hands (Britannica).

Johnnie Cochran’s ‘If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit’

• Defense attorney Johnnie Cochran turned the glove demonstration into a rhetorical weapon: “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit” (Famous Trials).
• Jurors later cited the glove as a key reason for their not-guilty verdict (NPR).

Possible reasons for shrinkage or tampering

• Prosecutors argued that the gloves had shrunk from being soaked in blood and then dried, while the defense claimed the gloves were deliberately manipulated (Britannica).
• No definitive evidence of tampering was ever produced, but the inconsistency remains a point of contention (EBSCO Research Starters).

The catch: The glove’s failure to fit created reasonable doubt, but it also raised questions about how physical evidence can be spun in a high-stakes trial.

Where was OJ found dead?

Death in Las Vegas

• O.J. Simpson died on April 10, 2024, at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada (CBS News).
• He was 76 years old and had been undergoing treatment for prostate cancer (NPR).

Circumstances of his death from prostate cancer

• Simpson’s family announced his death on social media, stating he was “surrounded by his children and grandchildren” (CBS News).
• His attorney confirmed that the cause of death was complications from prostate cancer (NPR).

What this means: The location of his death — Las Vegas, where the armed robbery occurred — is a reminder that his final years were defined by the consequences of that 2007 crime.

Why was O.J. Simpson sentenced to 33 years?

The 2007 Las Vegas hotel robbery

• On September 13, 2007, Simpson led a group of men into a Las Vegas hotel room to recover sports memorabilia he claimed was stolen from him (CBS News).
• The confrontation turned violent, and Simpson was later charged with multiple felonies including armed robbery and kidnapping (CBS News).

The trial and conviction

• In 2008, a jury found Simpson guilty on all counts, including use of a deadly weapon (CBS News).
• Judge Jackie Glass sentenced him to 33 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after nine years (CBS News).

The sentence and parole

• Simpson was incarcerated at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada (CBS News).
• He was granted parole on October 1, 2017, and released to live in Nevada (CBS News).

The trade-off: Simpson’s 2007 crime was a desperate attempt to reclaim his past, but it cost him nearly a decade of his remaining life.

Why did Robert Kardashian defend O.J. Simpson?

Kardashian’s friendship with Simpson

• Robert Kardashian was a longtime friend of Simpson, having met him in the 1970s when both were rising in Los Angeles social circles (NPR).
• Kardashian, a lawyer by training, joined the defense team shortly after the murders (NPR).

His role on the defense team

• Kardashian served as a legal advisor and public face of the defense, often appearing in court alongside Simpson (NPR).
• He was not the lead attorney — that role belonged to Johnnie Cochran — but his presence lent personal credibility (NPR).

Did he believe Simpson was innocent?

• Kardashian initially told reporters he believed Simpson was innocent (NPR).
• However, after the trial, his private diary entries revealed doubts; he later said he had “questions” about the evidence (NPR).

Why this matters: The Kardashian family’s involvement in the trial inadvertently launched a media dynasty that would dominate reality television — a legacy Simpson himself helped create.

Timeline

• July 9, 1947 — Orenthal James Simpson born in San Francisco, California (Britannica)
• 1968 — Wins Heisman Trophy while playing for USC (Britannica)
• 1969–1977 — Plays for Buffalo Bills, becomes NFL’s first 2,000-yard rusher in 1973 (Britannica)
• 1978–1979 — Plays for San Francisco 49ers, retires from football (Britannica)
• 1980s–1990s — Acting career in films and TV, including The Naked Gun series (CBS News)
• June 12, 1994 — Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman murdered (NPR)
• June 17, 1994 — Simpson leads police in low-speed chase in white Bronco (ABC7 News)
• October 3, 1995 — Acquitted of murder charges (NPR)
• 1997 — Civil trial finds Simpson liable for wrongful death, awards $33.5 million (CBS News)
• September 13, 2007 — Armed robbery of sports memorabilia in Las Vegas (CBS News)
• 2008 — Convicted of armed robbery, kidnapping, sentenced to 33 years (CBS News)
• October 1, 2017 — Released on parole from Lovelock Correctional Center (CBS News)
• April 10, 2024 — Dies at age 76 in Las Vegas from prostate cancer (CBS News)

“If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”

— Johnnie Cochran, defense attorney, closing argument in the O.J. Simpson murder trial, 1995

“We have a verdict that says he is responsible for the death of my son.”

— Fred Goldman, father of Ron Goldman, after the 1997 civil trial verdict

“This was not a misunderstanding. This was a crime.”

— Judge Jackie Glass, during the 2008 sentencing for armed robbery

“I believed he was innocent. I had to believe it.”

— Robert Kardashian, defense attorney, reflecting on his role in the trial (later expressed doubts in his diary)

For America, the O.J. Simpson story remains a cautionary tale of how the justice system interacts with wealth and fame. The divisions it revealed are still alive, and the media model it created continues to shape how the public consumes courtroom drama. The question of whether any lesson was truly learned is one that will outlast Simpson himself.

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