Kato Kaelin, a key witness during O.J. Simpson's murder trial in 1995, issued a video statement Thursday afternoon offering his condolences to Simpson's family following the ex-NFL star's death.
"Foremost, I'd like to express my condolences to the children, to Sydney and to Justin, to Jason and Arnelle," Brian "Kato" Kaelin said in the message shared to X, formerly Twitter. "They've lost their father and that is never easy."
Simpson's family announced on Thursday that their father has died at age 76 after succumbing to prostate cancer.
Simpson's NFL Hall of Fame career spanned 11 seasons, including his first nine with the Buffalo Bills before wrapping his career with the San Francisco 49ers. "The Juice" earned league MVP honors in 1973, garnered four NFL rushing titles and was named to six Pro Bowls. He later had a career in show business before being acquitted in a 1995 murder trial on charges that he killed his former wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.
Kaelin also addressed the families of Goldman and Brown Simpson.
"I wish to express my love and compassion to the Goldmans, to Fred and to Kim. "I hope you find closure," he said. "And finally, to the family of the beautiful Nicole Brown Simpson. May we always cherish her memories. Nicole was a beacon of light that burned bright. May we never forget her."
Context
Kaelin, 65, lived in a guesthouse at Simpson's Rockingham estate in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, and was home on the night that Brown Simpson and Goldman were killed. He was called to testify during Simpson's trial to discuss the suspect's whereabouts on that night, and became a bit of a minor celebrity during the "Trial of the Century."
According to reporting by The New York Times, Kaelin told law enforcement that he heard "several thumps" on the walls of his room on the night of the murder. He also testified that he did not know where Simpson was for several hours.
Kaelin was working to become an actor while staying at Simpson's home, and went on to host a variety of television and radio shows in the years following the trial.
What We Know
Simpson continued facing legal tumult in the years following the murder trial, as he was found liable in a 1997 civil lawsuit for the wrongful deaths of Brown Simpson and Goldman. Simpson was ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages in the case but maintained his innocence.
He was later arrested in Las Vegas in 2007, eventually convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping. Simpson was sentenced to 33 years in prison but was granted parole in 2017 after serving nine years.
Views
Tributes and reactions have flooded social media following Simpson's death, including comment from Goldman's father, Fred Goldman, who told NBC News, "The only thing I have to say is it's just further reminder of Ron being gone all these years."
"It's no great loss to the world. It's a further reminder of Ron's being gone," he added, as reported by NBC News reporter Daniel Arkin.
Caitlyn Jenner, who was married to Nicole Brown Simpson's friend, Kris Jenner, at the time of Brown Simpson's death, released a two-word statement to X: "Good Riddance #OJSimpson."
Update 4/11/24, 3:45 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and background.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Kaitlin Lewis is a Newsweek reporter on the Night Team based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her focus is reporting on national ... Read more
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