Orenthal James Simpson's long and frequently bizarre run in the national spotlight began in 1969 when, as a 21-year-old scholarship football player from the University of Southern California, he was awarded the prestigious Heisman Trophy as the most outstanding college player in the United States.
It finally ended on Friday night, when a jury at Clark County District Court in Las Vegas found the former running back guilty of 12 charges, including kidnapping and armed robbery, leaving Simpson, 61, facing the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison.
A co-defendant, Clarence Stewart, was found guilty of the same charges.
The Heisman was the first of the many glittering prizes that would punctuate Simpson's playing days. Fittingly, given the tragicomic nature of his life since his football career ended in 1979, it was Simpson's apparent determination to reclaim such mementoes of the happier days of his life that led to his final, fateful act.
Simpson's long fall from grace began in June 1994, when his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman were found murdered outside her Los Angeles home. In October the following year Simpson was acquitted of both murders, but in a 1997 civil case brought by Goldman's family he was found liable for both deaths and ordered to pay damages of US$33.5 million (Dh123m).
Among the assets he was forced to hand over to the Goldmans was his prized Heisman Trophy. At an auction in 1999, it and other memorabilia from Simpson's career raised almost $500,000 for the family.
In Nov 2006, it was announced that the publisher HarperCollins was about to publish
If I Did It, Simpson's "hypothetical" ghostwritten account of how he would have carried out the killings. After widespread protests, the book was cancelled but in July 2007 a federal bankruptcy court granted the rights to the Goldman family, which decided to publish it to raise some of the money they had been awarded.
The Goldmans kept the title, but added the straplike "Confessions of the killer" and the book was published in Sept 2007. That same month, Simpson and five other men stormed into Room 1203 at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and robbed Bruce Fromong and Alfred Beardsley, two dealers in sports memorabilia. They took several signed game balls, plaques and photographs, including one of Simpson with J Edgar Hoover, the first director of the FBI.
Two of the men were armed, prosecutors said, and one of them said Simpson had asked him to bring a gun. Simpson denied this and said he had seen no weapons during the incident.
Throughout the 12 days of testimony, his lawyers argued the confrontation had not been a robbery, but an attempt to reclaim mementoes that had been stolen from Simpson. He did not testify at the trial, but on a recording made during the confrontation was heard screaming that the dealers had stolen his property. "Don't let nobody out of this room," he had shouted, ordering the men with him to grab the items, which they stuffed into pillow cases.
According to the prosecution, in an attempt to keep the mementoes of his career out of the hands of the Goldmans, Simpson had given some of them to a friend, only to find out he had then sold them to Fromong and Beardsley.
Simpson, his defence team said, was a victim of shady characters who wanted to make money from his famous name, and police officers who saw his arrest as an opportunity to "get" him and avenge his acquittal in 1995. In recordings played during the trial, Las Vegas police officers were heard laughing about Simpson's misfortune and boasting that if Los Angeles couldn't "get" him, then they would.
Prosecutors, on the other hand, maintained that Simpson's ownership of the memorabilia was irrelevant; it was still a crime to take it by force.
During jury selection, Simpson's lawyers expressed concerns that people who believed he had got away with murder might see this case as a chance to right a wrong. As a result, an unusually large pool of 500 potential jurors was called and given a 26-page questionnaire. Half were rejected after expressing a strong belief that Simpson should have been convicted of murder.
Simpson's lawyer, Yale Galanter, said the case had "taken on a life of its own because of Mr Simpson's involvement. Every co-operator, every person who had a gun, every person who had an ulterior motive, every person who signed a book deal, every person who got paid money, the police, the district attorney's office, is only interested in one thing: Mr Simpson."
The fact that Friday's convictions came exactly 13 years after Simpson's acquittal on murder charges was an irony lost on nobody.
Simpson, who for his last day in court wore a dark suit, white shirt and grey tie, sighed but betrayed little emotion as the verdicts were read out by the clerk. With bail refused, he appeared to wince with pain as he was handcuffed before being arrested.
His sister, Carmelita Durio, collapsed as two deputies led Simpson from the courtroom. The kidnapping charge is punishable by five years to life in prison. Armed robbery carries a mandatory sentence of at least two years behind bars, and as much as 30. He will be sentenced on Dec 5.
He may have lost his trophies, his reputation and, finally, his freedom, but the sporting achievements of "the Juice", the man who played in six Pro Bowls and was named player of the year in 1972, 1973 and 1975 as a member of the Buffalo Bills, remain enshrined in the NFL's Pro Football Hall of Fame, alongside those of the other gridiron greats. "OJ may be best remembered," says his tribute in the Hall of Fame, "for his sensational 1973 season when he became the first back in history to rush for over 2,000 yards".
For most people, however, the once star running back will be remembered for something less glorious: a 14-year run from the law that finally ended in a Nevada jail cell.
jgornall@thenational.ae
* With additional reporting by the Associated Press
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Read more about the coronavirus
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Keane on …
Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”
Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”
The biog
Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.
Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella
Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt
