Source: REED SAXON / Getty
O.J. Simpson says he avoids Los Angeles like the plague. The city served as the backdrop to what would be considered the “Trial of the century” in 1994 when Simpson’s ex-wife Nicole Brown and friend Ronald Goldman were found dead. During an interview with The Athletic, the former football star said he would never step foot into the City Of Angels out of fear that he might bump into the real person responsible for the gruesome murders.
“I have trouble with L.A.,” Simpson recently told Tim Graham of The Athletic.
“People may think this is self-serving, but I might be sitting next to whoever did it. I really don’t know who did this.”
Despite the harrowing ordeal that has impacted his life over the last decade, Simpson says he knows he’s still “a good guy.”
“I didn’t let it change me. It did for a while,” Simpson said. “I was angry for a while, but I treat everybody the way I want to be treated.”
Although the now 74-year-old was acquitted of the murders of both Brown and Goldman, In 1994, Simpson was later ordered to pay $33.5 million to the families of the deceased. Ronald Goldman’s father said he hasn’t seen one cent from the court order that has since grown to a little over $70 million.
“Mr. Simpson has sought to subvert this wrongful death judgment by his abject refusal to pay, much less accept personal responsibility,” a court document read.
Goldman’s family also asked for Simpson to hand over any future earnings he’s received from celebrity appearances and autographed sports memorabilia to satisfy the agreement in the suit.
Elsewhere in the interview, the NFL Hall of Famer recalled his difficult battle with COVID earlier this year and according to Simpson, the experience was so bad that he felt like he “might be near the end.”
“Since that day, I have wondered. Do I want to be buried? Do I want to be cremated? Years ago, I would have left it up to Nicole because I know she would have done the right thing,” he explained.
“I know what I want my kids to do, but I don’t want to discuss it here.”
Simpson currently resides in Las Vegas on parole.
