OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76

The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer

OJ Simpson at murder trial
Simpson's many accomplishments were eclipsed by his highly televised murder trial
(Image credit: Vince Bucci / AFP via Getty Images)

What happened

Orenthal James "O.J." Simpson died Wednesday at age 76 after a "battle with cancer," his family said Thursday. Simpson was one of football's most celebrated players and a popular movie actor until he was credibly charged with the 1994 murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. A jury acquitted him, but he was later found liable for the deaths and ordered to pay millions in damages.

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Rafi Schwartz, The Week US

Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.