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When Closer writer Jean Jollands secured a face to face interview with disgraced sports star OJ Simpson – just months after he was found not guilty of murdering his ex wife and her friend – she had no idea how unnerving the encounter would be…<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/04\/GettyImages-539886930-e1713872057475.jpg” title_text=”INDICTMENT OF O J SIMPSON” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-gallery-caption” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|600|||||||” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” background_color=”#111111″ text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”-2.75%||||false|false” custom_padding=”4px|8px|4px|8px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Orenthal James Simpson died earlier this month aged 76<\/p>\n
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When former champion footballer and actor Orenthal James – O.J. – Simpson passed away from cancer earlier this month at the age of 76, it brought back troubling memories for Closer writer Jean Jollands who secured an exclusive interview with him back in 1996.<\/p>\n
It was just a few months after OJ was infamously cleared of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman in May 1994 that Jean sat face to face with him on a warm Sunday afternoon in a pub in Cobham, Surrey.<\/p>\n
Here Jean reveals what is was like to meet the disgraced star.<\/p>\n
She says, \u201cJust seven months after the \u2018not guilty\u2019 verdict, OJ flew to the UK to appear on TV. A young nervy reporter in only my second proper job, I\u2019d somehow convinced his PR, Max Clifford, to give me the newspaper exclusive. I believe that Clifford assumed that as a black journalist I would somehow give OJ an easier time of it.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/04\/Jean-and-OJ-1.png” title_text=”Jean and OJ-1″ force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-gallery-caption” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|600|||||||” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” background_color=”#111111″ text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”-2.75%||||false|false” custom_padding=”4px|8px|4px|8px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Jean Jollands with OJ Simpson in 1996<\/p>\n
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“The other pub customers gawped, horrified or in shock, as I followed Clifford, OJ and Colin Patterson, the photographer out into the plush beer garden.<\/p>\n
\u201cOJ was dressed as if he were about to play a round of golf, in casual slacks and a pristine white polo shirt. His eyes looked dead though, as if he wasn\u2019t really there, and his voice was dull and monotone, as if he was dosed up on something. Later he admitted he\u2019d been on tranquilisers to get through the trial, but swore blind that he was no longer on medication.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlmost immediately though, he started complaining. I\u2019d smoked a cigarette beforehand to calm my nerves and he told me off. \u2018As an athlete, I\u2019ve always hated the smell of smoke\u2019, OJ whinged, even throwing in a little cough to make his point. Embarrassed, I shot back, \u2018Well, I can think of worse vices\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter that he did seem to visibly soften. He talked about how the UK public couldn\u2019t get enough of him, insisting it was mostly the media that gave him a hard time. And he may have had a point as on several occasions we were interrupted by autograph hunters \u2013 mostly children \u2013 who looked totally in awe of him.<\/p>\n
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He was found not guilty of murdering his ex wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994<\/p>\n
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\u201cFor the rest of the interview he rattled off the details of his case, went on about how spiritual he was and how his \u2018ordeal\u2019 had shown him who his real friends were. There was never a flicker of emotion or remorse.<\/p>\n
\u201cThroughout the afternoon he did a good line in self-pity, emphasising that he was broke and in debt. Talking about how his loved ones had suffered too, he wiped his eyes as if holding back tears, telling me, \u2018You know, I felt like three people had been murdered that night.\u2019 I had to hide my shock when I realised he saw himself as the third victim.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I asked if he had any regrets, his reply was brazen. He said, \u2018My only regret was when Nicole wanted us to get back together, I should have let her move back in.\u2019 \u2018So, where were you the night of the murders?\u201d I eventually pushed. Ignoring my question, he came back with another rehearsed speech. \u2018The only people who weren\u2019t exposed to the media were those 12 jurors,\u2019\u00a0he insisted. \u2018That\u2019s why they came back so quickly in the\u00a0strongest possible way \u2013 with a quick verdict. A verdict of not guilty.\u2019<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/04\/GettyImages-51966022.jpg” title_text=”O.J. Simpson shows the jury a new pair of Aris ext” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-gallery-caption” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|600|||||||” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” background_color=”#111111″ text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”-2.75%||||false|false” custom_padding=”3px|8px|3px|8px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
OJ trying on the gloves which were used as evidence in the trial<\/p>\n
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\u201cAs we wrapped up and I packed up my stuff, OJ had one last parting shot. With zero shame or self-awareness he told me, \u2018I loved Nicole and loved her forever \u2013 no one was more hurt than I was when she was killed.\u2019
\u201cLooking back now, at the photo of OJ and me side by side for the camera, I shudder. I was young, intimidated, and out of my depth. I didn\u2019t challenge OJ nearly as much as I could have.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cI often think about that day and if I could go back in time I\u2019d ask him outright if was guilty instead of skirting around the subject. But he no doubt would\u2019ve stuck to his well-rehearsed story and now he has taken the truth to his grave.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Jean wonders if he’d have told her the truth, if she’d been brave enough to challenge him<\/p>\n
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