LOS ANGELES, Calif. (KTLA) – On this day 25 years ago, the country learned that Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman had been murdered.
Then came the stunning news that Nicole’s ex-husband- football legend OJ Simpson was the prime suspect.
Days after the murder Simpson, driven by friend Al Cowlings, led police on the slow-speed chase broadcast around the world. The white Bronco ride sparked reality television, some critics say.
The country was riveted by a manhunt for a national sports hero.
Simpson’s ensuing arrest and his criminal and civil trials were full of unforgettable moments. Courtroom theatrics were constant. Pop culture stars emerged including lawyer Johnnie Cochran, who coined the iconic phrase, “If the glove don’t, fit you must acquit.”
Known as the Dream Team, Simpson’s lawyers persuaded the mostly black jury to acquit Simpson of all criminal charges in October 1995.
The victims’ families were crushed.
But one year later, Simpson was back in court facing civil charges for the deaths of Goldman and Nicole. She had repeatedly accused Simpson of abuse.
A mostly white jury found Simpson liable, ordering him to pay $33.5 million to the families of the murder victims in 1997.
Simpson left the trials with huge debt, but free. He moved to Florida.
He would get arrested again in 2007 after allegedly leading a violent raid on memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room.
Ironically, 13 years to the day after being cleared of the murders, a jury convicted Simpson of armed robbery and kidnapping.
His apology was rejected and he served nine years in prison. He now lives in Las Vegas.
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