O.J. Simpson dead at 76, family says

Orenthal James “O.J.” Simpson died Wednesday after a battle with cancer, his family says.

He was 76.

According to a statement shared on social media, the former football star, actor and accused killer passed away while surrounded by his children and grandchildren.

“During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace,” Simpson’s family wrote.

Regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time, Simpson – nicknamed “the Juice” – played for 11 seasons in the NFL after a college career at USC that saw him win the Heisman Trophy.

Simpson later starred in films and television projects including all three “Naked Gun” films, “The Towering Inferno” and a series of successful commercials for Hertz.

But his exploits on the field and the screen were overshadowed by his arrest – after a high-profile televised police chase – and subsequent trial for the 1994 killing of his former wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ron Goldman.

While Simpson was ultimately acquitted of the murder charges, he was found liable for the deaths in a later civil suit from the victim’s families, and was ordered to pay $35 million in a judgment.

In 2008, Simpson was convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping, and was sentenced to 33 years in prison.

After his parole in 2017, Simpson returned to the public eye, regularly posting videos on social media offering his opinions on football, golf, politics and pop culture.