OJ Simpson's Chilling Words to Friend Just Before the Verdict Came Out: "If It's Guilty..."

Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of domestic abuse that some readers may find distressing.

The world watched as late NFL legend Orenthal James Simpson was on the brink of getting a verdict for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994. But Simpson was seemingly prepared for a guilty verdict as he had a chilling message for his friends, which he conveyed to his agent Mike Gilbert moments before he was acquitted of the charges at the LA Country Superior Court, per a report by The Hollywood Reporter. 

Simpson was entangled in one of the most notorious controversies in American history and what the media dubbed ‘the trial of the century.’ On June 12, 1994, ex-wife Nicole Brown and Goldman were horrifically stabbed outside her condo in Los Angeles. Owing to the football veteran’s history of domestic abuse, he was the prime suspect. Simpson underwent a criminal trial but did not plead guilty to the charges made against him despite solid evidence retrieved from his house, per Brittanica. 

However, as the jury set out to give their final verdict in October 1995, the Buffalo Bills veteran told his friend and agent Gilbert, “If it's guilty, I never want to see you guys again. Don't come to see me in prison, because your lives are going to be changing, my life will be the same." He projected his fear of a still life in prison while his friends moved on with theirs. Interestingly, Simpson was found not guilty for the two murders. It is reported that the jury reached a verdict in less than four hours but the announcement was delayed until the next day. 

While the court trial was ruled by guilt or innocence, the American nation perceived the case as one of racial inequality. Hence, Simpson’s victory in the end was a win for the African-American community in the U.S. But that was not the end of Simpson’s troubles. In 1996, the victims’ families sued him in civil court where he was found guilty and fined him to pay $33.5 million to the families for the damages caused. A majority of the fine amount remains due to date, per the Irish Star. 

Years later, the NFL record-holder found himself circling courts once again. He was convicted of 12 counts of armed robbery and kidnapping of two sports memorabilia dealers at gunpoint at a Las Vegas hotel in 2007. He was sentenced to 33 years in prison, of which he only served nine years before getting released on parole. In May 2023, Simpson announced his battle with cancer. He received chemotherapy for a year and revealed his prostate cancer diagnosis earlier this year. The football icon, also known as the Juice, passed away at the age of 76 on April 10, 2024. 

DOMESTIC ABUSE: If you are being subjected to domestic abuse or know of anyone else who is, please visit The National Domestic Violence Hotline website, call 1-800-799-7233 text LOVEIS to 22522.