Nicole Brown Simpson

Nicole Brown Simpson
Brown in 1993
Born
Nicole Brown

(1959-05-19)May 19, 1959
Frankfurt, West Germany
DiedJune 12, 1994(1994-06-12) (aged 35)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Cause of deathHomicide[1]
Resting placeAscension Cemetery, Lake Forest, California
33°39′04″N 117°41′37″W / 33.6512°N 117.6935°W / 33.6512; -117.6935
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1985; div. 1992)​
Children2

Nicole Brown Simpson (née Brown; May 19, 1959 – June 12, 1994) was the second wife of American football player O. J. Simpson. Brown met Simpson in 1977 and they married in 1985, five years after Simpson had retired from professional football. Their marriage lasted seven years and they had two children, a daughter, Sydney Brooke and a son, Justin Ryan.

Simpson emotionally, verbally, and physically abused Brown. She called the police multiple times to report his abuse but he was only arrested once, in 1989; he pleaded no contest to spousal abuse. Brown dropped the charges after her parents encouraged her to reconcile with Simpson. Brown filed for divorce in 1992, citing irreconcilable differences. Following the divorce, Simpson continued to abuse Brown.

On June 12, 1994, Brown was murdered outside her home, in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, along with her friend, waiter Ron Goldman. Following a controversial and highly publicized criminal trial, Simpson was acquitted of both charges of murder, despite forensic and eyewitness evidence supporting the prosecution's case, though he was later found liable for committing both killings in a civil lawsuit in 1997.

Early life

Brown was born on May 19, 1959, in Frankfurt, West Germany,[2][3] to Juditha Anne "Judy" Brown (née Baur) and Louis Hezekiah "Lou" Brown Jr.[4][5] Her mother was German, and her father American.[3][6] She was the second of four daughters (Denise, Dominique, and Tanya being the other three).[7] From her father's previous marriage, she also had two older half-sisters (Wendy and Margit) and one older half-brother (Tracy).[8] After moving to the United States, she attended Rancho Alamitos High School in Garden Grove, California.[9] She graduated from Dana Hills High School, in Dana Point, California, in 1976.[10] She was raised Catholic.[11]

Relationship with O. J. Simpson

Early relationship

Brown met American football player O. J. Simpson in 1977,[12] when she was an 18-year-old waitress at The Daisy, a Beverly Hills nightclub.[13][14][15][16] They began dating while Simpson was still married to his first wife, Marguerite, who was then pregnant with their daughter Aaren. Simpson and Marguerite divorced in March 1979.[17]

During the 1984 Summer Olympics torch relay, Simpson carried the torch on Santa Monica's California Incline road, running behind Brown.[18]

Marriage

Brown and Simpson were married on February 2, 1985, five years after his retirement from professional football.[19] The couple had two children, Sydney Brooke Simpson (b. 1985) and Justin Ryan Simpson (b. 1988).[20] The marriage lasted seven years.[21]

Simpson verbally, emotionally, and physically abused Brown throughout their relationship and continued after their divorce. In total, prosecutors for Simpson's murder trial found 62 incidents of abusive behavior by Simpson towards Brown.[22]

During an incident on New Year's Day 1989, a police report indicated Simpson said: "I don't want that woman [Brown] sleeping in my bed anymore! I got two women, and I don't want that woman in my bed anymore."[3] A family friend claimed that Simpson had told Brown's friends that if he ever "caught her with anyone, he would kill her".[23]

On December 31, Brown phoned the police, saying that she thought Simpson was going to kill her. She was found by officers hiding in the bushes outside their home, "badly beaten and half-naked". Authorities said Simpson had "punched, slapped, and kicked" her. Simpson pleaded no contest to spousal abuse.[21][23][22] Brown dropped the charges after her parents allegedly encouraged her to reconcile with Simpson, who was enabling her father, Louis, to invest in a lucrative Hertz car rental facility at The Ritz Carlton at Monarch Bay, California, which significantly benefited the Brown family financially.[24]

Divorce

At the time of their separation, Simpson informed Brown of his ongoing one-year extramarital affair with Tawny Kitaen, during which he had given her expensive jewelry; it ended when Kitaen married David Coverdale in 1989.[25][26][27][28] In January 1992, Brown moved into a rental home in Brentwood, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California – a 4-bedroom, Tudor-style house with 3,400 square feet where she lived for 2 years.[29]

Simpson filed for divorce on February 25, 1992, citing irreconcilable differences.[30] They then shared custody of their children Sydney Brooke (age 7) and Justin Ryan (age 4).

