“Anyone who has seriously looked at the evidence…” ESPN reporter Jeremy Schaap admits not being ‘filled with sorrow’ following OJ Simpson’s death

Simpson was acquitted by the jury over charges of murdering Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson.

“Anyone who has seriously looked at the evidence…” ESPN reporter Jeremy Schaap admits not being ‘filled with sorrow’ following OJ Simpson’s death

Jeremy Schaap and O.J. Simpson (via ESPN/IMAGO)

The recent passing of OJ Simpson has resulted in a flood of mixed responses. The legendary running back went from being the hero around whom fans and celebrities flocked to a man whom nobody wished to be affiliated with.

He was accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman at her residence in the posh Brentwood area of Los Angeles in 1994. He was tried for the same in what was dubbed to be the ‘Trial of the Century’ and was acquitted by the jury on charges of murder.

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It comes as no surprise that OJ Simpson left behind a rather complicated legacy. Despite the Jury holding him innocent, the media trial that ensued resulted in the public making their own judgements of him and forming opinions contrary to the jury. Following the public announcement made by Simpson’s family concerning his demise, ESPN’s Shae Peppler Cornette broke the news on air, shortly after Jeremy Schaap, the notable reporter dialed-in to share his thoughts on the running back’s death.

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Here’s what Schaap had to say:

O.J. Simpson had gone from being this hero, and he was a hero, to a murder suspect. It was unlike anything else that I had experienced in my life and America has witnessed in the last half century. I think we have to keep in perspective that, Yes, he was acquitted but anyone who has seriously looked at the evidence, anyone who saw Ezra Edelman's brilliant film for ESPN would have to come to the conclusion that he was a murderer...Am I filled with sorrow today? I'm not.
Jeremy Schaap said

Jeremy Schaap is of the opinion that OJ Simpson does not deserve sorrow despite being acquitted by the law

OJ Simpson was one of the few running backs that ran for over 11,000 yards in the NFL. To call him a hero as Schaap did initially, would not be a far-fetched statement. However, the reporter believes that the moment the murders took place and Simpson was prima facie considered to be the main perpetrator who orchestrated the entire tragedy, his status took a turn for the worse.

O.J. Simpson
OJ Simpson (via IMAGO)

These allegations shook the entire nation. America had indeed never witnessed something of this stature before. His trial fueled racial tensions to an extent and after he was acquitted of all charges by the jury, life would never be the same for him. He was never looked at in the same light again. Since then, there have been two prominent documentaries, the first is Ezra Edelman’s O.J.: Made in America and The People vs O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, a series available on Netflix that has broken down the entire trial.

These documentaries went on to play a pivotal role in leading their viewers to form their own opinions based on the evidence presented, the evidence available, and the chronology of events that took place. Since the OJ Simpson trial was one of the only trials wherein the public watched the proceedings, followed the developments, and had access to nearly all the information available, it resulted in a significant percentage of the population considering the possibility that he may have done it.

Taking all of this into consideration, it does not come as a surprise to see that Schaap has formed a view contrary to that of the jury and that he feels no sorrow over his passing. Despite Simpson’s acquittal in the criminal proceedings, two years later, a civil suit was filed by the parents of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson, in this case, O.J. was held to be liable for their deaths. This decision resulted in his assets being seized and was ordered to pay $33 million in damages.

Orenthal James Simpson leaves behind a complicated legacy. As a football player, the man was great, a hall-of-fame player, one who redefined the position of running back. But when one talks about O.J. after football, the conflict kicks in. Will fans ever be able to separate OJ Simpson, the football player from Simpson, the man who was on trial for the murder of his ex-wife and friend? It has been three decades since the accusations were levied against him and the answer still remains a no from fans.

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