The Murder Trial of O.J. Simpson

In June 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were found stabbed to death outside Brown Simpson's Los Angeles home. Her ex-husband, former football star and actor O.J. Simpson, became the primary suspect and was charged with both murders.

The trial

Simpson's 1995 criminal trial was broadcast live and followed by millions, becoming one of the most closely watched legal proceedings in American history. The defense argued that evidence had been mishandled and pointed to problems with the police investigation, including a lead detective's history of making racist statements.

Verdict

The jury acquitted Simpson of both murder charges in October 1995. In a separate 1997 civil trial, brought by the victims' families, a different jury found him liable for the deaths and ordered him to pay damages.

Aftermath

No one else has ever been charged in the deaths of Brown Simpson and Goldman. Simpson was later convicted in an unrelated 2008 armed robbery case, served nine years in prison, and died of cancer in 2024.