The world lost a controversial sports icon earlier this week.
O.J. Simpson, a famed football star, succumbed to cancer, and his last will, placing properties into a trust, has been officially filed.
Orenthal James Simpson passed away after a battle with cancer, with his death reported in the week of April 8-14, 2024. Following his death, his will was officially filed in Clark County, Nevada, by Cassady Law Offices on the subsequent Friday.
CNN reported that the will, signed on January 25, 2024, designates Malcolm LaVergne, Simpson’s attorney for over a decade, as the executor and names Justin Simpson, O.J.'s son, as the successor personal representative, underscoring the family's involvement in managing his posthumous affairs.
Simpson's estates have been entrusted to The Orenthal Simpson Revocable Living Trust, aiming for a secure future for his surviving kin. This strategic move places Simpson's assets beyond the easy reach of those awarded financial judgments against him, notably in the wrongful deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
Malcolm LaVergne shared insights into Simpson's health towards the end, noting a significant decline that rendered him unable to partake in coherent conversations. "No longer functional back-and-forth conversations," LaVergne observed. This detail underscores the stark reality of Simpson's final days after being moved to hospice care in early April 2024, following a formidable resurgence of his previously beaten prostate cancer.
Simpson's legal entanglements, including a $33.5 million civil judgment from 1997 for the wrongful deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, cast a long shadow over his estate. Despite the financial claims against him, LaVergne explicitly aimed to shield the estate's assets from reaching the Goldman family. This stance could reignite the public debate surrounding Simpson's controversial life and trials.
Malcolm LaVergne stated,
I hope that the Goldmans get zero, nothing. And I will do everything in my capacity as the executor or personal representative to try and ensure that they get nothing.
These remarks highlight the tension between Simpson's estate and the Goldman family, suggesting a potentially fraught process ahead for the executor in navigating the complex interplay of legal and familial obligations.
In recounting Simpson's life moments and the ensuing legal battles, it's essential to note the significant dates, including the jury selection for his murder trial on December 8, 1994, and the subsequent 1997 jury award in the civil case related to the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
O.J. Simpson's death and the arrangements for his estate encapsulate the enduring complexities of his legacy. The trust's establishment, designed to protect Simpson's assets for his family, raises poignant questions about the intersection of legality, morality, and familial loyalty. Meanwhile, Malcolm LaVergne's candid remarks reveal the deep-seated legal animosities still at play, reflective of the broader societal divisions surrounding Simpson's figure.
As the executor of Simpson's will, LaVergne's staunch defense of the estate against Goldman's claims reinforces the enduring legal and emotional fallout from Simpson's most controversial chapter. Yet, Simpson's choice to entrust his properties to a trust facilitated by LaVergne and witnessed by his son underscores a concerted effort to secure a legacy amidst a tumultuous past.
In summary, O.J. Simpson's final days were marked by personal struggle and significant legal maneuvering, culminating in his will's filing and the entrustment of his estate to The Orenthal Simpson Revocable Living Trust. With Malcolm LaVergne at the helm as executor, the estate faces a future of both safeguarding Simpson's assets for his family while navigating the contentious waters of longstanding legal battles.
