Where the Key Players in the O.J. Simpson Murder Trial Are Now, 30 Years After It Began
O.J. Simpson's sensational double murder trial, where he stood accused of killing Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, altered the lives of nearly everyone involved. Find out where the key players are today.
It’s been 30 years since what has dubbed the Trial of the Century kicked off.
On January 24, 1995, the nationally televised trial of former pro NFL star O.J. Simpson began, sparking a months-long media frenzy.
Simpson was accused of killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, 35, and her friend, waiter Ron Goldman, 25. The victims throats were slashed outside Nicole’s Brentwood, California, condo on the night of June 12, 1994, according to an episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered that aired in 2024. They were found dead just after midnight the next day. Evidence found at the scene led investigators to Simpson, famous not only for his superstar football career, but for movie roles and TV ads.
The former Buffalo Bills running back was arrested on June 17, 1994 after a dramatic nationally-televised car chase through Los Angeles, as he rode in the back of a white Ford Bronco being driven by Simpson’s friend and former Bills teammate A.C. Cowlings.
The media frenzy only grew from there. When Simpson’s sensational trial launched less than a year later, it riveted the American public as issues of race, police conduct, and allegations of domestic violence played out in the courtroom. According to CNN, more than 150 million people tuned in on October 3, 1995 to see the verdict read, in which Simpson was acquitted.
The pivotal case transformed the lives of nearly everyone associated with it, from the prosecutors and defense attorneys to the witnesses and victims’ families. Read on to find out where the key players in the case are today, three decades later.
O.J. Simpson
Simpson may have been acquitted in the double murder trial, but his legal troubles didn’t end there. He was later found liable for the killings in a civil trial filed by Goldman’s family and wasordered to pay $33.5 million in damages, according to Dateline.
Simpson found himself in trouble again after he was arrested in 2007 for robbery, assault and kidnapping for breaking into a Las Vegas hotel room with several armed men in an attempt to steal memorabilia he believed belonged to him. He was convicted and sentenced to up to 33 years behind bars. Simpson was released in 2017 after serving just nine years of his sentence.
After his release, the former football pro moved to Las Vegas, where, according to WAGA-TV, Simpson was a regular fixture on the golf course and at the city’s popular restaurants and events.
He died in April of 2024 from prostate cancer at the age of 76.
Lance Ito
After trial judge Lance Ito made the controversial move to allow cameras into the courtroom for the trial, he became an unintentional celebrity of sorts, at one point inspiring The Tonight Show to debut a comedy bit known as “Dancing Itos.”
In the years that followed, Ito has refrained from talking publicly about the case. He retired from the Los Angeles County Superior Court in 2015 after presiding over approximately 500 trials, according to The Associated Press.
RELATED: O.J. Simpson Dies Following "Battle with Cancer," Family Announces
Ito’s wife of more than 40 years, Margaret “Peggy” York — who rose through the ranks of the Los Angeles Police Department to become its first female deputy chief — died in 2021 at the age of 80. Ito opened up about her legacy and the loneliness he felt in her absence to the Los Angeles Times in 2023.
Marcia Clark
As the lead prosecutor, Marcia Clark found herself suddenly thrust into the spotlight and endured intense public scrutiny about everything from her hairstyle to her personality. She later described the trial to The Hollywood Reporter in 2016 as “an endless study in torture and pain every single day.”
After Simpson’s acquittal, Clark resigned from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and put the practice of law behind her, according to People. She co-wrote the 1997 book Without a Doubt, about what she went through during the infamous trial, and went on to enjoy a second career as a crime novel author. She’s also served as a legal television commentator for high-profile trials.
In 2016, Clark attended the Emmys with actress Sarah Paulson, who won Emmy and Golden Globe awards for her portrayal of Clark in The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.