Ongoing relationship and abuse

Following the divorce, reports suggest that in 1993, after the divorce, Brown and Simpson made an attempt at reconciliation.[23] Simpson continued his abuse of Brown.[31]

On October 25, 1993, Brown called the police to report Simpson being violent again, after he allegedly found a photo of a man Brown had dated while they were broken up.[32] Audio released during the murder trial of O.J. Simpson revealed that Brown called 911, crying and saying that Simpson was "going to beat the shit out of me".[33]

When the police arrived, Brown was secretly recorded by Sgt. Craig Lally. "He gets a very animalistic look in him," Brown stated. "All his veins pop out, his eyes are black and just black, I mean cold, like an animal. I mean very, very weird. And when I see it, it just scares me." Brown also stated Simpson had not hit her in four years.[34]

Several months after this incident, Brown moved out of their shared home and the relationship ended.[33]

Stalking

Nicole told her mother after the divorce that O.J. was following her, stating, “I go to the gas station, he’s there. I go to the Payless shoe store, and he’s there. I’m driving, and he’s behind me.'"[35]

Final years

In January 1994, Brown moved just a few minutes away from her Gretna Street house to a three-story, rental townhome in Brentwood. It was a Mediterranean-style residence that was 3,400 square feet with multiple patios and a “rooftop sundeck.”[36] In Brown’s Brentwood neighborhood, situated near the base of the Santa Monica mountains and four miles from the ocean, were country clubs, local and state parks, hiking trails, and popular attractions like the Santa Monica Pier. At the time she drove a Ferarri[37] and the upscale area had shops, restaurants, and grocery markets near her home. Nicole's sister, Denise, described this period in a 1994 interview, saying that Nicole "was just so vivacious, so full of life" and "I was so happy for her. For the first time in her life, she was able to have her own friends. We were talking about going to Yosemite, camping, taking the kids to Club Med. Everything was going to revolve around the kids.[38]

On March 16, 1994, Nicole with her children, attended a film premiere of the third Naked Gun film that OJ was in.[39] The event was in Los Angeles and the movie was part of a comedy franchise.

Death

Weeks before

Brown met 25-year-old restaurant waiter Ron Goldman six weeks prior to their murder. According to police and friends, they had a platonic relationship, occasionally meeting for coffee and dinner in the weeks before their deaths. Goldman borrowed her Ferrari when he met a friend for lunch. The friend, Craig Clark, stated that Goldman told him it was his friend Nicole’s car.[40]

June 12, 1994

At the time of her death, Brown resided at 875 South Bundy Drive in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, with her two children.[41][42][43] On the evening of Sunday, June 12, 1994, Brown took Sydney and her friend out to dinner after the children were in a dance recital that night.[37] That night, Brown, aged 35, was stabbed to death outside her home, along with Goldman, their bodies were discovered shortly after midnight. She was lying in the fetal position in a pool of blood.[44] An autopsy determined that Brown had been stabbed seven times in the neck and scalp, and had sustained a 14 cm-long (5.5 inches) gash across her throat, which had severed both her left and right carotid arteries and breached her right and left jugular veins.[44] The wound on Brown's neck penetrated 1.9 cm (0.75 inches) into her cervical vertebrae,[44] nearly decapitating her.[33][45] She also had defensive wounds on her hands.[44]

Brown's funeral was held on June 16 at the St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Brentwood,[46] California, with mourners including Simpson and their two children,[47] members of Brown's family, Al Cowlings, house guest Kato Kaelin, and Steve Garvey.[48] Brown is buried in Ascension Cemetery[49] in Lake Forest, California.[50]

Trials

Criminal trial

Simpson was tried for the murders of Brown and Goldman. In October 1995, after a public trial that lasted nearly nine months and presented both circumstantial and physical evidence that Simpson killed both, he was controversially acquitted.

