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On Thursday, former football star O.J. Simpson was granted parole after serving nine years of lengthy sentence after being convicted of armed robbery in 2008. Simpson's is a complicated story that has been covered extensively by the media; therefore, there are several essential stories you should read to understand the NFL star's saga.
At the parole board hearing, Simpson presented himself as a "good guy" who felt humbled by his experience in prison. "I was always a good guy, but could have been a better Christian, and my commitment to change is to be a better Christian," Simpson said of himself Thursday. "I had some problems with fidelity in my life, but I've always been a guy that pretty much got along with everybody."
Hundreds of stories have been written about Simpson's legal battles, but there are a few crucial ones you can read to get the full picture — such as Dominick Dunne's multi-part series for Vanity Fair or Jeffrey Toobin's The New Yorker coverage of the sensational 1995 murder trial in which Simpson was found not guilty of killing his wife Nicole and her friend Ron Goldman.
Other must-read articles cover the intervening years, after Simpson dropped out of the limelight. Still more cover the recent documentaries that have awoken the American consciousness once again to the case of O.J. Simpson. Here are just a few you should devote some time to.
Dominick Dunne's Legendary Coverage For 'Vanity Fair'
In a multiple-part series on the 1995 murder trial in which Simpson was found not guilty, Dominick Dunne's crime coverage for Vanity Fair was epic. Dunne was one of two reporters granted access to the courtroom for every day of the trial, so his comprehensive coverage is nearly unbeatable.
A Take On Simpson's Defense Team In The Murder Trial
New Yorker legal expert Jeffrey Toobin profiled Simpson's all-star legal team who managed to nab him a not-guilty verdict in the famous 1995 murder trial. Toobin is one of the brightest minds in legal journalism — and also knows how to tell a story — so his profile of Simpson's defense is absolutely necessary.
O.J. In Between: Post-Murder Trial, Pre-Robbery Trial
Dunne returned to the case of O.J. Simpson to see what the former football player was up to in his post-murder trial life. The article discusses Simpson's difficulties adjusting back to daily life in Los Angeles's Brentwood neighborhood after the sensational trial.
O.J. Simpson On Reclaiming His Reputation
New Yorker writer Pat Jordan profiled Simpson's effort to reclaim his image in the years following the headline-making murder trial. "The thing I’m most proud of,” Simpson told The New Yorker, “is that the girls I dated were offered two hundred and fifty thousand dollars by the tabloids and not one single one of them said anything bad about me."
A Review Of 'The People Vs. O.J. Simpson'
New Yorker television critic Emily Nussbaum took on the miniseries American Crime Story, which brought the 1995 Simpson murder trial back to the fore of the American popular consciousness.
Nussbaum's piece explores how the miniseries looks at the defense and prosecuting lawyers. "Still, the heart of American Crime Story is its daring humanization of a trio of lawyers who were so filleted in the media that they’re now remembered primarily in satirical form, through imitations on Seinfeld and late-night TV," Nussbaum wrote.
'Rolling Stone' On ESPN's 'O.J.: Made In America'
Rolling Stone's article on ESPN's documentary about "The Juice" focused mainly on the headline-making 1995 trial and features an in-depth interview with the documentary's director.
Simpson has continued to be a source of interest for the American public, and soon, curious readers might not need journalistic articles for a look into the former Hall of Famer's life. During his parole board hearing that granted his release, Simpson said he might just start a "webcast or blog."
