OJ Simpson chased by police in resurfaced video. Orenthal James “OJ” Simpson has died at 76 years old, his family confirmed in a statement. “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” his family wrote. “He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren.” Simpson was a former American football player – often regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time – and actor who became a cultural icon. But he was perhaps most well known for his role in the highly publicised and controversial trial of the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman. Fox