A few of the attendees at Sunday night time’s BET Awards have been reportedly caught off guard by soccer participant and accused assassin O.J. Simpson’s inclusion within the ceremony’s “In Memoriam” phase.
In line with The Hollywood Reporter, when the montage flicked to a photograph of Simpson, who was recognized as a “former NFL player” on display screen, “many in the audience were a bit surprised to see his face,” and one particular person in attendance observed “some titters among the crowd.”
The “In Memoriam” montage additionally honored Invoice Cobbs, Carl Weathers, Willie Mays, Clarence Avant, Maurice Hines, Richard Roundtree, Ron Cephas Jones, Rudolph Isley and Dexter Scott King.
Simpson was a celebrated soccer participant, media determine and occasional actor earlier than he was accused of the double murder of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her buddy, Ron Goldman, in 1994.
Ethan Miller by way of Getty Pictures
The following courtroom proceedings have been a media frenzy, main it to be dubbed the “Trial of the Century.”
The households of Brown Simpson and Goldman criticized BET for together with the sports activities star within the tribute, asking for an apology from the community.
“I think they shouldn’t include anyone of that caliber ― a wife beater, murderer … can’t imagine why they would include someone like that,” Fred Goldman, Goldman’s father, advised TMZ.
Brown Simpson’s sister, Tanya Brown, additionally spoke to the outlet, saying, “It’s inappropriate to give an abuser and murderer recognition.”
Simpson was acquitted of homicide prices in October 1995, however his repute would by no means absolutely get well.
In 2008, he was imprisoned for armed theft and kidnapping two sports activities memorabilia sellers at gunpoint in a Las Vegas on line casino resort room one 12 months prior.
Though sentenced to 33 years behind bars, the Nevada Parole Board granted Simpson launch after serving 9 years in jail.
He handed away from most cancers in April, on the age of 76.
