This article was originally published on JustStarz
O.J. Simpson's talent on the football field earned him fame and the nickname "Juice." But nowadays, he's infamously remembered for something entirely different. And just like fans and non-fans alike have been forever divided on what they think happened to Nicole Brown, Simpson's own children have been, too. So let's dig into a part of the story that's rarely discussed: what happened to O.J.'s four kids, and where are they now?
O. J. Simpson Was Married to Someone Else When He Met Nicole Brown
If you ask most people who were around to remember the O.J. Simpson trial, odds are they could give you a pretty good description of events. The celebrity trial was just that huge. However, far fewer people probably remember that Simpson was actually married before he met Brown. He actually married Marguerite Whitley right out of high school, and the two had made some big plans together when they were in college.
She reportedly supported Simpson's plans of playing in the NFL when he was still a star football player at the University of Southern California. However, as we all know now, those plans would change.
Simpson And Whitley Had Three Children
Simpson and Whitley had their first child, a little girl named Arnelle, about a year after they were married. However, they didn't stop there. The two would go on to have a little boy named Jason, and another little girl, named Aaren. In total, there were three children, and the family seemed like they were doing great. However, Simpson would go on to make some decisions that ended up ripping it apart.
However, on the inside, the family was already reportedly having a bit of trouble. If that's the case, then what happened next isn't too much of a surprise.
Whitley Figured Out That O. J. And Nicole Were Seeing Each Other
For most people that were born after the Simpson's trial, it might come as a bit of a surprise that Nicole Brown was working as a waitress when she met Simpson. However, it's true. The two met at a nightclub called The Daisy, which Simpson reportedly frequented quite often. Brown was also only 18 when she met the then-30-year-old Simpson. Brown grew close to the celebrity not long after they met.
The two were often seen together while in the club, and it wouldn't be too much longer before Simpson's wife, Whitley, caught wind of the whole thing.
Simpson and Brown Moved in Together Before He Filed for Divorce
Simpson and Whitley had just had their third child when the celebrity husband began his affair with Nicole Brown. To this day, it's not entirely clear when exactly Whitley found out. But she must've found out at some point before the two made the divorce official because Simpson and Brown moved in together before the papers were filed. The two were moving extremely fast for a new couple.
However, it would turn out that the affair and subsequent famous divorce would be the least of the family's problems, and a heartbreaking disaster would soon strike everyone involved with the Simpson family.
O. J. Lost His Youngest
It's important to note that when all of this was happening, Simpson was already a celebrity. He'd had a pretty successful football career, and the media covered the divorce and affair. So, while people were expecting something dramatic to happen next, nobody was really expecting tragedy to strike. However, that's exactly what happened to the Simpson's youngest child right before she turned two years old. Right before her birthday, she somehow fell into the pool.
The paramedics were called, but by the time they arrived, all they could do was give the toddler CPR. But by then, it was already too late. Aaren Simpson went into a coma and passed away.
Simpson and Brown Tied the Knot
While Simpson and Whitley had filed for divorce, they were still reportedly there for one another after they lost a child together. However, Simpsons was still moving on with his girlfriend at the time, Brown. At this point, Simpson had been retired from the NFL for around five years. The two ended up walking down the aisle together in 1985, officially tying the knot and starting a new chapter in both their lives.
The Hollywood wedding was all in the news at the time. The two looked absolutely enamored with each other in all of the wedding photos, which would make the famous trial to come all the more perplexing.
They Welcomed Their First Child Together: Sydney
Simpson and Brown wasted little time in starting a family together. The two's first child was a little girl named Sydney, who would soon be popping up in photos on the pages of celebrity magazines alongside her famous mother and father. Everywhere they went, their daughter Sydney followed close behind, almost causing people to forget that Simpson already had children prior to the birth of his and Brown's first child together.
While Sydney was the talk of the town, the couple would eventually have one other child not long after Brown gave birth to Sydney. However, the next child would be a little boy.
And Then Came Justin
Although Simpson's affair with Brown had been a pretty scandalous ordeal at the time, like most things, it would eventually end up passing. By the time the celebrity couple had their second child, the world was pretty used to seeing Simpson and Brown together. Their second child would be a little boy named Justin, and he would, by all accounts, complete the family the Simpson and Brown said they wanted.
