Infamous Sports Mugshots: The Story Behind O.J. Simpson’s Arrest For Double Murder Of Wife & Friend

On June 12, 1994, O.J. Simpson’s wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ronald Goldman, were murdered outside of Brown Simpson’s home in Brentwood, California.

Police suspected that Simpson was responsible for the two murders, so he agreed with one of his attorneys, Robert Shapiro, that he would turn himself in. But after he failed to do so, the notorious slow-speed chase was televised, where Simpson was in the backseat of a 1993 white Ford Bronco, which was driven by Simpson’s friend and former teammate, Al Cowlings.

The lengthy trial lasted a little over eight months, which resulted in the jury acquitting Simpson of his charges due to reasonable doubt. However, he was later found liable and was ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages to the families.

One of the most memorable moments from the trial was when Simpson was asked to put on a glove found at the murder scene. The glove didn’t fit, and Simpson’s attorney, Johnnie Cochran, during the closing arguments, famously said, “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”

During Simpson’s football career, he was a highly decorated athlete. He played running back at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 1968. Simpson would go on to be selected first overall in the 1969 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills.

In the 1973 season, Simpson became the first player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season and was rewarded with the MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards. Simpson played 11 seasons in the NFL, where he totaled 13,378 yards and 75 touchdowns and was named to six Pro Bowl selections.

In 1983, Simpson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and in 1985, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his illustrious football career.

On April 10, 2024, Simpson passed away from prostate cancer at the age of 76.