The incredible full story behind OJ Simpson’s ‘trial of the century’ – from the horrific double murder, to the dramatic TV car chase, sensational televised trial and THOSE ill-fitting gloves
DISGRACED American footballer OJ Simpson's life will forever be defined by the 1995 'Trial of the Century' in which he was acquitted of murder.
The athlete-turned-actor was granted parole on Thursday meaning he will once again be a free man after serving nine years for robbery and kidnapping.
But before his conviction in 2008, Simpson was best known for his arrest for double homicide and subsequent trial which captivated the world and exposed America's racial divides.
On June 13, 1994, Simpson's life changed forever, when the star's ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend, Ronald Goldman, were found dead outside Nicole's home in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles.
Brown had been stabbed multiple times in the head and neck, and had defensive wounds on her hands.
Both had been dead for about two hours before they were found at 12.10am.
Among the evidence found at the scene was a single bloodied glove.
Detectives went to Simpson’s home to tell him of his ex-wife’s death and found a white Ford Bronco splattered with blood.
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But Simpson was not at home having taken a flight to Chicago late the previous night.
A second glove was then found on the athlete's property which was later linked to the one found at the murder scene.
Police eventually ordered Simpson to surrender by 11am on July 17.
But instead of giving himself up the celebrated NFL running back fled in another White Bronco, driven by his friend Al Cowlings.
The resulting police car chase was nationally televised and watched by around 95 million Americans making it the highest rated basic cable event of the year.
Following the low-speed chase, Simpson had a brief stand-off with police in which he held a gun to his head before giving himself up.
Along with the firearm, the star also had his passport, $9,000 in cash and a fake goatee and moustache in his possession.
Dubbed the “Trial of the Century”, Simpson’s murder trial began on January 24, 1995 and dominated the American news agenda until the verdict on October 1995.
The sports icon assembled a legal “Dream Team” including charismatic lawyers Robert Shapiro and Johnnie Cochran along with Simpson’s close friend Robert Kardashian – the late father of Kim Kardashian.
Kim's sister Khloe and her mother Kris Jenner, who was friends with Brown, have repeatedly denied unsubstantiated claims that she is the footballer's biological daughter.
When asked how he would plead to the two murder charges, Simpson broke courtroom practice and said: “Absolutely, one hundred per cent, not guilty.”
Despite the actor’s highly paid team of attorneys, the evidence appeared to be stacked against him.
The prosecution, led by Marcia Clark, matched the two gloves, one of which was found near the bodies of Brown and Goldman, to Simpson after DNA testing.
But, in a now infamous turning point in the trial, Simpson attempted to try on the items which appeared to be too small for his hands.
Revered litigator Cochran then dismissed the gloves as evidence stating "if it doesn't fit, you must acquit” during his closing arguments.
Simpson’s team also used racial tensions between African Americans and the Los Angeles police to their advantage following the race riots in the city in 1992.
Detective Mark Fuhrman, who found the glove on Brown’s property on the night of the murders, was exposed as a racist while testifying by Cochran’s team.
The defence played an audio recording of Fuhrman using the “n-word” a staggering 41 times.
Simpson was acquitted of the murders by a jury at 10am on October 3, 1995.
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