O.J. Simpson, the iconic football player, actor, and central figure in a notorious murder trial in the 1990s, has passed away at the age of 76. The announcement was made by his family on X, formerly known as Twitter, confirming that Simpson had lost his battle with cancer on April 10th.

Simpson's attorney also confirmed the news, stating that he died on Wednesday night in Las Vegas. His family disclosed that he was surrounded by his children and grandchildren during his final moments. They have requested privacy and understanding from the public during this period of transition.

Before his legal troubles, Simpson enjoyed a celebrated athletic career. He earned recognition as a running back for the University of Southern California, winning the prestigious Heisman Trophy in 1968. Simpson later claimed the NFL MVP award with the Buffalo Bills in 1973. He played for 11 years in the NFL, representing both the Bills and the San Francisco 49ers, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

After retiring from football, Simpson ventured into sports broadcasting and even tried his hand at acting, appearing in prominent productions like Roots and The Naked Gun film series.

However, Simpson's life took a dark turn on June 17, 1994, when he captivated the nation by evading police in a white Ford Bronco driven by Al Cowlings. Simpson was accused of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. Overwhelming evidence seemed to incriminate Simpson, including blood drops, bloody footprints, and a glove found at the crime scene. Another glove, smeared with blood, was discovered at his home.

During the highly publicized trial, Simpson chose not to testify, but the prosecution famously asked him to try on the gloves in court. He struggled to fit them onto his hands, uttering the now-infamous phrase, "They're too small." In 1995, the jury acquitted him of murder, but a separate civil trial found him liable in 1997 and ordered him to pay a significant sum of $33.5 million to the families of Brown and Goldman.

In 2008, Simpson faced another legal ordeal that resulted in a nine-year prison sentence for charges of kidnapping, armed robbery, and assault with a deadly weapon. He was released on parole in late 2017.

Throughout his life, Simpson continued to captivate public interest, with ongoing debates regarding his guilt and whether justice was served. In 2016, he became the subject of an FX miniseries and an ESPN documentary.

Simpson's controversial attempt to publish a book titled "If I Did It" in 2006 also stirred immense public outrage. Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.-owned HarperCollins had initially planned to release the book, where Simpson allegedly offered a hypothetical account of the killings. However, following widespread condemnation, the publication was canceled. The Goldman family, who sought to enforce the multimillion-dollar wrongful death judgment, gained control of the manuscript and rebranded it as "If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer."

Reflecting on the situation, Simpson expressed his disillusionment, stating that the project represented "blood money." Although he received an advance payment of $880,000, the funds were handled via a third party.

Less than two months after losing the rights to his controversial book, Simpson found himself arrested in Las Vegas, beginning a new chapter in his complicated life.

The legacy of O.J. Simpson remains a complex and enduring part of American history, leaving behind a trail of legal battles, cultural fascination, and national debate.