Following the death of O.J. Simpson, a source familiar with his family has denied rumors that he made confessions on his deathbed about the killings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
A TMZ source insists Simpson did not mention the 1994 murders of Brown and Goldman in his final days. "Unless being thirsty and asking for water is a confession...or wanting to watch the golf tournament. Nothing about the L.A. thing came up or was even thought about," added the insider, who called the rumor "totally false."
The "L.A. thing" the source is referring to is the double murder of Brown and Goldman, who were found dead of multiple stab wounds at the former's home on June 12, 1994. Simpson, who had two children with Brown and was married to her from 1985 to 1992, was accused of murder and was at the center of a highly publicized trial. It is often regarded as the most controversial criminal case in U.S. history and is still a hotly debated topic.
Simpson was acquitted in 1995 but was found liable for their deaths in a 1997 lawsuit filed by Brown and Goldman's families. It is also argued that Simpson's legal counsel took advantage of the racial tensions in Los Angeles at the time, as LAPD officers involved in the brutal beating of Rodney King were acquitted just a few years earlier.
In 2007, Simpson controversially published a book titled If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer. He never publicly confessed to the murders and maintained his innocence throughout his life. According to sources who met with Simpson in his final days, over 30 people came to visit him to say their goodbyes. All of them were required to sign non-disclosure agreements and were prohibited from bringing phones into the room where he was under hospice care.
In a statement released on Thursday, April 11, Simpson's family confirmed he died at age 76 following a battle with cancer. "On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer," the family statement read. "He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace."
His death has been met with mixed reactions, with Mase and Cam'ron offering their condolences to his family and friends, while Ron Goldman's father said his death came as a reminder of "how long Ron has been gone."
