O.J. Simpson acquitted of 1994 double murder after 9-month trial

On the night of June 12, 1994, a passerby in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles saw a dog wandering with blood on its paws. Following the animal led to a condominium on Bundy Drive, where Nicole Brown Simpson, 35, and Ronald Goldman, 25, were found dead outside. Brown Simpson had been stabbed multiple times in the head and neck. Goldman, a waiter who had returned a pair of sunglasses Brown Simpson’s mother had left at a restaurant, was also stabbed repeatedly. A bloodied glove, a knit cap, and other items were found at the scene. Police were called, and the case quickly focused on Brown Simpson’s ex-husband, O.J. Simpson, a former football star and actor.

The accused was Orenthal James "O.J." Simpson, 47 at the time. He had been acquitted of domestic violence charges against Brown Simpson in 1989 and had divorced her in 1992. Key figures in the case included lead detective Mark Fuhrman, lead prosecutor Marcia Clark, lead defense attorney Johnnie Cochran, and trial judge Lance Ito. Simpson’s defense team—dubbed the "Dream Team"—also included Robert Shapiro, F. Lee Bailey, and Alan Dershowitz. The prosecution’s case would rely heavily on DNA evidence and a history of domestic abuse.