What Was O.J. Simpson’s Connection to the Kardashians?

Before the Kardashians became famous on reality TV, their name gained recognition during Simpson's trial, who was a former N.F.L. player.

The blog was first posted on April 11th, 2024 and was later revised on April 12th, 2024 at 3:08 a.m. Eastern Time.

Kim Kardashian's Instagram page on Thursday did not feature any content about O.J. Simpson.

At the crack of dawn, she shared a recording showcasing a hoodie and bike shorts made by Skims, a clothing company that she established with others. Afterwards, when the Simpson Kin divulged that Mr. Simpson passed because of cancer when he was 76 years old, Ms. Kardashian didn't make any online statements.

Throughout the years, her relatives had been distancing themselves from the person who greatly contributed to the success of the Kardashian family.

Kim's dad, Robert Kardashian, became acquainted with Mr. Simpson when they both had ties to the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. In '66, Mr. Kardashian graduated with a business degree while Mr. Simpson played football for the college in '67 and '68, gaining fame as a star running back.

During the 1970s, Mr. Simpson and Mr. Kardashian developed a strong bond. At that time, Mr. Simpson was a prominent player in the National Football League, while Mr. Kardashian was rapidly making a name for himself as a lawyer and businessperson in Los Angeles. Mr. Kardashian was involved in various ventures, such as entertainment ventures and a business focused on selling frozen yogurt.

Back in 1978, when Mr. Kardashian tied the knot with Kris Houghton (she goes by Kris Jenner today), his best man was Mr. Simpson. The couple was blessed with four beautiful children, including Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, and Robert Jr. Unfortunately, their marriage didn't last, so they divorced in 1991. Later that year, Kris married her current spouse, Caitlyn Jenner, who was known as an Olympian back then.

In 1977, while still wedded to his first wife, Mr. Simpson came across Nicole Brown. He opted to stay with Mr. Kardashian at his residence for some time while being separated from his spouse, as described in his publication titled "If I Did It" that came out in 2007.

In 1985, Mr. Simpson and Ms. Brown entered into the matrimony, but unfortunately, they parted ways in 1992. Nonetheless, Mr. Kardashian stayed buddies with Mr. Simpson for all those seven years, while his spouse bonded with Ms. Brown Simpson.

Back in 1994, Mr. Kardashian became a part of the highly regarded dream team that provided legal defense for Mr. Simpson in the case where he was accused of the murder of his ex-wife and her buddy Ronald Goldman.

According to a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone, Kim Kardashian revealed that her father and mother had clashing views on Mr. Simpson's guilt. Her father and Mr. Simpson had a close relationship, but this caused tension in the family as her mother believed Mr. Simpson was guilty.

On the day after Ms. Brown Simpson was found dead in front of her house, Mr. Kardashian was present with Mr. Simpson when the police questioned him at his Los Angeles home. Ms. Brown Simpson had been stabbed many times.

When the police were getting ready to accuse Mr. Simpson of killing two people, he got a lawyer named Robert Shapiro to help him fight the accusations. Later on, Johnnie Cochran joined the team of lawyers too.

According to Jeffrey Toobin, who wrote a book called "The Run Of His Life, The People v. O.J. Simpson" based on his coverage of the trial for The New Yorker, Mr. Shapiro brought in Mr. Kardashian as an advisor but he was not involved in legal strategy.

During a phone conversation on Thursday, Mr. Toobin stated that Kardashian did not possess any legal responsibilities whatsoever. His role was simply to support and pamper O.J.

He went on to say: "Bob Shapiro and Johnnie Cochran had real responsibilities to handle, so they couldn't be bothered with O.J.'s clothing and phone privileges while he was in jail. These tasks were left to Kardashian."

Before the allegations were formally made, Mr. Kardashian showed great enthusiasm in assuming his role. Since camera crews were stationed outside Mr. Simpson's house, a place of refuge became necessary. Mr. Kardashian provided one at his residence located on Bundy Drive within the Brentwood area of Los Angeles.

Once the accusations were made, Mr. Simpson escaped from Mr. Kardashian's residence in a Ford Bronco alongside his pal and ex-colleague, Al Cowlings. It was said that Mr. Simpson pointed a firearm at himself and was making suicidal remarks while leading the authorities on an eerie, live-broadcasted pursuit in which he drove the car very slowly.

It turns out that Mr. Kardashian held a press conference where he recited a letter that was left behind by Mr. Simpson. The letter seemed to suggest that Mr. Simpson was contemplating suicide. Mr. Toobin commented that Mr. Kardashian "made it sound better than it really was." Throughout the extensive trial, Mr. Kardashian was present at the defense table every day, even though his part was minimal.

After Mr. Simpson was acquitted, his ex-wife gave birth to a baby girl named Kendall Jenner on November 3, 1995. Kris Jenner, who was a friend of Nicole Brown Simpson, honored her memory by giving the newborn the middle name Nicole.

According to reports, Mr. Kardashian provided information to Lawrence Schiller and James Willwerth for their book "American Tragedy: The Uncensored Story of the Simpson Defense" in 1996. As a result of his cooperation with the authors, there were rumors that Mr. Kardashian and Mr. Simpson's relationship was affected and they no longer communicated.

During an interview with Barbara Walters of ABC News in 1996, Mr. Kardashian expressed his uncertainty regarding Mr. Simpson's possible guilt. He admitted to harboring doubts and considered the blood evidence to be the primary challenge to his belief. The blood evidence posed the most significant problem and troubled him deeply, thus causing him to struggle with it.

Mr. Toobin expressed his disapproval regarding a certain matter, stating that he never held it in high regard. According to him, being a lawyer means representing your client and refraining from publicly speculating on their guilt or innocence. However, he believes that Bob, being from the West L.A. area, was influenced by the prevalent belief that O.J. was guilty and didn't want to go against the popular opinion.

In the year 2003, Mr. Kardashian passed away due to cancer when he was 59 years old. His connections with Mr. Simpson were highlighted in his obituary published by the Associated Press.

Caitlyn Jenner, known for appearing frequently on the popular reality TV show "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," was the sole member of the family to share her thoughts on social media regarding Mr. Simpson. The show is credited for skyrocketing the Kardashian family to fame.

"I'm glad to see #OJSimpson go," she expressed on the X platform.

Jacob Bernstein works as a journalist for the Styles division. Not only is he skilled in writing biographies of artists, fashion designers, and well-known figures, but he also invests a lot of his time in exploring furniture design, philanthropic efforts, and L.G.B.T. matters. To discover more information about Jacob Bernstein, read on.