Staff article by Kathy Wray Coleman, editor
CLEVELAND, Ohio– Former NFL star OJ Simpson (pictured in 1990) has died at 76-years-old after a battle with cancer, his family announced Thursday, an announcement that triggered fodder with media outlets across the country and reminds America's Black community of the country's long legacy of systemic racism and its troubles with its fragile and racist legal system.
National cable media hosts had a field day with commentary over whether Simpson murdered ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman, even though he was exonerated in 1995 of criminal charges in the case with lawyer Johnny Cochran leading his "dream team" legal team.
He was later sent to prison for nine years for convictions for arranging a robbery to retrieve his stolen memorabilia, the latter criminal case of which came under question as possible retaliation for a not guilty verdict in the case of his ex-wife's death. Despite being exonerated in the murder of his ex-wife, who was a White woman, he lost a multi-million dollar wrongful death civil lawsuit filed by the Brown-Goldman families over the killings but never forked over all of the money, sources say, instead living in isolation off of his NFL pension until his death.
The nationally-watched televised murder trial where he was found not guilty as Blacks and Whites alike took sides and millions of others looked on in anticipation of the verdict was in media circles dubbed "The Trial of the Century."
Simpson shot back and wrote a book of satire titled "If I did it," generating more fallout and racial chatter over the celebrated murders. and upsetting the Brown-Goldman families.
The notorious Simpson played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Buffalo Bills, and was regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time. He was the first NFL player to run for more than 2,000 yards in a single season.
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.
