Just southwest of the vibrant Las Vegas Strip, within the serene walls of a country club home comfortably sat O.J. Simpson, alert, relaxed, and absorbed in conversation with his accomplished attorney, Malcom LaVergne. This encounter unfolded just mere days before Easter – a meeting that marked their last robust discussion.
Amid a calm ambiance, Simpson lounged on a plush couch, sipping on a beer and entertaining himself with the visual feast of television. Normally the purveyor of news updates for his lawyer, Simpson found himself, that day, being served with the latest world affairs. According to LaVergne’s Tuesday recollection, it was their last meaningful interaction.
A subtle shift in Simpson’s health was noticed a week later when a medical professional termed his condition as “transitioning”. The visit that followed painted a poignant picture of a man whose vitality was seeping away. Being able to muster strength only to request water and preferring to watch a golf tournament over a tennis match – well, his preference for golf was no surprise. He was, LaVergne reflected in an interview later, an undeniable golf fanatic.
On April 10th, the world bid farewell to a man who had graced the fields of American Football, cinema, and television with his immense talent. Diagnosed with prostate cancer a year before, O.J Simpson lost his battle against the disease at the age of 76.
The echo of his passing was heard on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. Simpson’s family announced that he had surrendered to his cancer fight compassionately surrounded by his children and grandchildren. LaVergne, however, provided a different perspective, claiming that only a single close family member was with Simpson during his final moments.
Simpson’s adult children from his first marriage – Arnelle Simpson and Jason Simpson, alongside Sydney Simpson and Justin Simpson, the children he fathered with his deceased ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson found themselves in the public eye, once again. Their lives had been intermingled with their father’s fame, a truth they were reminded of amidst the grief of their loss.
LaVergne, in charge of Simpson’s estate, shed light on their final meetings, recounting the depths of their client-lawyer relationship dating back to 2009.
News about a potential posthumous study of Simpson’s body, to understand the impact of his career as an NFL running back, was swiftly dismissed by LaVergne. He revealed, instead, that cremation was in alignment with Simpson’s final wishes. The details about a public memorial remain in the hands of the family.
Shedding light on Simpson’s will, filed in the Nevada state court, LaVergne disclosed that Simpson’s four children were named as the sole beneficiaries. Details about a family trust, along with an accurate value of his estate, is currently pending.
The legacy of O.J Simpson is one of contrast. A celebrated footballer, a suspect in the double murder case of his ex-wife and her friend, Ronald Goldman, and an infamous celebrity all in all. His acquittal of the murder charges in 1996 followed by a conviction for armed robbery in 2007 left a split image of him in public memory.
LaVergne acknowledges the vast unpaid debt of a $33.5 million judgment from a 1997 civil liability case awarded to the families of Simpson’s ex-wife and Goldman. Although, he reiterates that Simpson’s remaining assets will fall vastly short of the claimed amount.
As the narrative of Simpson’s complex life concludes, the families associated with him continue the quest for their share of what is perceived as a pot of gold. Regrettably, they will do this in a world without the man who was O.J Simpson.
