Caitlyn Jenner, more react to O.J. Simpson death: 'Good riddance'

O.J. Simpson, the former athlete whose name stirred controversy over the 1994 criminal trial involving the death of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman, has died at age 76.

Caitlyn Jenner was among the first celebrities to react to his death on social media Thursday.

The former Olympian and reality star, whose ex-wife Kris Jenner was best friends with Brown Simpson, simply posted: "Good Riddance #OJSimpson."

The co-hosts of "The View" learned the news just minutes before going on air. During Thursday's episode they all recalled where they were during the televised low-speed chase as police followed Simpson in a white Ford Bronco.

"I was on a date with a guy named Paul," Sunny Hostin said. "I remember feeling a great sense of injustice happened; it’s one of the reasons I became a prosecutor."

She later clarified the "injustice" she felt was toward the verdict. "The criminal trial, he was not found guilty," Hostin told her co-hosts.

Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin said her parents had the chase on TV when she was 5 years old. Referring to Simpson's death, she said, "I hope it gives some peace to the family of the victims … I agree it was a miscarriage of justice. I hope it helps them to find peace."

"Ron Goldman and Nicole Simpson. These people are terribly missed by their families," Hostin concluded as all the co-hosts agreed in the importance of saying their names.

How did O.J. Simpson die?

Simpson's death was due to cancer, according to a post by the athlete and actor's family on X, formerly Twitter.

"On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,'' the post read. "He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace. -The Simpson Family.''

O.J. Simpson just died. Is it too soon to talk about his troubled past?

O.J. Simpson's fall from public graces

Outside of his career, Simpson made waves after he was acquitted of two counts of murder during a televised trial that gripped America and divided the country largely among racial lines.

But the jury in a civil trial found Simpson liable for the double murder of Brown Simpson and Goldman, and he later served nine years in prison for his role in a botched armed robbery.

O.J. Simpson dies of cancer at 76, his family announces

It completed a stunning fall from grace for the once-celebrated running back who won the Heisman Trophy in 1968 while starring at the University of Southern California. At times he looked unstoppable in the NFL, too, as a member of the Buffalo Bills who was inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

He capitalized on his athletic success in Hollywood, developing a career as a successful actor and TV pitchman. But it all came crashing down after the murder charges that riveted America.

OJ Simpson's Bronco chase riveted America. The memory is haunting, even after his death.

Simpson was represented by high profile defense attorneys including Robert Kardashian and Johnny Cochran. He turned a bloody glove found at the scene of the crime into one of the most memorable moments of the trial. In the courtroom, when Simpson struggled to put his hand inside of the glove, Cochran told the jury, “If the glove doesn’t fit, you must acquit.’’

Simpson’s acquittal set off celebration from those who pointed to historically unjust treatment of Black people by the U.S. justice system but dismay from those who argued that, regardless of race, the system favored those who could afford high-priced lawyers.

Contributing: Josh Peter

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: O.J. Simpson dead: Kris Jenner's ex Caitlyn Jenner, 'The View' react