Simpson, O(renthal) J(ames) (1947– )

US American football player, film and television actor, and sports commentator. In 1995 he was charged with two counts of first-degree murder relating to the June 1994 fatal stabbings of his wife Nicole and her friend Ronald Goldman; he was found not guilty in October 1995. A civil lawsuit, brought by the families of the victims, began in January 1996, and in 1997 he was ordered to pay over US$20 million in punitive and compensatory damages to the families of the deceased after a civil jury held him responsible for their deaths.

Career highlights

Rushing 11,236 yards (average 4.7); 61 touchdowns

Receiving 2,140 yards (average 10.5); 14 touchdowns

Arrest and trial Simpson was arrested following a dramatic car chase shown live across the USA, and his court appearances attracted unprecedented media attention and public sympathy. After a nine-month criminal trial the jury deliberated for less than four hours before finding Simpson not guilty.

The subsequent civil trial, lasting three months, reached a verdict on 5 January 1997. The jury found Simpson liable for the killings and awarded the families of the two victims initial compensatory damages of US$8.5 million. After hearing two days of evidence on Simpson's finances, the jury awarded an additional US$25 million in punitive damages against him on 10 February 1997, to be divided between the Goldman and Simpson families.

Sporting career Known to sports fans

as ‘The Juice’, Simpson was one of the greatest running backs in American football history. He led the University of Southern California's Trojans to a Rose Bowl championship and the number one ranking in the country in 1967, and in 1968 he set records for the most ball carrying and the most yards gained in a single season. He won several trophies for his record in college football, including the Heisman Trophy. He played as halfback for the Buffalo Bills 1969–78 and the San Francisco 49ers 1978–79. He was named National Football Player of the Decade in 1979, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

On his retirement from professional sport, he started a new career as a television commentator 1979–86 and also appeared in several films.