O J SIMPSON

American professional football player with the Buffalo Bills for nine years, winner of the 1968 Heisman Trophy and holder of major NFL records. He became a multi-millionaire with endorsements, plus TV and magazine commercials. After his football retirement, Simpson went on to star in movies, worked as a professional sports interviewer and continued making multiple endorsements.

His first marriage was to Marguerite Whitley in 1968; the relationship lasted for 11 years and produced three children. A fourth child, Aaren, born 1 September 1977 was in a drowning accident at 23 months. After a week in a coma, she died on 25 August 1979, a week before her second birthday. They divorced due to Simpson's extramarital affairs.

Charming, arrogant, handsome and self-assured, Simpson met Nicole Brown in 1977 when she was 18, and they married in 1985. The couple had two children, Sydney and Justin. On 24 May 1989, Simpson was sentenced to a fine, 120 hours of community service and counseling for a beating of his wife that occurred on 1 January 1989. They divorced in 1992.

On 25 October 1993, a 911 police call reported Simpson at Nicole's house threatening that "he was going to beat the s**t out of her." On 12 June 1994, Nicole and a friend, Ron Goldman, were found at Nicole's home, savagely slashed and stabbed to death. Simpson was accused of the murder and arrested; the ensuing trial began on 17 September 1996. The public was riveted by the trial, as the case was shown on TV for the following year and became, to many, a joke and parody, a gross use of tax-payers funds. America was glued to their seats, even up to the shocking conclusion of the trial on 4 February 1997 which resulted in his acquittal at 07:13 PM (PST) in Santa Monica, California.

The criminal case, and the following civil trial, tied up the courts for over two years. Some believe that the sensationalism that was associated with the trial inhibited a true and just hearing being served.

The courts awarded Simpson custody of his two children on 20 December 1996. A later civil trial awarded the Ron Goldman family a large amount of money. Simpson's Beverly Hills estate was confiscated by the courts, an auction was held and the proceeds were awarded to the courts and the Goldman family.

Simpson kept a low profile for a time, outside of his golf games, because of the sensationalism associated with his trial. He still is subject to public outcry when he attempts to make any public appearances.

(*Ronald Goldman, 2 July 1968, Chicago, Illinois)

On 9 February 2001, O.J. Simpson surrendered to Miami authorities and posted $9,000 bond on two charges stemming from a December 4 traffic altercation in which he allegedly ripped the glasses off a motorist's face and scratched him. Trial was set for 9 October 2001 and he was acquitted.

Arguably the most reviled man in America, the ex-footballer made the news again mid-November 2006 when news of his upcoming book hit the media. The book, entitled “If I Did It,” was scheduled to be released on November 30, with an interview to be aired on Fox TV a few days prior. Commissioned by Judith Regan, the book purported to be a fictional account of how he would have killed his wife and her lover “if he had been the one responsible” and it was touted by Regan as a confession. A national uproar forced Fox to shelve the interview and the publisher to cancel the book. Simpson continued to proclaim his innocence, calling the book fiction and saying that the project indeed represented “blood money,” to be used for his children’s future.

In a story that has more twists and turns than the famed Amalfi Drive, the former football star was arrested shortly after 11 AM local time on 16 September 2007 in Las Vegas. He was subsequently charged with two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit burglary and burglary with a firearm. Other suspects were apprehended as well but O. J. was alleged to be the mastermind behind the suspected plot to break into a hotel room to steal sports memorabilia that O. J. claimed belonged to him.

Simpson and his co-defendant were found guilty of all charges on 3 October 2008. Simpson faced a possible life sentence with parole on the kidnapping charge, and mandatory prison time for armed robbery. On 5 December 2008, Simpson was sentenced to a total of thirty-three years in prison with the possibility of parole after about nine years, in 2017. On 4 September 2009, the Nevada Supreme Court denied a request for bail during Simpson's appeal. In October 2010, the Nevada Supreme Court affirmed his convictions. He is now serving his sentence at the Lovelock Correctional Center.

A Gallery of Inspiring Personalities Worldwide

Have we overlooked any inspirational figures in our list?