The couple had hinted that they wanted one little girl and one little boy. And while they looked complete on the outside, home life was reportedly far from idyllic on the inside.
Rumblings of Trouble At Home
The two continued to be mainstays at celebrity events; however, all the while, hints began to emerge that there might be trouble at home. Brown reportedly called the police on Simpson multiple times for getting out of control and being abusive. Simpson was even taken into custody once, although Brown ended up dropping the charges. One particularly troublesome incident occurred in 1989 when Simpson began yelling that he didn't want Brown "sleeping in my bed anymore."
After a couple of the more serious incidents took place, Brown's parents urged her to try and work through everything and make the Hollywood marriage work. However, that would prove to be out of the question.
Brown Had Enough and Filed for Divorce
Throughout the marriage, Simpson had reportedly been pretty close to Brown's parents, even helping them invest in a Hertz dealership. However, by 1992, Brown was fed up and filed for a divorce. She revealed that the two's differences went beyond just the abusive behavior, accusing Simpson of having an affair with actress Tawny Kitaen. It turned out that things were even worse than many had suspected within the Simpson household.
The divorce itself probably didn't come as too much of a shock to anyone that had been following the celebrity marriage closely, but what would happen next would end up captivating a nation.
She Was Found Murdered in Her Home
Brown would continue to have to call the police on Simpson several more times, even after filing for a divorce. However, nobody expected what would happen next. In 1994, while Brown was in her home and her two children were sleeping upstairs, someone came into the house and killed her and her friend Ron Goldman. The two were found stabbed in Brown's home, lying in a puddle.
The crime would lead to one of the most famous trials in the history of the United States and set the stage for an equally riveting verdict.
The Police Launched a Search for O. J.
Nearly as soon as the police showed up at the scene, they declared Simpson a person of interest. However, Simpsons had other and those plans didn't include talking to the police. He led officers on a now-famous chase through the city of Los Angeles in his white Bronco. The whole spectacle seemed like something out of a Holywood movie, and millions tuned in to watch it all unfold on television.
However, Simpson wouldn't be getting away. The police ended up catching him, and the next step would be the trial, where he hired his now famous "Dream Team" of lawyers.
His 'Dream Team' of Lawyers Included Robert Kardashian
Simpson ended up having to sell around $50,000 worth of assets in order to afford his lawyers. They included F. Lee Bailey, Robert Shapiro, Johnnie Cochran, and Robert Kardashian. Kardashian had been retired but agreed to come back and help his friend Simpson. And as you've probably guessed, Kardashian was the family patriarch of what is now pretty much a celebrity brand. His being involved with the trial no doubt aided in his daughters, Kourtney, Khloé, and Kim Kardashian's later fame.
Before he came out of retirement to help Simpson, he was already considered pretty known in the city of Los Angeles. He'd made a name for himself as a highly skilled lawyer.
Kris Kardashian, Robert's Ex and Nicole's Best Friend, Thought O. J. Was Guilty
The trial sharply divided Americans at the time. Some believed Simpson was completely guilty, while others believed him to be innocent. And that difference of opinion could also be found in the Kardashian household. Reportedly, Robert's ex-wife, Kris Jenner, believed that Simpson had ended her friends' lives. At least, that's what Kim Kardashian once told David Lettermen when she appeared on the show once. However, Robert apparently believed Simpson to be completely innocent.
Kim was quoted as saying the whole thing "tore my family apart." That's not hard to believe, seeing how sharply the famous trial divided most Americans at the time.
100 Million People Watched as the Jury Delivered Their Verdict
It would take an incredibly long time for the jury to reach a verdict. But nine months after the famous trial began, the jury came back with a surprise verdict of not guilty. The whole thing had captivated the country and Hollywood. It's estimated that some 100 million people watched the trial unfold. The "Dream Team" had prevailed. And the "Trial of the Century" was finally over, albeit with a controversial decision.
The case would never get a truly satisfying ending, as the police never arrested anyone else for it. However, to some, justice would be served to some degree in what happened next.
Simpson Then Won Custody Of His Children
When the celebrity trial finally came to an end, there was still the open question of what would happen to his children. After all, they had been in the house when everything took place, and reuniting them with the formerly accused man seemed like a controversial move. However, because Simpson had been declared innocent, the judge found no reason not to reunite the children with their one remaining parent.
