O.J. Simpson, who was famously acquitted for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, died at 76. See what American Crime Story got right about his trial.

While O.J. Simpson rose to fame playing football, it was his infamous murder trial that brought his life to the screen.

The former NFL star who was acquitted of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman in 1995, died after a private cancer battle April 10. He was 76.

"Our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer," his family wrote in a joint statement on O.J.'s social media account April 11. "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."

Despite playing professional football for more than a decade, most notably with the Buffalo Bills, before turning to acting, O.J.'s career is largely overshadowed by his murder trial. After Nicole and her friend Ronald were found stabbed to death outside Nicole's Brentwood, Calif., condo in June 1994, O.J. became a prime suspect, and was later arraigned in July 1994.

The murder trial began in January 1995 and ran for eight months, called over 150 witnesses and dominated coverage of cable television at the time. Ultimately, On Oct. 3, 1995, the former running back was found not guilty. However, in 1997, Ronald and Brown's families filed a civil suit against O.J., and he was found liable for the deaths and ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages.

But in the nearly three decades since the murder trial, the events have continued to grip the nation and most notably inspired the acclaimed first season of Ryan Murphy's FX's anthology series American Crime Story, itself based on Jeffrey Toobin's book The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson.

The series, which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. as O.J., chronicled the events from the morning of Nicole and Ron's murders all the way through the trial to the verdict. It also included headline-making instances like the infamous Bronco chase as well as the media scrutiny of lead prosecutor Marcia Clark (Sarah Paulson) and O.J.'s friendship with lawyer Robert Kardashian (David Schwimmer.)

Source:
courtesy of E!ONLINE

by OLIVIA EVANS

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