On the 30th anniversary of Nicole Brown Simpsons When a murder is imminent, her family and friends talk about her life and her tragic death like never before.
In a new, two-part Lifetime documentary series The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson, 50 of Nicole’s friends and family sit down to detail what they remember about the former model, Hollywood socialite and mother of two. A large part of Nicole’s legacy was tragically lost in the media hype surrounding her brutal murder and crime “Trial of the Century” against her late ex-husband, OJ Simpson.
“It wasn’t the headline of a tragedy,” says one participant. “She was so much more.”
“I truly believe this world doesn’t know who Nicole Brown was,” another agreed.
Kris Jenner – whose late ex-husband, Robert Kardashian Sr., was a member of OJ’s “dream team” of defense attorneys during his murder trial – is such a friend Who can be seen in the two-part series? Jenner became close to Nicole while both were still married to Kardashian and OJ, respectively.
Nicole’s sisters Denise, Dominique and Tanya are also taking part in the series and hope to “shine a light” on who their sister really was. Like many of the interviewees featured in the trailer, they express disdain for how the media circus surrounding the OJ trial has obscured the grim reality that two lives were snuffed out that day.
“It wasn’t about Nicole, it wasn’t about Ron,” says one. “It was about who could win. Who played the best game?”
The two-day series details what exactly friends and family knew about OJ’s abuse toward Nicole, both before and after their marriage. Some interviews accuse OJ of “stalking” his ex, reference a diary Nicole kept about the abusive incidents, and in one chilling clip even point out, “She always knew he would hurt her .”
Watch the full trailer below:
On the night of June 12, 1994, Nicole and Ron Goldman were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood home. According to multiple reports, OJ and Nicole – now divorced – had attended a music concert for their daughter, although he did not speak to her or sit with her or her family. The family (minus OJ) then had dinner at the Italian restaurant Mezzaluna, which closed its doors in 1997. It is said that Nicole left her glasses there and Ron, a waiter at the restaurant and an acquaintance of Nicole’s, brought the glasses to her house in Brentwood.
Nicole suffered horrific injuries to her neck and head, while Ron reportedly suffered 22 stab wounds. OJ was considered the only viable suspect in the double murder case – especially given his documented history of spousal abuse.
The OJ murder trial received widespread national coverage. The trial lasted nearly a year and quickly became one of the most publicized events in American history. His “dream team” of lawyers – Kardashian, Johnnie Cochran, Robert Shapiro and F. Lee Bailey – competed against each other Lead prosecutor Marcia Clark.
On October 3, 1995, in front of over 150 million viewers, OJ was found not guilty of both murders. However, he was later found guilty in a civil trial and ordered to pay a whopping $30 million to Nicole and Ron’s families.
After OJ’s death on April 10, 2024, Ron’s father, Fred Goldman shared a statement with ET Speaking on behalf of himself and his wife Patti Goldman, he said: “This is a reminder of how long Ron and Nicole have been gone and missing. It’s not about the murderer, it’s about the victims.”
Ron’s sister Kim Goldman also spoke out after OJ’s death metastatic prostate cancer.
“The news of Ron’s murderer’s death is a mix of complicated emotions and reminds us that the journey through grief is not linear,” she said in a statement to ET. “For three decades, we have worked tirelessly to seek justice for Ron and Nicole, despite a civil verdict and his confession If I had done ithope for real accountability has ended.”
The statement continued: “We will continue to advocate for the rights of all victims and survivors and ensure our voices are heard both inside and outside the courtroom. And despite his death, the mission continues; there is always more to do. Thank you for that.” Keep our family and especially Ron in your hearts for 30 years.”
Nicole’s sisters shared the same opinion in their statement about the upcoming series:
“What happened to our sister Nicole should not have happened to her or any other woman,” they say. “Her life was stolen from her and even though her abuser is finally gone, that does not ease the fear we feel or the pain of her children who have lost their mother. We hope that sharing Nicole’s story will help others realize that, sign up and get the help they need, and her legacy will live on.”
The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson Premieres June 1st and 2nd at 8pm PT/ET on Lifetime.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential.
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