Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman’s families are furious with O.J. Simpson’s homage at the 2024 BET Awards. Awarded the title of “Former NFL player” among celebrities such as Louis Gossett Jr. and civil rights leader Dexter Scott King, Simpson rose to national prominence following his 1994 conviction in the double murder of ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman.
Viewers were “disgusted” and “outraged” by the choice to celebrate the convicted criminal, who was also sentenced to nine years in a Nevada jail in 2008 for 12 charges of armed robbery and abduction.
Fred Goldman, Ron’s dad, said that he doesn’t think they should have included a murderer or a spousal abuser in a “tribute.”
Nicole’s sister Tanya echoed her dad’s words, adding that every victim of domestic abuse deserves an apology from whoever considered that.
A civil trial concluded that Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole, and her friend, Ron Goldman, were both murdered by O.J. Simpson.
Although Simpson had a promising career in the NFL, he became infamous for his acquittal in the ‘Trial of the Century,’ a high-profile murder trial that took place in 1995. Brown and Goldman were discovered savagely slashed and stabbed outside Nicole’s Brentwood, California residence. Nicole’s head was nearly severed.
After learning of the allegations, the former NFL great led police on a low-speed pursuit, which added an extra layer of scandal to his arrest.
During the trial, the prosecution presented forensic evidence that they said connected Simpson to the crime scene. Simpson famously fumbled with a pair of black gloves said to have belonged to the killer in an iconic scene, leading to defense lawyer Johnnie Cochrane’s “if it don’t fit, you must acquit” line.
According to the prosecution, the alleged killer was motivated by jealousy towards his ex-wife. Regardless of the massive evidence, Simpson was found not guilty.
Simpson eventually found himself back in court, this time facing charges of armed robbery and kidnapping. He was incarcerated at the age of 61 and spent nine years, including one as a gym janitor, at a jail in rural northern Nevada. In October 2017, he was freed from parole without showing any remorse.
