Stephen A. Smith Weighs in on O.J. Simpson: ‘If I Was on That Jury, He Would’ve Been Under the Damn Jail’
Following the death of former NFL running back O.J. Simpson, Stephen A. Smith on Thursday detailed how Simpson’s legacy has been tarnished.
Simpson’s family announced his passing from his personal Twitter account, stating that he succumbed to his battle with prostate cancer Wednesday.
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
A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Simpson is regarded as one of greatest running backs in NFL history. As Smith explained, however, his playing career has been overshadowed by the murder trial in 1994. Though he was acquitted of the murders of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman, he was found liable for their deaths in a civil suit and ordered to pay more than $30 million in damages.
That legacy, Smith said, is how most people think of him now.
“There’s no balance when it comes to that,” Smith said on First Take. “When you think about O.J. Simpson, you may remember that he’s a football player; but what you remember most is the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Gold and you think, obviously, of him. There’s no way around that.”
Though Simpson was acquitted, many believe he was responsible for the murders. Smith shares that belief and called the trial a “test case in what not to do” in reference to the prosecutor’s handling of it.
“Most people believe that he committed those murders,” Smith said. “I know that if I was on the jury, he would’ve been under the damn jail. I know that much. I believe he was guilty, but I don’t know. I’m talking about based on the evidence that was placed before us during the trial overseen by Judge Lance Ito. This is what we saw on national television, and by most accounts, you found yourself believing he was guilty as hell.”
Watch above via ESPN
