# OJ Simpson has died

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** celebrity-death\
**Created:** [April 11, 2024, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157 "2024-04-11T14:58:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 18\
**Page:** 11

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2024, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/203 "2024-04-20T16:49:59Z")

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I always had trouble believing OJ could over power Goldman. He was a young guy and played softball. Pretty fit compared to OJ. His knees were totally shot and he had arthritis (confirmed in the trial).

I remember they said the scene showed one heck of a struggle. Ron Goldman fought hard for his life.

Maybe OJ got lucky and didn’t eat his own knife.

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**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2024, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/204 "2024-04-20T17:56:42Z")

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> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> always had trouble believing OJ could over power Goldman. He was a young guy and played softball. Pretty fit compared to OJ. His knees were totally shot and he had arthritis (confirmed in the trial).
> 
> I remember they said the scene showed one heck of a struggle. Ron Goldman fought hard for his life.

I believe the prevailing theory is that Simpson bear hugged him from behind, stabbing Goldman in the front of his body. This also helps to account why Simpson didn’t have a lot of blood on his clothes, since Goldman was between him and the blood.  
Simpson was 6’1” to 6’2” and well over 200 pounds. Goldman was listed by the coroner as 5’9” and 179 pounds. That, along with homicidal rage, make for a decided advantage.

[http://simpson.walraven.org/autop-rg.html](http://simpson.walraven.org/autop-rg.html)

I once saw a video recreation of the attack to simulate what is believed to have happened. I’m pretty sure this is it: it also suggests that Simpson had the advantage of surprise.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8zt4anqnJoc/hqdefault.jpg "OJ Simpson Murder Trial Animation - check description for HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zt4anqnJoc)

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2024, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/205 "2024-04-20T18:52:26Z")

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So why did OJ kill these people, anyway? He was that mad at his ex-wife?

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**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2024, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/206 "2024-04-20T19:01:53Z")

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> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> So why did OJ kill these people, anyway?

He abused her, physically and emotionally, both during their marriage, and after their divorce. Reports from the time suggest that he continued to be obsessive and possessive regarding her.

From [Nicole’s Wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicole_Brown_Simpson#Relationship_with_O._J._Simpson):

> [@](#):
>
> Following the divorce, reports suggest that in 1993, after the divorce, Brown and Simpson made an attempt at reconciliation.[[23]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicole_Brown_Simpson#cite_note-:1-23) Simpson continued his abuse of Brown.[[31]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicole_Brown_Simpson#cite_note-Weller,_Sheila-31) Brown told her mother after the divorce that Simpson was following her, stating, “I go to the gas station, he’s there. I go to the Payless shoe store, and he’s there. I’m driving, and he’s behind me.'"[[32]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicole_Brown_Simpson#cite_note-Hesse-32)
> 
> On October 25, 1993, Brown called the police to report Simpson being violent again, after he allegedly found a photo of a man Brown had dated while they were broken up. Audio released during the [murder trial of O.J. Simpson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_trial_of_O._J._Simpson) revealed that Brown called 911, crying and saying that Simpson was “going to beat the shit out of me”.[[33]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicole_Brown_Simpson#cite_note-anolik201406-33) Simpson angrily shouted in the background, “You did not give a shit about the kids when you were . . . in the living room! They were here! Didn’t care about the kids then!”[[34]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicole_Brown_Simpson#cite_note-34)
> 
> When the police arrived, Brown was secretly recorded by Sgt. Craig Lally. “He gets a very animalistic look in him,” Brown stated. “All his veins pop out, his eyes are black and just black, I mean cold, like an animal. I mean very, very weird. And when I see it, it just scares me.” Brown also stated Simpson had not hit her in four years.[[35]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicole_Brown_Simpson#cite_note-35)
> 
> Several months after this incident, Brown moved out of their shared home and the relationship ended.[[33]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicole_Brown_Simpson#cite_note-anolik201406-33)

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**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2024, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/207 "2024-04-20T19:30:39Z")

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> [@kenobi\_65](#):
>
> Reports from the time suggest that he continued to be obsessive and possessive regarding her.

Yeah, I think the theory is that OJ went to Nicole’s house to peek inside her windows (and maybe scare her, since he was dressed as a prowler), and was hiding in the bushes when Goldman arrived. Goldman’s presence (maybe he kissed Nicole; more likely, she just clearly knew this young man) set Simpson into a rage.