Civil Trial

In a 1997 civil trial filed by Fred Goldman, Ron Goldman's father, a jury found him liable for the wrongful deaths of Brown and Goldman and awarded $33.5 million in damages to the Goldmans. However, Simpson never paid the "lion's share"[51] of this award to the Goldmans due to protections from his bankruptcy filing and pension income.[52] Simpson would later be incarcerated for an unrelated armed robbery at a Las Vegas hotel in 2008.[53][54]

Custody of children

In 1996, after the conclusion of the criminal trial, a judge granted Simpson's petition to give him full custody of Sydney and Justin.[55] Brown's parents continued unsuccessfully to fight for custody.[56][57][58]

Legacy

Foundation

The Nicole Brown Simpson Foundation was established in 1994 in her memory.[59] Later renamed the Nicole Brown Charitable Foundation, it reportedly cut back on grantmaking in 1999, due to a drop in donations and questionable management practices.[60][61]

Nicole's Words

In Brown's 1976 senior yearbook from Dana Hills High School, her nickname is "nick" and her quote is that she: "remembers Jr. Sr. prom, kissing a pumpkin at the homecoming dance '74, one of the semi-finalists for Homecoming, plans to ski Europe, go to Brooks photo school, get Scott, 'Be yourself, don't be phony, you don't have to do anything.'"[62] Brown refers to The Brooks Institute of Photography that operated from 1945-2016 in the Santa Barbara, California area, a 2-hour drive from Nicole's high school.

Tributes

In a rare 1996 VHS video from her parents called "A Tribute to Nicole," she is described as having a "happy childhood," grew up in a "close family," and "loved interior decorating."[63] She is also shown as a young girl from the family's home videos as she plays with stuffed animals, swims in a pool, practices dance, carries school books, and blows out birthday candles on cupcakes. Her mother calls Nicole "warm," "wonderful" and "free-spirited."[63]

Kato Kaelin described Nicole in a 2024 interview as a "beautiful" friend who was a "beacon of light, always bright, always fun."[64] Kris Jenner said Nicole was "one of [her] best friends" [65] whom she often took family vacations with[66] and remembered her at a Los Angeles restaurant she used to frequent with Nicole and a mutual friend, Faye Resnick.[67] Nicole's sister, Tanya Brown, said in a 2019 interview that "Nicole was a mom, she put her kids first, she put everybody else first. My sister had the ability to live life, live it bright, live it large."[68]

Kris Jenner named her 4th daughter, Kendall Nicole Jenner, after her friend, Nicole Brown.[66] Kendall was born 17 months after Nicole's death.

Filmmaker Ezra Edelman, who directed the documentary O.J.: Made in America, dedicated his Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature to both Brown and Goldman in his acceptance speech.

Property

Two years after the deaths of Brown and Goldman, the townhouse at 875 South Bundy Drive,[41][42][43] was extensively remodelled by a new owner who also had the address changed.[69]

Media

Book

O.J. Simpson wrote a book, If I Did It, a first-person account of how he would have committed the murders had he committed them. According to court documents, in August 2007, as part of the multi-million dollar civil jury award against Simpson to ensure he would not be able to profit from the book, the Goldman family were granted the proceeds from the book.

The Goldman family still own the copyright, media rights, and movie rights[70] and have acquired Simpson's name, likeness, life story, and right of publicity in connection with the book. After renaming the book If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer, the Goldman family published it in September 2007 through Beaufort Books.[71] Denise Brown, Nicole Brown's sister, criticized the Goldmans for publishing the book and accused them of profiting from Nicole and Ron's deaths.[72]

Documentary

Upon Simpson's death in 2024, it was announced that a Lifetime documentary about Brown was in development titled The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson.[73]

Portrayals

Brown is portrayed by:

