O.J. Simpson’s reported cancer diagnosis has haters celebrating in the aisles. And not just Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman’s families. “Nicole is partying in heaven,” one person posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Hopefully, the clock is ticking quickly on his murdering butt…maybe he’ll tell the truth before he croaks, but I would doubt it because he believes the bs he’s been selling ever since he brutally murdered 2 people…can’t happen soon enough for me!” another user wrote.
In the US, it’s clearly not a case of innocent until proven guilty. Or, in the case of O.J., innocent even when found not guilty. A 2016 Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll showed that 69% of US citizens believed the jury shouldn’t have been acquitting despite the glove not fitting; 7% believed in O.J.’s innocence; and 20% were unsure. Not surprisingly, as was the case back in the ’90s during the trial, opinion is divided down race lines, with 73% of whites believing O.J. is guilty compared to 44% of Blacks and 67% of Hispanics.
Still, when it comes to the court of social media, it appears the jury is united in their opinion. There was outrage in 2019 when O.J. joined X just days after the 25th anniversary of Nicole and Goldman’s murders. “I see that the unrepentant murderer just joined Twitter,” writer Yashar Ali wrote, imploring others to follow Ron’s sister Kim Goldman, as “she should have more followers than that monster.”