Christopher Darden
Prosecutor Christopher Darden has faced scrutiny in the wake of the trial for his decision to have Simpson try on a pair of bloody gloves in front of the jury. Simpson appeared to struggle to put the gloves on over a pair of latex gloves he was given in court, leading to defense attorney Johnnie Cochran’s now-famous line, “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”
Like Clark, Darden left the prosecutor’s office after the trial. He went on to teach at Southwestern University School of Law and became a defense attorney, notably representing Eric Holder, the man accused of killing hip-hop mogul Nipsey Hussle, before withdrawing from the case after his family received death threats, according to the AP.
Darden, who also wrote a memoir about the Simpson trial, has appeared on television as a legal commentator for CNN, NBC and Fox News. In 2024, he ran to become a judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court — even earning the endorsement of Ito, according to City News Service — but ultimately lost the race in the primary.
Robert Kardashian Sr.
After Simpson was arrested, his longtime friend Robert Kardashian Sr. renewed his law license specifically so that he could join Simpson’s defense team, according to the AP. Kardashian’s ex-wife Kris Jenner had been Nicole’s close friend and their daughter Kim Kardashian once said that the infamous trial “tore my family apart,” according to People.
After the trial, Robert told ABC News’ Barbara Walters in a 1996 interview that he had “doubts” about his friend’s innocence, citing the blood evidence found at the scene and in Simpson’s home.
“The blood evidence is the biggest thorn in my side that causes me the greatest problems, so I struggle with the blood evidence,” he said at the time, adding that the concerns had irrevocably damaged his relationship with Simpson.
Robert died of esophageal cancer at the age of 59 in 2003. Jenner and the former couple’s four children, Kim, Kourtney, Khloe and Rob, would go on to find fame of their own on the reality show Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
Robert Shapiro
Robert Shapiro was the first member of Simpson’s defense team and was an integral part of the so-called "Dream Team" that helped secure Simpson’s freedom.
After the trial, Shapiro continued to practice law as a defense and civil attorney, representing other big name clients like Johnny Carson, Eva Longoria, and Steve Wynn. The savvy businessman also co-founded several successful law-related websites like LegalZoom.com and RightCounsel.com, according to his bio on his official homepage.
After the death of his son Brent in 2005, Shapiro founded the nonprofit organization The Brent Shapiro Foundation to help others struggling with substance abuse.
Johnnie Cochran
Defense attorney Johnnie Cochran had a reputation for taking on racism in Los Angeles before he joined Simpson’s defense team, and he attacked police credibility during the trial.
After Simpson's not-guilty verdict, Cochran continued with his successful legal practice, representing clients like Sean “Diddy” Combs and Michael Jackson.
RELATED: O.J. Simpson Is A 'Completely Free Man' After Receiving Early Release From Parole
Cochran also became a pop culture icon. His brash personality and showy courtroom tactics inspired the Seinfeld character Jackie Chiles, and he memorably made cameo appearances on hit shows like Family Matters, Martin, and JAG.
Cochran died of a brain tumor in 2005 at 67 years old.
F. Lee Bailey
Veteran defense attorney F. Lee Bailey made his mark in the Simpson trial while cross-examining LAPD detective Mark Fuhrman, asking if he'd ever used a certain racial slur, to which Fuhrman said he didn't. Later in the trial, the defense presented audio tapes and witnesses, proving that he did.
Bailey — who once defended kidnapped publishing heiress turned bank robber Patricia Hearst, and Boston Strangler suspect Albert DeSalvo — was disbarred in 2001 in Florida and 2002 in Massachusetts after mishandling millions of dollars in stocks once controlled by a convicted narcotics smuggler he represented. In the final years of his career, Bailey worked as a consultant, according to Rolling Stone.
Bailey died in 2021, the same year his book The Truth About the O.J. Simpson Trial: By The Architect of the Defense was released.
Alan Dershowitz
Defense attorney and Harvard Professor Alan Dershowitz has made a career of taking on controversial cases. In the Simpson trial, Dershowitz was credited with consulting on many of the scientific elements of the case.
