US

Ron Goldman’s father, Caitlyn Jenner, Alan Dershowitz and others have spoken out after former NFL footballer OJ Simpson died.

Orenthal James Simpson’s family said he died at 76 when he “succumbed to his battle with cancer” on Wednesday.

Nicknamed “The Juice”, Simpson was tried for murder in October 1995, in what was dubbed the “trial of the century”.

He was found not guilty of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman, but was later found responsible for the deaths in a civil lawsuit.

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Who was OJ Simpson?

Ron’s father Fred Goldman told NBC News, Sky News’ sister publication, that Simpson’s death is “no great loss”.

“The only thing I have to say is it’s just further reminder of Ron being gone all these years,” he said.

“It’s no great loss to the world. It’s a further reminder of Ron’s being gone.”

Image:
Ronald Goldman was stabbed to death at Nicole Brown Simpson’s Los Angeles home on 12 June 1994. Pic: Reuters

Speaking to Sky News, attorney for Mr Goldman’s family David Cook said Simpson was “a murderer” and added that “the fact he died doesn’t change it”.

He said there is $114m still owed by Simpson to Mr Goldman’s family, and that they are considering how to claim it back over assets.

After the former NFL player was found liable for the deaths in 1997, he was ordered to pay $33.5m but declared bankruptcy shortly after.

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“I review and consider Simpson as what he was: That he was a bad person; He was a murderer; He got out of the acquittal here,” he said.

“He remains now and in his death as the day that he committed the crime in whatever the amount of years ago.

“He’s still the same person. And the fact that he died doesn’t change it.”

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One of Simpson’s defence attorneys was Robert Kardashian, who was married to Kris Jenner until 1991.

Caitlyn Jenner, who was also married to Ms Jenner and who was a close friend of the retired footballer and Ms Brown Simpson, said bluntly “good riddance” in response to his death.

The former Olympian wrote in her autobiography The Secrets Of My Life that Simpson “was the most narcissistic, egocentric, neediest asshole in the world of sports I had ever seen, and I had seen a lot of them”.

Dershowitz, one of Simpson’s former lawyers, told Sky News that the defence was “a nightmare team” and that he did not want the former footballer to take the stand.

“Ultimately it was the glove” that made Simpson refuse to take the stand at his trial, Mr Dershowitz said.

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“When he was able to go in front of the jury and show them that the glove didn’t fit, that led him to conclude, and he made the decision, not to take the stand.

“In the civil case, he took the stand and was immediately found liable.”

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