See also

References

Citations

  1. ^ Turvey, Brent E. (February 1995). "An Overview of the Medicolegal Evidence Regarding: The State of California v. Orenthal James Simpson, Case: BA097211" Archived August 4, 2018, at the Wayback Machine. Knowledge Solutions.
  2. ^ Schmalleger 1996, p. 2.
  3. ^ a b c Hubler, Shawn; Trounson, Rebecca (July 3, 1994). "Dreams of Better Days Died That Night". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  4. ^ Schindehette, Susan (August 1994). "To Live and Die in L.A." People. Vol. 42, no. 5. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  5. ^ Gates, Anita (July 6, 2014). "Louis Brown Jr., Nicole Simpson's Father, Dies at 90". The New York Times. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  6. ^ Weller 1995, pp. 76–77.
  7. ^ Finn, Natalie (June 12, 2019). "Inside the Short, Tragic Life of Nicole Brown Simpson and Her Hopeful Final Days". eonline. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  8. ^ Weller 1995, pp. 42–43.
  9. ^ Weller 1995, pp. 84, 122.
  10. ^ "Classmates - Dana Hills High School Yearbook 1976". secure.classmates.com. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  11. ^ "The O.J. Simpson Trial: Nicole Brown Simpson Part 1". Listen Notes (Transcript). October 3, 2019. Retrieved August 25, 2022. She's [Nicole] an outdoor girl. And she's also raised Catholic because her mom is Catholic...
  12. ^ Bugliosi 1997, p. 175; Weller 1995, pp. 6, 123.
  13. ^ Weller 1995, p. 123.
  14. ^ "The Victims". O.J. Simpson Trial News. CNN. February 3, 1985. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  15. ^ Hubler, Shawn; Trounson, Rebecca (July 6, 1994). "Nicole Simpson Was Dominated by Her Husband Since She Was a Teenager". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  16. ^ Alison Martino (August 29, 2014). "The Daisy in Beverly Hills". Vintage Los Angeles.
  17. ^ Taylor Gibbs 1996, pp. 126–128.
  18. ^ Higgins, Bill (August 11, 2016). "Olympics Flashback: When O.J. Simpson Carried the Torch in L.A." The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  19. ^ Lange, Tom; Moldea, Dan E.; Vannatter, Philip (1997). Evidence Dismissed: The Inside Story of the Police Investigation of O. J. Simpson. Pocket Books. p. 115. ISBN 0-671-00959-1.
  20. ^ "Child custody decision". courttv.com. Archived from the original on January 10, 2009. Retrieved March 10, 2009.
  21. ^ a b "Judge Allow Evidence of Domestic Violence In O.J. Simpson Murder Case". Jet. 87 (13): 51. February 6, 1995. ISSN 0021-5996.
  22. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :15 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  23. ^ a b c "OJ Simpson's slow-speed chase on June 17, 1994". Daily News. April 11, 2024. Archived from the original on April 11, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  24. ^ "Did Nicole Brown Simpson's Parents Push Her To Stay With O.J. Simpson? 'American Crime Story' Tackles The Rumors". Romper. March 2, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  25. ^ Surprise letter: Nicole wrote O.J. Simpson 'beat holy hell' out of her by Linda Deutsch (January 13, 1997) from Associated Press website
  26. ^ 'National Enquirer Investigates' Reveals O.J. Simpson's Many Mistresses by Radar staff (May 24, 2018) from Radar website
  27. ^ Actress, music video star Tawny Kitaen dead at 59 by Joe Erwin (May 8, 2021) from Daily News website
  28. ^ Tawny Kitaen Dead: Cause of Death Not Clear for ’80s Music Video Icon by Jessica McBride (May 8, 2021) from Heavy.com website
  29. ^ Lindsay. "Nicole Brown Simpson’s Gretna Green House." (June 22, 2016). https://www.iamnotastalker.com/2016/06/22/nicole-brown-simpsons-gretna-green-house/}
  30. ^ Taylor Gibbs 1996, p. 136.
  31. ^ Weller, Sheila (June 12, 2014). "How O.J. and Nicole Brown's Friends Coped with Murder in Their Midst". Vanity Fair. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
  32. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  33. ^ a b c Anolik, Lili (June 2014). "It All Began with O. J.". Vanity Fair. Vol. 56, no. 6. New York: Condé Nast. pp. 108ff. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  34. ^ "Trial Journal". sfgate.com. March 30, 1995.
  35. ^ Hesse, Monica. "Nicole Brown Simpson’s cries for help are still hard to hear." (April 13, 2024). The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/power/2024/04/13/nicole-brown-simpson-oj-simpson-ex-wife/
  36. ^ Lindsay. "Nicole Simpson’s Condo from “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.'” (March 7, 2016). https://www.iamnotastalker.com/2016/03/07/nicole-simpsons-condo-from-the-people-v-o-j-simpson-american-crime-story/}
  37. ^ a b "Nicole Brown Simpson: The Final 24." (October 29, 2020). Popcornflix. YouTube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFzL7qSt8Gc}
  38. ^ Rimer, Sara. (June 23, 1994). "Nicole Brown Simpson: Slain At the Dawn of a Better Life." The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/23/us/simpson-case-victim-nicole-brown-simpson-slain-dawn-better-life.html