And so the children would be allowed to be released into Simpson's custody. Although, Brown's family would end up fighting this decision in court after it was announced.
Nicole Brown's Parents Fought for Custody of Sydney and Justin - But They Lost
As pretty much everyone expected, Brown's parents took Simpson back to court in order to fight for custody of Justin and Sydney. However, the custody trial would not end up going in their favor. The court ruled that Simpson could keep custody of his two children despite the allegations and previous famous trial. However, the grandparents did get visitation of the children, meaning that both Sydney and Justin would grow up with their mother's family in their lives.
All of the trials probably also took a toll on the children, who were still pretty young at this stage but probably had a sense of what was going on.
In a Turn of Events, O. J. Was Once More Called to Trial - This Time by the Goldman Family
Practically from the moment that the jury returned a not guilty verdict, there have been grumblings that the only reason Simpson got off was that he could afford expensive lawyers. When Goldman's parents filed a civil suit against Simpson, he wouldn't have access to the same "Dream Team" that he had for the famous trial. The judge overseeing the case would also ban all media from the courtroom.
This was meant to prevent the case from becoming a Hollywood spectacle. The whole trial lasted around three months and came to a very different verdict than the proceeding jury.
The Civil Court Found Him Guilty
After only a few weeks of deliberations, the jury found Simpson guilty of being responsible for the passing of Brown and Goldman. The families were awarded around $33.5 million in damages. However, Simpson was no longer a successful NFL star by this time, and he couldn't afford to pay the entire amount. So, he paid around $500,000 after holding a couple of auctions and then fled to Miami.
The Goldman family also tried to get a hold of Simpson's $28,000 NFL pension, which pays the celebrity on a monthly basis, but they were not successful in doing so.
Brown's Death Hit Her Sister Especially Hard - And It Was Only the Beginning
Brown and Goldman's passing hit everyone involved incredibly hard. However, reportedly hit Brown's sister, Tanya, exceptionally hard. It took her years to come to terms with her sister's passing. However, surprisingly she still maintains contact with Simpson. This is because she reportedly doesn't want the whole thing to affect her relationship with Brown's children and wants to make things as easy as possible for them. The children, too, were highly affected by the famous trial.
The Hollywood murder and the controversial trial would go on to inspire another theory involving one of Simpson's children and the victims that would take everyone by surprise.
A Private Investigator Alleges That Another Simpson Did It - His Oldest Son, Jason
While the whole Simpson ordeal seems like something out of a Hollywood movie, what happened next was a lot stranger than anything that Hollywood could've dreamed up. A private investigator who'd taken an interest in the case released a statement in 2012 detailing why he thought O.J. Simpson was innocent and that he thought the real perpetrator was his son, Jason. The accusation might sound pretty wild, but it's not entirely without merit.
The PI, William Dear, reported that Jason had previous trouble with his mental health and had been known to have issues with substance abuse. Of course, all of this doesn't necessarily mean someone is capable of doing what was done to Nicole Brown and her friend.
The Evidence For His Claim
William Dear's evidence for his bold claim that Jason was the true attacker of Brown and Goldman that fateful night does sound somewhat plausible. He contended that Jason had a long history of assault using deadly weapons. He also alleged that Jason had been diagnosed with a disorder that's commonly called Jekyll and Hyde disease for the way that it can make people suddenly enter into fits of rage.
Dear claimed that Jason had written secret notes, saying that he was actually three people in one body. Finally, there was the fact that DNA at the scene never matched O.J., which had been brought up in the famous trial, but police had failed to test his son.
Sydney Blames Her Father For Everything
Simpson and Brown's oldest child, Sydney, has made it very clear over the years who she blames for her difficult life. She and Simpson apparently do not get along at all, and Sydney has talked down about her celebrity father almost every chance she gets in a public setting. However, it's not hard to understand why, considering she lost her mother when she was still only a little girl.
She's also made plenty of public comments about who she thinks was responsible for her mother's passing, and it's probably not hard to guess who she thinks it was.