After the acquittal, Dershowitz went on to defend other divisive figures, including televangelist Jim Bakkar, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, and financier Jeffrey Epstein. He also represented President Donald Trump during his first impeachment trial, earning an acquittal in that high-profile case while serving on the legal team.
In 2024, Dershowitz announced he was leaving the Democratic party after being a vocal member for years, according to the New York Post.
Fred Goldman
Ron Goldman’s father Fred Goldman was a constant presence at Simpson’s criminal trial, striving to keep the public’s focus on the two victims who lost their lives.
After Simpson’s acquittal, Fred continued to pursue the football legend for years. Fred and Ron’s mother Sharon Rufo, sued Simpson in civil court for wrongful death, ultimately winning a $33.5 million settlement in 1997 after a jury found Simpson liable for the deaths.
While most of the settlement was never paid, Fred’s commitment to collect and get justice for his son has never wavered. Over the years, Ron’s family seized some of Simpson’s memorabilia, including his 1968 Heisman Trophy and the rights to a book Simpson wrote about the crime. In July of 2024, Fred filed a creditor’s claim against Simpson’s estate, hoping to get more of the money owed from the settlement, NBC News reported at the time.
Denise Brown
Nicole’s sister Denise Brown has also been an outspoken critic of Simpson. She memorably took the stand during the criminal trial to describe alleged domestic abuse she said her sister suffered at the hands of Simpson during their turbulent relationship.
In the years since the trial, the former model — who refuses to say Simpson’s name — has become a victim’s rights advocate. She and her sister Tanya created the Nicole Brown Foundation to help victims of domestic violence in honor of their slain sister, according to People.
After Simpson’s death in 2024, Denise, Tanya and their sister Dominique told People they had mixed emotions about his passing.
“This is a person who’s been in our life for a very long time, who wreaked havoc on our family. It’s like the end of a chapter,” Tanya said.
Kato Kaelin
Actor Kato Kaelin became America’s most famous houseguest after the Simpson trial thrust him into the spotlight. Kaelin had been staying in a guest house on Simpson’s property at the time of the murders and testified for the prosecution about the noises he heard that night and a period of time where he couldn’t account for Simpson’s whereabouts.
In the years that followed, Kaelin has appeared in reality TV and films, including 2018’s The Last Sharknado and Celebrity Big Brother, but has largely failed to achieve the acting success he had once hoped for.
RELATED: 'The Wild Returns': Ford To Unveil New Ford Bronco On O.J. Simpson's Birthday
Kaelin told People in 2024 that he believes the notoriety he found because of the trial made him “famous for all the wrong reasons” and hampered his career. Today, he co-hosts the podcast One Degree of Scandalous, alongside Tom Zenner.
Mark Fuhrman
Some of the trial’s most scandalous moments were linked to LAPD detective Mark Fuhrman. Fuhrman had been one of the first emergency workers to arrive on the scene and reportedly found the infamous bloody glove at Simpson’s home, but his credibility came into question after tapes emerged that revealed Fuhrman using the N-word in a conversation with a screenwriter years earlier, despite his earlier insistence on the stand that he'd never used the racial slur.
Fuhrman retired from the LAPD that same year and later pleaded no contest to perjury charges, according to the Associated Press.
After stepping away from his law enforcement career, Fuhrman went on to write the book Murder in Brentwood about the murders and has made numerous appearances as a television commentator.
Faye Resnick
Nicole’s friend Faye Resnick gained notoriety after co-writing the 1994 tell-all, Nicole Brown Simpson: The Private Diary of a Life Interrupted.
RELATED: O.J. Simpson Joins Twitter With A Promise To ‘Set The Record Straight’
Resnick later wrote another book, this time about her own experiences during the trial, and capitalized on her fame by appearing in Playboy in 1997, according to People.
In the years that have followed, Resnick has continued to live a life in the spotlight, occasionally appearing alongside Jenner on the latter's reality TV series, and making guest appearances on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills as a friend of Kyle Richards.