Stephen A. Smith FUMES at BET Awards for honoring OJ Simpson during ‘in memoriam’ segment and insists: ‘In the eyes of most people, he is a double murderer’
Stephen. A Smith has criticized the BET Awards for including OJ Simpson in their ‘In Memoriam’ section during Sunday’s ceremony.
The decision to honor the former NFL player — who became one of America’s most notorious figures after he was charged with, and later acquitted of, the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman — sparked outrage.
The families of the murder victims also voiced fierce criticism of the organizers of the awards ceremony. Now sports personality Smith has also voiced criticism. He has even gone so far as to call Simpson “a double murderer,” despite his acquittal in the so-called trial of the century.
“In the eyes of most people, regardless of an acquittal, O.J. Simpson is a double murderer,” Smith said on his eponymous podcast show. “My attitude is this: O.J. Simpson never cared about black people until he was indicted — never gave a damn.
“Here’s the bigger issue, we should never have a reason to talk about him again. We certainly shouldn’t be celebrating OJ Simpson. I’m sorry. Not when two people were nearly decapitated and he was the prime suspect.”
Stephen A. Smith took on BET Awards organizers over their decision to honor OJ Simpson
Simpson – who became one of America’s most notorious figures after he was charged with the murders of his ex-wife Brown and her friend Goldman in 1994, and later acquitted in the trial of the century – appeared on screen as part of the show’s In Memoriam segment
Simpson died two months ago at the age of 76 from prostate cancer. He was honored on screen as a “former NFL player,” with warm applause when his face appeared.
The decision to honor the convicted felon — who also spent nine years in a Nevada prison in 2008 after being convicted of 12 counts of armed robbery and kidnapping — was fiercely criticized by Brown’s and Goldman’s families, with viewers expressing “disgust” and anger.
Ron’s father Fred Goldman told TMZ: ‘I don’t think they should take in someone of that caliber – a wife beater, a murderer … I can’t imagine why they would take in someone like him.’
Despite his successful NFL career, Simpson is best known for his acquittal in his high-profile murder trial in 1995, which was dubbed the “Trial of the Century.”
Simpson was acquitted, but was later found civilly liable for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown. Pictured: The couple in New York in 1993.
Fred Goldman (C), father of Ronald Goldman, his daughter Kim (L) and his wife Patty are pictured during the trial in 1994 – Fred said: I don’t think they should take someone of that caliber – a wife beater, murderer… I can’t imagine why they would take someone like that’
He was charged in the deaths of Brown and Goldman, who were found brutally murdered outside her Los Angeles home.
The circumstances surrounding his arrest were equally scandalous, with the former NFL star Officers initiated a low-speed chase after learning of the impending charges.
Millions of people watched the 90-minute chase of Simpson’s white Ford Bronco through Southern California.
The athlete crouched in the back with a firearm as his friend Al Cowlings drove, before eventually being arrested in Brentwood.
His sports and film stardom would be overshadowed by his arrest for the murders of Brown and Goldman. Pictured: Simpson in Los Angeles Superior Court in December 1994
Viewers were ‘disgusted’ and outraged by the segment during Sunday’s BET Awards
During the trial, prosecutors argued that forensic evidence linked Simpson to the crime scene.
A now infamous moment saw Simpson struggling to put on a pair of black gloves believed to have been worn by the killer. One glove was found at the crime scene, the other near Simpson’s mansion.
Prosecutors said the suspect acted out of jealousy towards his then-ex-wife.
“He killed Nicole for one reason,” Christopher Darden told the court. “He killed her because he couldn’t have her, and if he couldn’t have her, he didn’t want anyone else to have her.” Despite the evidence, Simpson was acquitted.