How OJ Simpson’s ‘trial of the century’ shattered the Kardashians

How OJ Simpson’s ‘trial of the century’ shattered the Kardashians: Kris Jenner and ex Robert went to war over Nicole Simpson’s murder – leaving Kim and Kourtney forced to CHOOSE between their parents… with family still split over what really happened

The year was 1995 and it was a case that riveted a nation: OJ Simpson, the beloved football superstar was on trial for the grisly double homicide of his ex-wife Nicole Brown, and her friend Ron Goldman.

Kim Kardashian still remembers the day her father, the legendary entertainment lawyer Robert Kardashian, pulled her and her sister Kourtney, out of school early ‘to witness a piece of history.’

A close family friend to the Kardashians, OJ, who today passed away at the age of 76, was known as ‘Uncle OJ’, while his ex-wife, with whom they shared many family vacations with, was lovingly known to Kim,

But the Kardashian family’s close ties with OJ and Nicole would ultimately result in one of their toughest battles – with Robert and family matriarch Kris left bitterly divided over what was later branded ‘the trial of the century’.

Nowhere was this rift clearer than in the courtroom, where the former couple made their respective allegiances painfully clear, with Kris taking up her spot alongside Nicole’s grieving loved ones, while across the aisle, Robert was seated next to accused murderer OJ, having readily stepped up to represent his longtime friend in the trial.

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OJ Simpson and Nicole Brown Simpson were close family friends with the Kardashians, having gone on multiple vacations together. They were lovingly known as ‘Uncle OJ’ and ‘Auntie Nicole’  to Kim, Kourtney, Khloe and their siblings

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Kris and Nicole were longtime best friends, having forged a close bond through their husbands’ own friendship

Kardashian admitted that the 15-month legal battle was ‘really tough’ for her and older sister Kourtney, who felt like they had to pick a side

Kim Kardashian opens up on family divisions during OJ trial

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That great divide between mother and father quickly filtered down to their children – who, despite their naivety, were forced to choose their own sides.

When Kim `and Kourtney took a seat behind their father on the defendant’s side of the courtroom, they noticed their mother, Kris Jenner sitting on the opposite side in support of her best friend of a decade, Nicole Brown.

Just 13-years-old at the time, Kim recalled to David Letterman in 2020 that, ‘It tore my family apart, I’d say, for the whole time of the trial.’

She admitted that the 15-month legal battle was ‘really tough’ for her and older sister Kourtney, who felt like they had to pick a side.

Today the notorious murder suspect, who was later found civilly liable for the deaths of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman, passed away aged 76 at his home in Las Vegas on Wednesday night, following a short battle with prostate cancer.

Over the years, Kris has spoken out about her horror she felt that her close friend Nicole Brown had been brutally stabbed in her home in Los Angeles back in 1994.

The momager said she still could not believe what had happened as she sat in court during OJ Simpson’s trial the following year, where her lawyer ex-husband Robert Kardashian was helping defend her best friend’s suspected killer.

Kris and Nicole forged a close bond through their husbands’ mutual friendship. And the women remained friends after Kris’ divorce from Robert in 1991, and through her second marriage to the Olympian, Caitlyn Jenner (formerly known as Bruce).

Kim explained to GQ in October 2023 that she and Kourtney opted to spend more time with their dad during the trial because they felt their mom was ‘happily remarried’ while their father was ‘by himself.’

‘We walked in [the courtroom] and saw my mom sitting on the other side,’ the SKIMS founder recalled. ‘She said, “You’re supposed to be in school. What are you doing here?” Kourtney and I didn’t even look at her.’

‘Kourtney and I were drawn to our dad. We felt like Mom was happily remarried, so we would live with Dad. We didn’t want him to be by himself,’ she continued.

‘We just always thought my dad was the smartest person in the world,’ Kim said in an earlier interview with Rolling Stone. ‘And he really believed in his friend.’

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The legal battle, dubbed ‘the trial of the century,’ saw Kim’s parents Robert Kardashian and Kris Jenner on opposite sides of the issue of Nicole Brown Simpson’s murder. [L-R] Alvin Michelson, Kardashian and Simpson seen here in 1995

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Together, the Kardashians and Simpsons went on family trips to Mexico and ski trips to Aspen

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While Kris remained close to Nicole’s children following her friend’s brutal 1994 slaying, her then-ex husband Robert served as an attorney on her accused murderer’s legal defense team. [L-R] Nicole Brown Simpson, O.J. Simpson, Kris Jenner and Robert Kardashian

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 OJ (left) and Robert Kardashian (right) first met in 1967 when OJ was the star running back at USC, and Kardashian was the team’s waterboy. Kardashian forged a career as a successful entertainment lawyer, and eventually became business partners with OJ. When Simpson was arrested for the double homicide of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman, Kardashian reactivated his legal license to defend his longtime friend

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In 2020, Kim revealed how the trial ripped her family apart thanks to her warring parents taking opposite sides throughout the gruesome murder case

The reality star also opened up about how the OJ trial affected her family during a 2020 appearance on David Letterman’s Netflix show, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.

‘My mom was extremely vocal on her feelings… she believed that her friend was murdered by him and that was really traumatizing for her,’ she said.

‘And then we’d go to my dad’s house and it was a whole other situation there. We didn’t really know what to believe or whose side to take as kids, because we didn’t want to hurt one of our parents’ feelings.’

She also spoke further about her mother’s reaction to her and Kourtney skipping school.

She continued, ‘I remember my mom was sitting with Nicole’s parents, and Kourtney and I were sitting behind OJ, and we look over at my mom and she’s giving us this death stare – like, “What are you doing out of school? What are you doing here?”

‘Kourtney and I were like, “Just look straight – do not look at mom.” It tore my family apart, I’d say, for the whole time of the trial.’

OJ was ultimately acquitted of the crime and continues to maintain his innocence.

Robert and OJ first met in 1967, when OJ was the star running back for the University of Southern California Trojans, and Kardashian was a glorified waterboy — they had at best, a fleeting acquaintance.

They a few years later while playing tennis at a mutual friend’s house, by then, Robert, had become a very successful entertainment businessman and lawyer, and OJ was a hero of the Buffalo Bills.

The two men quickly developed a friendship and also became business partners, capitalizing on OJ’s nickname ‘the juice’ by opening a chain of yogurt and juice stores known as ‘Juice Inc.’ They also invested in Concert Cinema, which would show music videos before movies in theaters.

Soon, the friends introduced wives into the circle. Kardashian tied the knot with Kristen Mary Houghton (later known as Kris Jenner) from San Diego in 1978, while Simpson, who was initially married to Marguerite, eventually divorced her and remarried Nicole Brown.

During Simpson’s marriage troubles to his first wife Marguerite, he would often come live at the Kardashian household. It was there, that he became known as ‘Uncle OJ.’

OJ had been a part of Jenner’s life for as long as she had known Robert. She confirmed on The Hollywood Reporter’s podcast 2017, that he visited her in the hospital after she gave birth to Kourtney.

Kris ‘instantly connected’ with Nicole when the blonde bombshell began dating OJ in 1979.

‘I remember thinking how beautiful Nicole was and how young and how blond,’ she told Slate in 2016.

‘Nicole brought OJ a lot of happiness—you could see it. She lit up his life. They were golden together.’