How will O.J. Simpson be remembered?

Post Reports

O.J. Simpson has died at 76. He became a a football star, but a 1995 murder trial made him infamous. Simpson was eventually acquitted of the murder of his ex-wife and her friend – a verdict that split the public. How will he be remembered?

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Simpson grew up in a poor neighborhood in San Francisco, and eventually rose to NFL stardom playing for the Buffalo Bills and later the San Francisco 49ers. He was one of the most well- known and well-liked personalities off the field, too, and was a sports commentator and appeared in more than 20 movies.

But his private life was much darker. During his marriage to Nicole Brown Simpson, his wife repeatedly called 911 asking for protection. In one incident, police found her with bruises, a cut lip and a black eye, saying, “He’s going to kill me, he’s going to kill me.”

In the mid-1990s, the country watched as Simpson stood trial for the murder of his then ex-wife and a friend. He was ultimately acquitted. Simpson died of cancer on Wednesday.

Today on “Post Reports,” we talk to Robin Givhan, The Post’s senior critic-at-large, about why the trial had legal and cultural repercussions for years.

Today’s show was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon with help from Emma Talkoff, Rennie Svirnovskiy, Elana Gordon and Maggie Penman. It was edited by Monica Campbell and Lucy Perkins. Additional thanks to Krissah Thompson.

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