  39. ^ "O.J. Simpson & Nicole Brown Simpson attend the red carpet Hollywood premiere of ‘Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult.’" RetroNewsNow. (March 16, 2019). X.https://twitter.com/RetroNewsNow/status/1106992266424528900/photo/1
  40. ^ Mosk, Matthew & Hall, Carla (June 15, 1994). "Victim Thrived on Life in Fast Lane, His Friends Recall". Los Angeles Times.
  41. ^ a b Simpson & Fenjves 2006.
  42. ^ a b Margolick, David (July 25, 1995). "Simpson Expert Supports Conspiracy-Theory Defense". The New York Times. p. 9. Retrieved September 22, 2017.
  43. ^ a b Siegel, Jessica (June 13, 1995). "Gawkers Flock to Crime Scene on Bundy Avenue 1 Year Later". Chicago Tribune.
  44. ^ a b c d Bugliosi 1997, p. 19.
  45. ^ Guerrasio, Jason (June 16, 2016). "O.J. Simpson Never-Before-Seen Crime-Scene Photos". Business Insider. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  46. ^ Shapiro 2009.
  47. ^ Weller1995, cited in Dear 2012.
  48. ^ Cerasini 1994, p. 257.
  49. ^ Weller 1995, p. 36.
  50. ^ Hardesty, Greg. "Nicole Brown Simpson's little sister grows up". Orange County Register. Santa Ana, California: Freedom Communications. Retrieved September 22, 2017.
  51. ^ Dalton, Andrew. "If O.J. Simpson's assets go to court, Goldman, Brown families could be first in line." (April 12, 2024). ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/oj-simpsons-assets-court-goldman-brown-families-line-109156174}}
  52. ^ "Goldman won't go after Simpson's pension." (August 28, 1997). CNN.com. http://www.cnn.com/US/9708/28/simpson.pension/}}
  53. ^ Auther, Jennifer; Feldman, Charles; LaMotte, Greg (February 4, 1997). "Jury Unanimous: Simpson Is Liable". CNN. Retrieved June 16, 2008.
  54. ^ "Court: Simpson Still Liable for $33.5M Judgment". NBC5. The Associated Press. February 21, 2008. Archived from the original on October 9, 2008. Retrieved June 16, 2008.
  55. ^ Goldberg, Carey (December 26, 1996). "Simpson Wins Custody Fight for 2 Children by Slain Wife". The New York Times. Retrieved March 10, 2009.
  56. ^ Okeke-Ibezim 1997, pp. 110ff.
  57. ^ Morello, Carol (December 21, 1996). "Judge Awards O.J. Simpson Custody of His Children". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. A1. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  58. ^ "OJ Faces Further Battle over Child Custody". BBC News. November 11, 1998. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  59. ^ Reyes, David (July 19, 1995). "The O.J. Simpson Murder Trial: Nicole Simpson Foundation Gives Shelter $10,000". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  60. ^ Reza, H. G. (January 4, 1999). "The Brown Foundation Cuts Back on Giving". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  61. ^ "Nicole Brown Simpson Charit Foundation – GuideStar Profile". www.guidestar.org. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  62. ^ Dana Hills High School Yearbook (1976). p. 161. Worthpoint.com. https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/images4/1/1215/19/nicole-brown-simpson-high-school_1_e86f03c852af254e94a3e755bd97c708.jpg}
  63. ^ a b "A Tribute to Nicole." VHS Video. 1996. Black Box News Corporation. YouTube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOwwOIYzoN4
  64. ^ "The OJ Simpson Saga From The Man Who Saw It All." (April 11, 2024). Tom Zenner's One Degree. YouTube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Be9j90CX6c
  65. ^ "Kris Jenner Remembers Her Last Trip With Nicole Brown Simpson." (February 12, 2016). Entertainment Tonight. YouTube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH7_uwuEgqY
  66. ^ a b "Kris Jenner Talks Regret and the O.J. Simpson Verdict." (June 18, 2012). OWN. YouTube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfZrwfee-sQ
  67. ^ "Kris Jenner & Faye Resnick Still Hurt Over Loss of Nicole Brown Simpson." (October 31, 2019). Keeping Up With the Kardashians. E! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qArf30eO0o
  68. ^ "Nicole Brown Simpson's sister speaks out." (June 13, 2014). 48 Hours. YouTube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy6RgTwia3k
  69. ^ Walker, Theresa (June 17, 2014). "Lingering Questions from the O.J. Simpson Chase". Orange County Register. Santa Ana, California: Freedom Communications. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  70. ^ Timothy Noah (November 22, 2006). "Defending If I Did It". Slate. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  71. ^ The Goldman Family (September 13, 2007). If I Did It Confessions of the Killer. Dominick Dunne (Afterword), Pablo F. Fenjves (Foreword) (1st ed.). Beaufort Books. ISBN 978-0825305887.
  72. ^ "Victims' families feud over O.J.'s 'If I Did It' book". Today.com.
  73. ^ Strause, Jackie (April 11, 2024). "Nicole Brown Simpson Doc in the Works at Lifetime". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 13, 2024.

Sources

External links

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