FBI releases documents relating to O.J. Simpson

The FBI on Friday released a 475-page document related to O.J. Simpson, weeks after his death.

The documents focus primarily on the murder investigation of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman, The Athletic reported. It was a case that had America mesmerized for months and ultimately left Simpson acquitted of all charges against him on Oct. 3, 1995, ESPN reported.

Simpson died on April 10. He was 76.

The release of documents like this is standard protocol for the FBI after someone has died, The Athletic reported. It was labeled “Part 01″ but it is not clear if the FBI is planning to release any additional documents.

“Due to the intense media interest in captioned matter, and the potential prejudicial impact that public dissemination could have on pending criminal proceedings,” the memo states about the investigation, according to ESPN, “the following information should be handled on a strict need to know basis, and should not be disseminated outside the FBI.”

Simpson rose to fame as a running back with the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 1968. He established himself in the NFL as a member of the Buffalo Bills during the late 1960s and 1970s. The Pro Football Hall of Famer, who went by the nickname “Juice” is considered one of the greatest running backs of all time ranking just outside the NFL’s all-time top 20 in career yards rushing (11,236), according to CBS Sports.

He became the first NFL running back to rush for more than 2,000 yards, when he gained 2,003 during a 14-game regular season in 1973.

He went on to act in movies and TV shows, including the famed television miniseries “Roots” and the comedy film “The Naked Gun,” before he was accused of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman in 1994.

That year, Simpson famously led police on a low-speed chase through Los Angeles in a Ford Bronco driven by former NFL player Al Cowlings, ESPN reported. Television stations across the country broke into programming, including the NBA Finals, to broadcast the chase, which had an estimated audience of 95 million, according to the news network.

One year later, he was acquitted of murder charges in what has been dubbed “The Trial of the Century,” according to The Associated Press. The trial, which riveted audiences nationwide, spurred gavel-to-gavel coverage and created questions about Simpson’s guilt that continue to linger.

Three years after his acquittal, Simpson was found liable for Brown Simpson’s and Goldman’s deaths in a civil case brought by their families and was ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages, according to the newspaper.

In 2008, Simpson was convicted of kidnapping and armed robbery after leading an attempt to retrieve personal items and memorabilia from collectibles dealers at a hotel and casino in Las Vegas, the AP reported. He served nine years of a 33-year sentence before being placed on parole in 2017, according to The Washington Post.

Simpson died of cancer, according to The Athletic.

You can read the full FBI document here.

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