The June 12, 1994, killings of Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman brought the “Trial of the Century” that ended with O.J. Simpson’s acquittal of the murders. The recent announcement of Simpson’s death has brought renewed attention to the trial and the cast of characters involved in the case. Since his acquittal in 1995, Simpson has faced legal issues such as a Florida road-rage incident and serving time in a Nevada prison after a 2007 incident. In recent years, Simpson has lived quietly in Las Vegas, playing golf and taking selfies with fans.
The families of the victims have also been affected by the trial. Ron Goldman’s sister Kim has worked with troubled teens and launched podcasts discussing the case. Fred Goldman has relentlessly pursued Simpson through civil courts to seek justice for his son and has seized Simpson’s memorabilia to satisfy a judgment. Denise Brown, Nicole Brown Simpson’s sister, has become a victims’ rights advocate and refuses to forgive Simpson for the murders.
The legal dream team that defended Simpson during the trial, including Johnnie Cochran, Robert Shapiro, Barry Scheck, F. Lee Bailey, and Alan Dershowitz, have had varied outcomes. Cochran and Shapiro have passed away, while Scheck and Neufeld founded The Innocence Project to exonerate wrongly convicted individuals. Bailey was disbarred for misconduct and Dershowitz has faced controversy for his involvement in other legal cases.
The prosecutors in the trial, Marcia Clark and Chris Darden, have also moved on from the case. Clark has become a TV commentator and author, while Darden is now a defense attorney and author. Judge Lance Ito, who presided over the trial, retired in 2015 without discussing the case publicly. Brian “Kato” Kaelin, who was a houseguest at Simpson’s property during the time of the murders, has capitalized on his fame to appear on reality shows and launch a clothing line.
Overall, the O.J. Simpson murder trial had far-reaching effects on the lives of those involved, from the families of the victims to the legal teams and the judge. The case remains one of the most infamous in American history, and the legacy of the trial continues to impact those who were a part of it.
