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Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)

11 Apr 24 - 11:42 AM (#4200774)
Subject: Obit: OJ Simpson
From: Mrrzy

Wow.

My cousin was who heard the dog bark. And ghostwrote If I Did It. Said, there was no If in the way OJ told the story.

My kids' dad never believed his idol could be guilty.

11 Apr 24 - 11:57 AM (#4200776)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson
From: Stilly River Sage

O.J. Simpson, former football star acquitted of murder, dies at 76
O.J. Simpson, the former football great who was accused of and ultimately acquitted of the brutal 1994 slayings of his ex-wife and her friend, has died, according to his family. He was 76.

"On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. 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," a statement from his family said.

In May 2023, Simpson posted a video on X, then known as Twitter, revealing that he had recently "caught cancer" and "had to do the whole chemo thing." He added, "It looks like I beat it." Simpson didn't specify the nature of the cancer.

Then in February 2024, a Las Vegas television station reported that Simpson, then 76, was again undergoing treatment for an unspecified cancer. Simpson himself posted a video on X that day, denying rumors that he was in hospice care, though he did not otherwise confirm or deny reports that he was ill. Two days later in another video update on X, Simpson thanked those people he said had reached out to him, adding "My health is good. I mean, obviously I'm dealing with some issues but I think I'm just about over it."

There's more at the link, and some ABC news video.

11 Apr 24 - 02:13 PM (#4200781)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson
From: gillymor

One of my musical partners at the time was a very successful trial lawyer who had retired at 50 and he followed the trial closely until it's conclusion. He was about 99.9% certain that Simpson committed the murders but thought that Clark and company totally blew the prosecution and didn't get anywhere near a conviction.

11 Apr 24 - 03:35 PM (#4200786)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: Charmion

No loss.

11 Apr 24 - 04:35 PM (#4200790)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: Stilly River Sage

He still managed to end up in prison, and his victims' families held him to account in a civil trial. But it wasn't the outcome that it should have been.

11 Apr 24 - 06:41 PM (#4200798)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: keberoxu

I recall a post-trial interview in which he blurted out:
"People die every day."
That they do, that they do.

12 Apr 24 - 05:01 AM (#4200814)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: Donuel

Black people cheered that OJ out-lawyered the system for a change like rich whites. White people were bothered that the system didn't produce justice.

12 Apr 24 - 06:01 AM (#4200819)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: Backwoodsman

Any decent, civilised person should be outraged that the victims and their families didn’t get justice. The colour of their skin is irrelevant to that.

12 Apr 24 - 10:59 AM (#4200827)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: Stilly River Sage

LA was a hotbed of social turmoil at the time; the outcome of that trial had little to do with justice and everything to do with the optics.

The New York Times ran a series of related articles this morning. A look back at Simpson's old friend the late Mr. Kardashian was interesting. Simpson hid out at Kardashian's home for a while; his soon to be ex-wife Kris (mother of the famous-for-being-famous Kardashian brood) quickly remarried the former Bruce, now Caitlin Jenner. Ms Jenner posted on Twitter/X something along the lines of "Good riddance."

12 Apr 24 - 05:08 PM (#4200837)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: The Sandman

I would like to be able to say sometrhing positive about him

12 Apr 24 - 06:28 PM (#4200838)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: Stilly River Sage

Before he (allegedly) murdered his wife and her friend he was generally well-received as an amiable man. The good old days of his running through airports in the Hertz rental commercials and such.

12 Apr 24 - 06:40 PM (#4200840)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: Donuel

His appearance in the
Police Squad Movies
would be best in real life.
They were brutal if you recall.
His sentence now is for eternity.

13 Apr 24 - 03:02 AM (#4200852)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: The Sandman

Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: Backwoodsman - PM
Date: 12 Apr 24 - 06:01 AM

Any decent, civilised person should be outraged that the victims and their families didn’t get justice. The colour of their skin is irrelevant to that.
Well said, hear hear

13 Apr 24 - 07:29 AM (#4200861)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: Donuel

Praytell, where would this ideal Western nation of civilized individuals exist? Diversity should go beyond color if you know what I mean.
Be it food production, population or life itself, without diversity we die.

Murder is an interesting subject with crazy exceptions.

13 Apr 24 - 09:08 AM (#4200867)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: Charmion's brother Andrew

How does O.J.'s coffin fit him?

Like a glove.

I'll get me coat.

14 Apr 24 - 11:14 AM (#4200905)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: meself

"Black people cheered .... White people were bothered ...." - There's a term for this type of generalization; it's escaping me at the moment ....

14 Apr 24 - 11:49 AM (#4200907)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: Stilly River Sage

There is a term for it, but that is what happened. There was a larger context at play, a history of bad behavior by the LA police. Take a look at this 4 minute video for a helpful discussion: Playwright uses reactions to O.J. Simpson trial to examine racial fabric of America
Playwright David McMillan vividly remembers the day O.J. Simpson was acquitted, because it created a national atmosphere in which racial assumptions were challenged. The debate over the court’s decision forced Americans to see their country for what it was, rather than what they believed it to be. McMillan offers his Brief But Spectacular take on why the Simpson verdict still matters today.

14 Apr 24 - 12:09 PM (#4200908)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: meself

I'm appalled that you would endorse the kind of thinking inherent in that unspoken term.

14 Apr 24 - 02:54 PM (#4200915)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: Stilly River Sage

meself, you're way off the mark there. Did you listen to McMillan? What happened in that trial, the rooting for his acquittal, had little to do with the fact that he did it or not. It was part of a larger anger simmering after years of abuse by the LAPD. It was pushback. And his acquittal can be laid at the door of an inept prosecution. The thing with the gloves was a stunt, did it really all come down to that?

Were you referring to logical fallacies at work? I'm sure there were several. Take your pick.

14 Apr 24 - 08:38 PM (#4200937)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: meself

I'm referring to casual racist statements being made in this thread.

16 Apr 24 - 02:02 PM (#4201078)
Subject: RE: Obit: OJ Simpson (1947-2024)
From: robomatic

One of those long summer days I was working on top of the world. I was an engineer inspecting the Alaska pipeline for electrical violations. At the close of the workday several of us planned to wade into the Arctic Ocean until it encompassed us, thus enabling our joining of the 'Polar Bear Club'. It was about an hour's drive from our mancamp. Coming back to the mancamp we had to stop at the security post for ID check. And it was there that the guard informed us that 'that O J guy' was out on a freeway with dozens of cop cars after him.

The 'glove' issue sort of bothered me. They gave him what appeared to be latex liner gloves to wear before putting on the 'evidence'. It occured to me that even thin gloves can change the fit of anything worn over them. Plus, gloves kept in a dry or warm environment might shrink. So it was certainly remiss of the State attorneys to allow something to occur in open court that they had not planned for. I wonder if this is a case of several lawyers being dumber than a single lawyer. A single attorney would probably have nixed it since he/ she would not have already known the outcome.