OJ Simpson, the NFL Hall of Famer acquitted of the murder of his ex-wife and a male friend in a widely watched trial in the 1990s, has died.
Simpson’s death was announced on Thursday by his family, saying the deceased died of cancer at the age of 76.
“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,” the message read.
A statement from the Pro-Football Hall of Fame said Simpson, who died in Las Vegas, had been receiving chemotherapy for prostate cancer, which it said he made public two months ago.
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David Cook, an attorney for Goldman’s family, said on Thursday in a brief statement that Simpson “died without penance”.
One of the most successful and popular sports stars of his generation, Simpson’s career with the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills, as well as his post-retirement starring roles in Hollywood movies such as ‘The Naked Gun’, was ultimately overshadowed by the 1994 murders and their aftermath.
Simpson grew up in severe poverty and ill health but developed into an elite athlete, rising rapidly to stardom first as a college football player and then in the National Football League, where he won the 1973 Most Valuable Player award.
His popularity only grew with a post-NFL career as an actor and an ad pitchman, where his appearances promoting everything from orange juice to car rentals made him one of the most recognizable Black faces in the country.
His work with Hertz in particular, where he was shown sprinting through airports while wearing a three-piece suit, became part of pop culture folklore.
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