She Believes Her Dad Did It
Over the years, Sydney has reportedly done a lot of research about her mother's passing, looking into nearly every aspect of the whole situation. She's read reports on the crime scene, heard different opinions, and studied the famous trial. After reviewing all of that evidence, she came to the conclusion that her father was the person behind her mother's death. She's even said so publically. She's also experienced what it's like living with her father.
She reportedly called the police on him once, saying that he was acting violently. Still, we're sure it was extremely painful to come to such a decision and to make those accusations about another family member.
Sydney Has Had Her Own Run-Ins With the Law
Sydney is now living a much more quiet life. She no longer talks publicly after she had a run-in with the law back in 2005. Reportedly, she attacked two teens, which caused someone to call the cops. The police arrived and had to remove her from the situation completely. As one might expect, it attracted some Hollywood media attention. After the whole thing happened, she decided to change her name and now avoids speaking out in public.
Luckily, she's reportedly doing pretty well for herself now, and she's living in Florida, where she works in the real estate business with her younger brother. There are also some reports that she owns her own restaurant.
Simpson Has Been In and Out Of Trouble
Simpson's famous trial and brush with the law is far from the only time he's been in trouble. The celebrity athlete has actually been in trouble quite a bit since he led cops on a chase in Los Angeles. Simpson was detained in 2001 on charges of burglary and battery, although he was eventually acquitted in the case. In 2007, he was involved in an attempted heist of the Palace Station casino.
The robbery would end up being Simpson's biggest mistake and one that would land him in the most trouble. He admitted to the crime shortly after being picked up by police.
He Was Sent to Jail for the Robbery
Simpson ended up having a decent excuse for the alleged robbery. He told police that he was only going through hotel rooms in order to get back some sports memorabilia he said had been stolen. He also said that nobody had any weapons, and they didn't break into any hotel rooms. The explanation was enough to persuade a jury that he wasn't guilty in what was another famous trial.
However, a later retrial was not as kind, and the jury ended up sentencing him to 33 years in prison, though he would be eligible for parole after only nine years.
Simpson's Eldest Daughter, Arnelle, Became in Charge of Finances
Simpson and Brown's children have been talked about a lot in the media since it was their mother that passed. However, the celebrity athlete had other children who were affected by their father's famous trial. Arnelle is Simpson's eldest daughter, and she was reportedly left in charge of the family finances and Simpson's NFL pension after he was sent to prison. However, legal fees ate up a lot of the money.
Arnelle has also reportedly battled her own demons and struggled with substance abuse and shopping addictions, which further eroded what money the family received from the NFL pension.
Arnelle Became Responsible for the Family's Affairs
Arnelle became a frequent subject in Hollywood papers. This might have been because she was the eldest daughter, or it could have been because she took on the most responsibility after her father was first accused. Either way, she became somewhat of a celebrity herself. She's worked as a fashion producer and rapper, among other things. She was also very supportive of her father when the famous trial first went down.
However, it's thought that all of the media attention has also gotten in the way of allowing her to grieve and somewhat contributed to her substance abuse problems.
She Struggled to Find Time to Take Care of Herself
Not only was Arnelle the one responsible for many of the family's affairs, but she also had to take care of her siblings growing up. As such, she never really had time to take care of herself. She had to go through the famous trial, lose a stepmother, and hear the accusations about her father nearly everywhere she looked. It ended up taking a toll on Arnelle just as it would anybody else.
Reportedly, things got worse for her after Simpson was sent to prison in 2008 for his role in the casino robbery. It all proved to be just too much for one person to handle.
Arnelle Developed Substance Problems
Looking back, it's not hard to see why Arnelle might have issues with drugs and alcohol; she was under serious pressure, not just because of her celebrity father but also because of all the media attention she was getting. She'd grown up in the spotlight, and for many, it's just hard to handle having your every move tracked and talked about. Reportedly, Arnelle used to be seen partying all night long.
She was also known to buy drinks for everyone she was with, which didn't help her money situation. However, it wasn't hard for those on the outside to see that she was developing some seriously bad habits to cope with everything going on in her life.
O. J. Was Released From Prison
When Simpson was sentenced to 33 years in prison, many expected him to remain locked away for a pretty long time. After all, he'd had multiple run-ins with the law up until that point, and there was still the famous trial hanging in the background. However, in 2017, it was decided that he'd served enough time and was no longer a threat to society. He was released, to nearly everyone's surprise.
