Despite earlier claims that the late O.J. Simpson was surrounded by his “children and grandchildren” during his final moments, his attorney said only one person was present at his death.
Malcolm LaVergne, Simpson’s longtime lawyer and executor of his property and holdings, told the Associated Press that a statement made on X on April 11, claiming the infamous NFL running back was with his family when he passed, was not correct.
On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer.
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.
-The Simpson Family
— O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) April 11, 2024
Instead, according to LaVergne, Simpson was accompanied solely by a close family member, whose identity his attorney did not disclose.
O.J. Simpson, 76, died on April 10 after a year battling prostate cancer.
Just two months prior to his death, Simpson posted a video on social media platform X, assuring his fans that he was in “good” health.
In his final days, Simpson’s home was under strict security to prevent information leaks.
Visitors, including family and medical staff, were required to sign non-disclosure agreements, and mobile phones were prohibited.
Have you been following stories about OJ Simpson’s death?
I’ll have to disagree with you. I’m not sure if you’re old enough to remember the OJ Simpson trial. It was a huge circus and most likely benefited OJ Simpson due to the overly sensational performances by Johnny Cochran which was facilitated by having cameras in the courtroom.
— Teg Gray Voiceovers (@TegGray) April 22, 2024
According to TMZ, between 30 to 50 friends and family members, including his children from his marriages to Nicole Brown Simpson and Marguerite Whitley, visited him as his condition worsened.
However, it seems he died alone with the exception of being in the presence of one other person.
“You have to remember that they’ve shared OJ with the world their entire lives,” LaVergne said of Simpson’s four surviving kids, according to the New York Post.
“At first they shared good OJ. But still he was famous. And then, in 1994 on, they kind of had to share bad boy OJ with the world,” LaVergne added. “But at the end of the day, these children just lost a father. And they have the added burden that he is one of the most famous people on the planet, and who is polarizing and who is surrounded by controversy.”
Simpson’s death reignited interest in his notorious legal history, including his 1995 trial, famously dubbed the “Trial of the Century,” where he was acquitted of the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman.
Columnist Moira Donegan wrote an op-ed in The Guardian where she stated, “Simpson died in bed, receiving medical care to make him comfortable, at the end of his natural life. He had reached old age; we can infer that when he took his last breaths, he was surrounded by well wishes and love.”
She continued, “His was a very different death from the one he allegedly inflicted on his former wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend Ron Goldman. They did not die in bed; they probably died screaming. And for Nicole, at least, her death was the culmination of a years-long campaign of terrorism that OJ had waged against her since they met; it was the moment their whole relationship had been leading to.”
