Former NFL star O.J. Simpson dies after cancer battle

Simpson died on Wednesday, according to a statement from his family. He passed while surrounded by his children and grandchildren, the family said. Just months before, in a social media post, he jokingly denied being in hospice and said he was hosting friends for the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. He was 76 years old.

Who was Orenthal James Simpson? The NFL running back probably became most popular—and notorious—for the 1995 trial that ultimately acquitted him of murdering his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. His defense lawyer at the time, Johnnie Cochran, famously told the jury in reference to a prosecution theory about how Simpson may have committed the crime, “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.” Simpson later served nine years in prison following an armed robbery conviction in 2008. He is remembered as one of the greatest running backs in the history of the NFL, according to ESPN.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read a review of “The People v. O.J. Simpson.”