Simpson was now free to be with his family, which is something he always said publicly that he wanted. The release signaled a new chapter in the celebrity's life.
Simpson Worked on Repairing Relationships With His Family - But Not Everyone Was Interested
When he was first released on parole, it came with some stipulations. His travel was limited, and he wasn't allowed to indulge in alcohol the same way he had in the past. However, this only lasted until 2021, when the stipulations of his parole were lifted, and he was allowed to travel once again and do whatever he wanted. He reportedly met up with his daughter, Arnelle, shortly after being released.
It was also reported that her celebrity father supported each other during this time and that Arnelle was finally able to get clean and kick her partying habit.
Jason Remains Under The Radar
While it's not too difficult to spot the other Simpson children, even though they now shy away from the limelight, Jason is an entirely different story. There's no word on what ever happened to him, despite him being a celebrity at one point in life. There are only rumors. One of those rumors is that he briefly worked as a chef in Atlanta. In 2012, the private investigator, Dear, released his book "O.J. Is Innocent, And I Can Prove It," implicating Jason.
In 2016, the mini-series "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" brought the famous trial and the rest of the saga back into the limelight.
What's Sydney up to Now?
Sydney, after moving to Florida and lying low for a while, began getting involved in the real estate industry. She also earned a degree in sociology from Boston University in 2010. Her company is called Simpsy LLC, and she mostly operates in St. Petersburg, Florida. There were also rumors at one point that she was dating a local city councilman in Florida, but those rumors were never confirmed, and he denied the allegations.
It's impossible to know what she truly thinks about her celebrity father now, but she allegedly still thinks that he committed the murder of her mother and Goldman.
Justin Is With His Sister in Florida
Not much is known for sure about Justin Simpson since he likes to keep a low profile, but we do know that he works with his sister Sydney, flipping real estate in Florida. Those that know him have also said that he inherited his celebrity father's charm. Justin is the only one in the Simpson clan who's never had a run-in with the law, at least not that anyone knows about.
Despite living a relatively quiet and simple life, the youngest Simpson does advertise his real estate services and maintains a couple of social media profiles to that end.
Sydney And Justin's Real Estate Empire Was Scrutinized by the Courts
A couple of years ago, Sydney and Justin's real estate dealings came under scrutiny from the courts. Brown and Goldman's families allege that since they bought all of their properties with cash, it was likely some of that money came from their celebrity father. Simpson only paid a tiny fraction of the $33.5 million awarded to the Brown and Goldman families after the famous civil trial back in California.
If it is found that they used their father's cash to buy homes, then their business could be in some serious trouble, and it's possible they could lose everything they've built for themselves.
Simpson Reportedly Lives in Las Vegas
After being released from prison, it's thought that Simpson met up with his oldest daughter, Arnelle, in Las Vegas. And apparently, that's still where Simpson lives to this day. He reportedly owns a large house inside a gated community. He's even made a social media account where he's posted before. However, people haven't forgotten the Hollywood deaths and the famous trial, and he reportedly received a lot of backlash when he posted.
While it's thought he's doing pretty well for himself in Las Vegas, there have been other reports that he might not stay in the city forever.
He May Want to Move to Florida
There have been rumors that Simpson might try and relocate to Florida, particularly when it comes to avoiding having to pay the Brown and Goldman families. Simpson is still doing pretty well despite his past. He apparently makes a decent amount of money doing things like signings and interviews. He also still has around $33 million that he owes to the families, so the move would make sense from that perspective.
However, not everyone was happy about the potential move when they heard the rumors, including some very powerful people in the Florida government who remembered the famous trials.
Florida's Attorney General Said Simpson Is Not Welcome in the State
When rumors of the potential move first surfaced, Florida's attorney general, Pam Bondi, quickly released a statement saying that people still remembered Simpson's famous trial. She added that he's shown a "wanton disregard for the lives of others, and that "residing in comfort in Florida should not be an option." However, it's not clear how much power Bondi would actually have to prevent someone from moving to the state.
She probably wouldn't be able to simply ban someone from moving to an entire state. Reportedly, Simpson is in contact with and maintains god relations with Arnelle and Jason. However, the same can't be said for his other two children.