Renowned football star and actor O.J. Simpson, who became embroiled in one of America’s most infamous criminal trials, has passed away at the age of 76 from prostate cancer, Associated Press reports.
Despite his achievements in sports and entertainment, Simpson’s life took a dramatic turn following the 1994 killings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. Despite overwhelming evidence against him, including blood and a glove found at the crime scene, Simpson’s defense team famously argued, “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit,” and he was acquitted of murder in 1995. However, a subsequent civil trial in 1997 found him liable for the deaths and ordered to pay $33.5 million to the victim’s families.
In 2007, Simpson was involved in an armed robbery in Las Vegas, where he led five men, two armed with guns, to confront two sports memorabilia dealers. A jury convicted Simpson of armed robbery and other felonies, leading to his imprisonment for nine years. He was later released on parole in 2017.
Before his legal troubles, Simpson was a celebrated football player, winning four NFL rushing titles and setting records as a running back. He also had a successful career in television and film, appearing in commercials and movies such as “The Naked Gun” series.
