Stephen. A Smith has taken aim at the BET Awards for including OJ Simpson in its ‘In Memoriam’ section during Sunday’s ceremony.
The decision to honor the former NFL player – who became one of the most infamous figures in America after being charged with, and later acquitted of, the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman – sparked outrage.
The families of the murder victims also slammed the awards organizers, and now sports TV personality Smith has taken a shot of his own – going as far as to label Simpson ‘a double murderer’ despite his acquittal in the so-called trial of the century.
‘In the eyes of most people, regardless of an acquittal, OJ Simpson is a double murderer,’ Smith said on his self-titled podcast show. ‘My attitude is this: OJ Simpson never gave a s**t about black people until he was indicted — never gave a damn.
‘Here’s the bigger issue, we should never be given a reason to talk about him again. We certainly shouldn’t be celebrating O.J. Simpson. I’m sorry. Not when two people were damn near decapitated and he was the prime suspect.’
Stephen A. Smith took aim at BET Awards organizers for their decision to honor OJ Simpson
Simpson – who became one of the most infamous figures in America after he was charged with the 1994 murders of his ex-wife Brown and her friend Goldman, and later acquitted in the trial of the century – appeared on screen as part of the show’s In Memoriam segment
Simpson died two months ago from prostate cancer at the age of 76, and he was honored on screen as ‘former NFL player’ – with a smattering of applause heard as his face appeared.
However the decision to honor the convicted felon – who also spent nine years in a Nevada jail in 2008 after he was convicted on 12 counts of armed robbery and kidnapping – was slammed by the families of Brown and Goldman and left viewers ‘disgusted’ and outraged.
Ron’s father Fred Goldman told TMZ: ‘I think they shouldn’t include anyone of that caliber – a wife beater, murderer … can’t imagine why they would include someone like that.’
Despite a successful NFL career, Simpson was best known for his acquittal following his high-profile murder trial in 1995, dubbed the ‘Trial of the Century’.
Simpson was acquitted but later found civilly liable for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Pictured: The couple in New York in 1993
Fred Goldman (C), father of Ronald Goldman, his daughter Kim (L) and wife Patty are pictured at the trial in 1994 – Fred said: I think they shouldn’t include anyone of that caliber – a wife beater, murderer … can’t imagine why they would include someone like that’
He was charged with the deaths of Brown and Goldman, who were found brutally stabbed to death outside her Los Angeles home.
The circumstances around his arrest were equally salacious, with the former NFL star leading cops on a low speed chase after learning of the impending charges.
Millions tuned in to watch the 90 minute pursuit of Simpson’s white Ford Bronco across southern California.
The athlete crouched in the back with a handgun while friend Al Cowlings drove, before his eventual arrest in Brentwood.
His sports and film stardom would go on to be overshadowed by his arrest for the murder of Brown and Goldman. Pictured: Simpson in Superior Court in Los Angeles in December 1994
Viewers were left ‘disgusted’ and outraged by the segment at Sunday’s BET Awards
At trial, prosecutors argued Simpson was linked to the crime scene through forensic evidence.
A now-infamous moment saw Simpson struggling to try on a pair of black gloves believed to have been worn by the murderer. One glove was found at the scene, the other near to Simpson’s mansion.
Prosecutors said the accused killer acted out of jealousy over his then ex-wife.
‘He killed Nicole for a single reason,’ Christopher Darden told the court. ‘He killed her because he couldn’t have her, and if he couldn’t have her, he didn’t want anyone else to.’ Despite the evidence, Simpson was acquitted.
