CRIME
Why did O.J. Simpson go to prison if he was found innocent in the double-murder trial?
Simpson spent time in jail for a completely unrelated crime to his accusation, though he was also found liable in civil court and had to pay damages.
O.J. Simpson’s passing reignites the conversation surrounding one of the most publicised trials in US history.
While recent headlines may leave the impression he served prison time for the charges, Simpson was actually acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in the 1995 criminal trial, but his legal saga didn’t end there.
The former footballer found himself back in court in 2007. He and a group of men confronted memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room, allegedly to retrieve stolen items. Facing charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, and assault, Simpson was convicted in 2008 and sentenced to 33 years in prison with a chance for parole after nine years.
O.J. Simpson dies at 76: Get live updates here!
He ultimately served that minimum sentence and was released in 2017.
What other punishments did he face?
The criminal trial in 1995 required the prosecution to prove Simpson’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, a high standard. However, the civil case brought by the victims’ families had a lower threshold - a preponderance of the evidence. In 1997, a civil jury found Simpson liable for the deaths, ordering him to pay a $33.5 million financial judgment to the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
This verdict highlighted a key distinction between the two legal systems. While Simpson wasn’t found criminally responsible, the civil court determined he was more likely than not responsible for the deaths.