10 Murder Trials That Shocked The World
8. OJ Simpson (1995) - The Former American Footballer Was Acquitted Of Murdering His Ex-Wife And Her Friend
Similar to the intrigue surrounding Oscar Pistorius' case, the trial of former American footballer Orenthal James "OJ" Simpson became a worldwide media sensation. The former Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers running back was accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman on June 12, 1994, when they were found outside the ex-American footballer's condo.
The resultant case - often referred to as "the trial of the century" - finished on October 3, 1995, when Simpson was acquitted of their murders. More than 100million people in the US alone - with several million more worldwide - are believed to have stopped to watch or listen to the verdict announcement in the case, and there was shock and condemnation in many parts when Simpson was found not guilty.
Evidence had seemed to point towards Simpson's involvement in the murders but he was acquitted, and as a result the case became further publicised in the weeks, months and years that followed. In fact, the verdict proved how ingrained racial divisions still remained in the USA - with a poll of Los Angeles County residents revealings that the majority of whites and Latinos did not agree with the verdict, while a great number of African-Americans believed the correct outcome had been reached.
To further complicate matters, on February 5, 1997, a civil jury in Santa Monica, California, did find Simpson unanimously liable for the wrongful death and battery of Goldman and the battery of Brown, ordering him to pay $33.5million in damages (although the majority has never been settled).
The conflicting outcomes of the two cases has ensured Simpson's infamous court case has remained in the public sphere for years since. Interestingly, Simpson is now out of prison again having served a 33-year prison sentence after being found guilty of armed robbery and kidnapping following his attempt to steal sports memorabilia at gunpoint from the Palace Station hotel-casino in Las Vegas in September 2007.