He was a central figure in the family’s life before, during, and after the Trial of The Century, where he was charged and subsequently acquitted of double homicide. And the Kardashian-Jenner family has complicated thoughts about OJ Simpson’s death. The former NFL star passed away at age 76 in news that broke on April 11, 2024.
“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” his family shared in a statement on X. “He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace.”
His final act on social media was shared on February 11, 2024, when he expressed his support for the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl and gavefans an update on his health. “Let me take a moment to say thank you to all the people who reached out to me. My health is good. Obviously, I’m dealing with some issues but I think I’m just about over it and I’ll be back on that golf course hopefully in a couple of weeks.”
Simpson was born on July 9, 1947, in San Francisco. After an illustrious football career-turned-Hollywood breakthrough, all the goodwill for OJ shifted in 1994, when his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, werefound murdered outside Nicole’s homein Los Angeles. Simpson quickly became the prime suspect in the case, which sparked a media frenzy. The subsequent trial, known as the People v. O.J. Simpson, lasted for nearly nine months from 1994 to 1995.
It was one of the most widely publicized trials in American history, broadcast live on television and closely followed by the public. His defense team,led by prominent attorneys like Robert Kardashianand Johnnie Cochran, successfully argued that Simpson was framed and that evidence was mishandled by the police.
Despite substantial evidence against him, including DNA evidence and circ*mstantial evidence, Simpson was acquitted of all criminal charges on October 3, 1995. The verdict was met with widespread controversy and debate, with many believing that Simpson had gotten away with murder.
The Kardashian family and Simpson had a long-standing relationship, dating back to 1967 when Robert was a “water boy” for the University of Southern California football team and OJ was their star running back. They quickly developed a friendship and throughout the years, developed an enduring trust.
What the Kardashians said about O.J. Simpson before his death
Such was their bond that Robert’s children; son Rob, and daughters Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney, called him Uncle OJ. But his murder trial put a huge strain on the family. Here’s how the Kardashians responded to OJ Simpson’s death and what they’ve said about him over the years.
Kris Jenner
Kris Jenner has by far been the most vocal member of the Kardashian family, as she considered Nicole Brown, OJ’s murdered ex-wife, one of her best friends. While she hasn’t responded to his death publicly, we can get a sense of how she felt about him from various past interviews.
In a 2015 Lifetime Movie Network documentary interview, Kris said that one of her biggest regrets was that she “didn’t pay more attention” to red flags. “At the end of Nicole’s life, I think she finally was at a place where she knew she had to be more vocal with what was going on and she was in trouble,” Kris said. “The one thing she would tell all of us by the time, you know, it got to that level was, ‘He’s going to kill me and he’s going to get away with it.’”
As a guest onThe Ellen DeGeneres Showin 2016, Kris said she felt like she had failed Nicole as a friend. “We felt like we really failed her as a friend,” she said. “You know, you go through this and you discover things about somebody, and it was horrible.”
The timing was unfortunate, too. “She and I were supposed to have lunch the day after she was murdered,” Jenner recalled. “She said she wanted to show me some things and talk about what was in her safe. So now, unfortunately, it all makes sense … That’s probably what she wanted to reveal to me that next day, which broke my heart because I will always feel horrible that I didn’t pay enough attention.”
She’d learned about Nicole’s death when her mom called. “[Nicole’s] mom called me,” Kris recalled. “I had known O.J. since I was 17 years old. When I met Robert I met O.J., so that was a very long time ago. He was like a big brother to me, and that morning I was coming back from taking the kids to school and I was supposed to meet Nicole. I was going to change and go and meet her, and the phone rang. My assistant said, ‘Judy’s on the phone,’ and I said to tell her, ‘I’ll call her right back.’”
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian hasn’t publicly responded to OJ’s death either, but she has shed light on what impact his murder trial had on her family in the past.
“My mom was extremely vocal on her feelings—she believed that her friend was murdered by him and that was really traumatizing for her,” she said during an interview withDavid Lettermanfor season 3 of his showMy Next Guest Needs No Introduction. “And then we’d go to my dad’s house and it was a whole other situation there.” She continued: “It tore my family apart, I’d say, for the whole time of the trial.”
Khloe Kardashian
Khloe Kardashian was only 10 at the time of OJ’s trial, so she couldn’t quite grasp what was going on. OnE! True Hollywood Storyin 2009, she revealed that she didn’t “really know what to believe or how to perceive it.”She added: “O.J. was always our Uncle O.J., Nicole was my Auntie Nicole. It’s sad to see your parents go through so much pain for trying to be true friends.”
There was an enduring rumor that perhaps OJ had been Khloe’s real father, with even Kris saying she should take a DNA test. “Mom, I don’t care what they’re saying,” Khloé said during Keeping Up with the Kardashians‘ season 7 premiere. “Seriously, my dad is Robert Kardashian.My other dad is[Caitlyn] Jenner. I don’t need someone to tell me who my family is. I have had the blessing of having two phenomenal fathers. I don’t need a DNA test to prove who my father is.”
As for how that rumor impacted Kris, she said: “They printed a story that I was sleeping with O.J.,” she said. “That f—ing piece of s—. It’s really kind of pathetic that when rumors get started the media gives it life and breath and on the anniversary of Nicole’s death. It’s so tasteless and disgusting.”
Caitlyn Jenner
Caitlyn Jenner—who is Kris’ second partner after she and Robert Kardashian divorced in 1991—has maintained throughout that OJ was guilty. In her 2017 memoirSecrets of My Life, the Olympic athlete stated, “I believe he got away with two savage murders.”
During her appearance on Australia’s Big Brother VIP, Jenner doubled down on her views. “Obviously he did it, and he got away with it, and at one point he even told Nicole, ‘I’ll kill you and get away with it ’cause I’m O.J. Simpson,'” Caitlyn said. “Even after the not guilty verdict, the first thing Kris turns around to me and goes, ‘We should have listened to Nicole. She was right right from the beginning.'”
As news broke of OJ’s death on April 11, Caitlyn tweeted: “Good riddance”.
Kendall Jenner
Kendall Jenner hasn’t spoken publicly about OJ but she was born November 3, 1995, just a month after OJ’s not guilty verdict was handed down. In 2016, the model addressed the meaning behind her middle name in a Snapchat story. “My middle name is Nicole. [It’s] after Nicole Brown Simpson because that was my mom’s best friend,” she said, “And I’m honored to have this name.”
Kourtney Kardashian
Kourtney has been the most silent on her relationship with OJ, but in 2016 she did reveal that she watched The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story, starring David Schwimmer as her father, Robert. On Snapchat, she posted two stories: the first, a photo of the screen captioned, “Finally watching OJ” and the second, a shot of Schwimmerthat read, “Episode Two. This is weird to watch.”