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**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2024, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/208 "2024-04-20T19:31:59Z")

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Iirc in his own book OJ claimed that when he confronted Ron, Ron immediately went into a “karate stance” and OJ easily dispatched him, so even in his own retelling OJ was a badass fighter.

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**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2024, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/209 "2024-04-20T19:36:47Z")

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Right. And of course he was just defending himself.

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2024, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/210 "2024-04-20T19:43:05Z")

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Hypothetically.

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**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2024, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/211 "2024-04-20T21:04:31Z")

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Among many of my thoughts the day of the chase was: what’s the point in having all the money in the world if you’re going to drive a fucking Ford Bronco? Ok, it was his friend’s car, but still…

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**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2024, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/212 "2024-04-20T21:31:40Z")

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Do you think he could have escaped in a Porsche? (kidding)

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**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2024, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/213 "2024-04-20T22:10:31Z")

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> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> I always had trouble believing OJ could over power Goldman. He was a young guy and played softball.

OJ couldn’t have overpowered Ron because Ron played softball? Well, that’s no less a bizarre theory than any of the other nonsense the defense threw at the wall and hoped would stick.

> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> His knees were totally shot and he had arthritis (confirmed in the trial).

It was also confirmed at the trial that shot-kneed, arthritic OJ had filmed an exercise video just 2 weeks before the murders, doing full push ups, lunges, squats, limb stretches, etc,. Also confirmed at the trial was that the same doctor who said OJ was arthritic testified that OJ, in his condition, was strong enough to commit the murders.

I guess no one told the doctor Ron played softball.

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**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2024, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/214 "2024-04-20T23:38:47Z")

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> [@zbuzz](#):
>
> OJ had filmed an exercise video just 2 weeks before the murders, doing full push ups, lunges, squats, limb stretches, etc,

He also was filming a tv show (which got canned, for _reasons_) in which he was, _and I am not making this up_, an expert with knives.

> [@](#):
>
> _ **Frogmen** _ is an early 1994 pilot movie intended for the NBC Network for an action series. The story, which was described as being akin to “The A-Team”, concerned a crack team of Navy SEALS often on special government assignments from their headquarters in Miami. Notably, O.J. Simpson was cast as the team’s leader, John “Bullfrog” Burke…  
> Simpson’s character was portrayed as an expert with knives and Simpson underwent some knife fighting training in preparation for the role. Also, during a break in filming, co-star Todd Allen accompanied Simpson to the Ross Cutlery store, where Simpson would later supposedly revisit and purchase a knife that the prosecution believes could have been the murder weapon which was never recovered.

> **[Frogmen (lost unaired NBC pilot featuring O.J. Simpson; 1994) - The Lost...](https://lostmediawiki.com/Frogmen_(lost_unaired_NBC_pilot_featuring_O.J._Simpson;_1994))**

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**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/215 "2024-04-21T00:17:33Z")

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Those are definitely commando tactics. That’s exactly how they teach you to kill someone with a knife. The murderer knew what he was doing.

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**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/216 "2024-04-21T00:19:36Z")

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> [@Moriarty](#):
>
> He also was filming a tv show (which got canned, for _reasons_) in which he was, _and I am not making this up_, an expert with knives.

His acting was kind of sloppy but he got away with it…kinda like his murdering.

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**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/217 "2024-04-21T00:25:27Z")

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Not surprising that he spent a lot of time unconscious or otherwise silent in the _ **Naked Gun** _ movies. He couldn’t act his way out of a wet paper bag.

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**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/218 "2024-04-21T01:50:08Z")

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I think I read somewhere that OJ was chosen for the role in Naked Gun because he was such a bad actor they thought it would be funnier to get him to play the role seriously then having a funny actor deliberately ham it up.

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**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/219 "2024-04-21T04:36:39Z")

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I saw an outtake from the OJ exercise video. He was doing boxing moves, and made a joke about his ex-wife. Don’t remember if anyone else laughed.

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**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2024, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oj-simpson-has-died/1000157/220 "2024-06-08T05:00:20Z")

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The FBI has released some investigative files:

> **[FBI releases documents on O.J. Simpson](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/40298456/fbi-releases-documents-oj-simpson)**
>
> The FBI released documents relating to O.J. Simpson, the NFL Hall of Fame running back who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend.

Files are at:

> **[Orenthal James Simpson (OJ Simpson) Part 01](https://vault.fbi.gov/orenthal-james-simpson-oj-simpson/orenthal-james-simpson-oj-simpson-part-01/view)**

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