The O.J. Simpson trial: Where are they now?
Entertainment Weekly revisits the key players involved in one of the most notorials trials of the 20th century, nearly three decades after the verdict was heard by millions.
The climacteric O.J. Simpson murder — a saga deeply ingrained in American pop culture — not only transfixed households nationwide as the first trial televised from beginning to end but also birthed long-lasting catchphrases such as "If the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit," while bringing forth ethical dilemmas of race and class into the collective consciousness.
Spanning 11 months from November 1994 to October 1995, the trial reshaped the legacy of NFL star O.J. Simpson, who was charged with the murders of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman after a blood-stained glove was discovered on his property. Despite a verdict of acquittal for the murders, watched by roughly 100 million spectators, a Santa Monica jury held Simpson accountable for Goldman's wrongful death and battery of both victims, mandating $33.5 million in damages in 1997.
While remaining one of the epochal moments of the '90s, the trial continues to be immortalized with numerous Hollywood reenactments — most notably with Ryan Murphy's acclaimed FX miniseries The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story, which garnered eight Emmys and two Golden Globes.
Following a battle with cancer, Simpson died at age 76 on April 10, 2024 — which was announced by the athlete's family on X the following day. “He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren,” said the announcement. “During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace."
In the wake of Simpson's death, read below to learn more about the key players in the O.J. Simpson murder case and their lives post-trial.
O.J. Simpson
Acquitted in the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson — to whom he was married from 1985 to 1992 — and Ron Goldman, Simpson was arrested again in 2007 after leading a group of men into a room at the Las Vegas Palace Station Hotel & Casino to steal, at gunpoint, sports memorabilia he claimed belonged to him. He was convicted on several charges, including criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, and robbery. The ex-football star was sentenced to a maximum of 33 years in prison and served his time at Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada until he was granted parole in July 2017 (the year before Cuba Gooding Jr. portrayed him in the FX miniseries). Following his release in October 2017, he received an early discharge from parole in December 2021.
On April 10, 2024, Simpson died at age 76 due to cancer. (Though the specific type of cancer was not disclosed, Local10.com in Las Vegas reported that he was undergoing chemotherapy for prostate cancer in February 2024.) He is survived by his four children (from two marriages) and predeceased by his daughter Aeron, who drowned in the family's pool at age 2 in 1979.
Marcia Clark
Though she rose to fame as the head prosecutor, Marcia Clark was so drained by the experience that she left the DA's office afterward and co-wrote a book about the trial, Without a Doubt, with Teresa Carpenter. She later began writing crime-fiction book series, such as the "Rachel Knight" series and the "Samantha Brickman" series. In The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story, Clark was portrayed by Sarah Paulson, who earned a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for her performance.
Clark shares two children with her ex-husband, Gabriel Horowitz.
Christopher Darden
Christopher Darden — who Sterling K. Brown later embodied in American Crime Story, and won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie — served as a co-prosecutor alongside Clark, and was devastated over Simpson's acquittal. In 1995, he left the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office and taught criminal law. He's now a defense attorney in his private practice, Darden & Associates, Inc., and briefly represented clients like Eric Ronald Holder Jr. and Corey Walker. In 2024, Darden ran for Los Angeles County Superior Court judge, but lost in the primary despite endorsements from Kris Jenner (whose late husband, Robert Kardashian, was part of O.J. Simpson's defense team), Judge Lance Ito (who presided over the Simpson's trial), and Kim and Fred Goldman (Ron Goldman's sister and father).
Since 1997, Darden has been married to TV executive Marcia Carter, with whom he shares three children. He has two other children from a previous relationship.
Lance Ito
Judge Lance Ito presided over the Simpson trial and faced criticism for his decision to allow TV cameras in the courtroom. He retired from the bench in 2015 — the year before Kenneth Choi portrayed him in American Crime Story.
Ito was married to his wife Margaret "Peggy" York — who as part of the first all-female homicide team inspired the TV show “Cagney and Lacey” and went on to become the first female Deputy Chief in the Los Angeles Police Department — for 40 years until she died at age 80 in 2021. He is stepfather to Peggy's two sons and daughter from a previous relationship.
Robert Shapiro
The lead counsel on Simpson's team, Robert Shapiro is in his 80s today. However, he still works as a lawyer — though his primary focus is on civil litigation — and has represented high-profile clientele throughout his career, such as Eva Longoria, Rob Kardashian, and more. While Shapiro has appeared as himself in onscreen projects like My Wife and Kids and Havoc (2005), John Travolta depicted the celebrity lawyer in the FX miniseries.
In 1970, Shapiro married Linell Thomas, with whom he had two children: Grant and Brent, the latter of whom died at age 24 in 2005 from an accidental overdose. The father of two established the Brent Shapiro Foundation for Alcohol and Drug Awareness in honor of his late son.
Robert Kardashian Sr.
Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty
Robert Kardashian Sr. and O.J. SimpsonRobert Kardashian Sr. catapulted into the limelight when he served as a defense attorney for O.J. Simpson, who was the best man at his and Kris Jenner's wedding in 1978.
Robert was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in July 2003. He died at age 59 on Sept. 30 of that same year, leaving behind a legacy that David Schwimmer would later immortalize in the FX miniseries. The four children he shared with his ex-wife — Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Rob — carry on his memory and the now-omnipresent Kardashian name.
Kato Kaelin
Kato Kaelin — the Beach Fever (1987) actor who was staying in O.J. Simpson's guesthouse the night of the murders and was a witness for the state — spent his post-trial days earning acting credits for BASEketball (1998), Pauly Shore Is Dead (2003), Winners, Baskets, 5 to Die (2022), and more, as well as competing in season 2 of the American version of Celebrity Big Brother. The year before Billy Magnussen portrayed the key witness in American Crime Story, Kaelin launched a clothing line called Slacker Wear.
During a February 2024 interview on the Behind the Velvet Rope podcast, Kaelin predicted that O.J. Simpson would die without confessing to the murders of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman. "He never will come out and say anything," he said. "My opinion is, I think he is guilty, but if it's him, he's never gonna go out and say it."
Mark Fuhrman
Former detective Mark Fuhrman famously discovered the bloody glove on O.J.'s estate. However, after lying about his use of a racial slur, he pleaded no contest to perjury, barring him from serving as a police officer again. In the FX miniseries, Steven Pasquale embodied Fuhrman, who now writes books — including one about the trial, Murder in Brentwood — and serves as a crime-scene expert for Fox News, often appearing as a guest for commentator Sean Hannity.
Frederic "Fred" Goldman
Fred Goldman, the father of victim Ron Goldman, filed a civil suit for wrongful death against Simpson, along with the family of Nicole Brown Simpson. A jury found O.J. liable for their deaths, awarding the families $33.5 million. The Goldman patriarch was later interviewed in the Oscar-winning documentary O.J. Simpson: Made in America in 2016, the same year Joseph Siravo played him in American Crime Story.
In 2022, Goldman applied for a renewal of his old judgment against O.J. Simpson, who only paid him $132,000 over the years and owed him nearly $100 million due to interest rates, per TMZ Sports. Simpson died before he could pay back Goldman.
Goldman has a daughter named Kim with his ex-wife Joan Goldman.
Denise Brown
Nicole Brown Simpson's sister, Denise Brown, testified about the alleged abuse Nicole suffered at the hands of Simpson. After the trial, Denise and her other sister, Tanya Brown, created a foundation in their sibling's name that raised awareness of domestic abuse. Jordana Brewster played Denise in American Crime Story.
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