Current:Home > ScamsBenjamin Ashford|Kato Kaelin thinks O.J. Simpson was guilty, wonders if he did penance before his death -TradeWise
Benjamin Ashford|Kato Kaelin thinks O.J. Simpson was guilty, wonders if he did penance before his death
Rekubit Exchange View
Date:2025-04-07 20:08:31
Kato Kaelin,Benjamin Ashford an actor who was living in a guest house on O.J. Simpson's property at the time Simpson’s former wife and her friend were murdered, said he hopes the former football star did penance before he died Wednesday of prostate cancer at 76.
Kaelin, who gained worldwide attention when testifying at the criminal trial in which Simpson was acquitted of the murders that took place in 1994, said he thinks Simpson was guilty of the killings.
“And I don’t know if he had that moment of penance that he confessed to whoever he believes in,’’ Kaelin told USA TODAY Sports during a phone interview. “And I don’t know if he’s going to heaven or hell.
“I believe in heaven and hell myself. So I don’t know if he died knowing what he had done or if he had a penance to whatever.’’
Kaelin, 65, said Simpson’s death served as closure almost 30 years since the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman.
NFL DRAFT HUB: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis.
“I think it’s closure, for me also,’’ he said. “It’s the last chapter in the book, and the book's just been finished.’’
But he also said he thinks the pain suffered by the Brown and Goldman families will continue because of O.J. Simpson, who was found liable for their deaths in a civil trial.
“It’s horrible what he did to families, of putting them through pain,’’ Kaelin said. “And the pain always will be there.’’
More:Late Johnnie Cochran's firm prays families find 'measure of peace' after O.J. Simpson's death
Kaelin expressed compassion for Nicole Brown Simpson’s children and the Goldman family, and said he was thinking especially of Nicole and her family.
“The beautiful Nicole Brown Simpson because look, she really was a beacon of light,’’ he said. “I mention it because I felt it from the heart. She shined so bright, and I don’t want people to forget her.’’
Kato Kaelin reflects on O.J. Simpson's murder trial
Kaelin said the attention he received during the murder trial that spanned from 1994-1995 was a “double-edged sword.”
"I think of my mom crying because they're calling her son these horrible names,’’ Kaelin said. “I didn’t get a chance to really give my side because … every talk show was poking fun at me. I was a dummy, the freeloader. I was the butt of every joke. I was a pariah ...
“I mean, I became world famous in the worst situation," he said. “I’ve always known that I became famous (because of the) death of two beautiful people. I’ve never forgot that. And the only thing I could do was to live with that and to go beyond that to make life better for other people.’’
On Thursday morning, after learning of Simpson’s death, Kaelin posted a video statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. In it, he expressed compassion for Nicole Brown Simpson’s children and shared condolences for the families of the victims.
veryGood! (4)
Related
- Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
- UNC-Chapel Hill names former state budget director as interim chancellor
- Louisiana shrimp season to close Monday in parts of state waters
- Women and children first? Experts say that in most crises, it’s more like everyone for themselves
- Federal appeals court upholds $14.25 million fine against Exxon for pollution in Texas
- In a rare appearance, Melania Trump welcomes new citizens at a National Archives ceremony
- A Mississippi House candidate is charged after a Satanic Temple display is destroyed at Iowa Capitol
- Man in central Illinois killed three people and wounded another before killing self, authorities say
- Why Sean "Diddy" Combs Is Being Given a Laptop in Jail Amid Witness Intimidation Fears
- Kanye West, antisemitism and the conversation we need to be having
Ranking
- Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
- Federal judge rejects request from Oregon senators who boycotted Legislature seeking to run in 2024
- Body of sergeant killed when US Air Force Osprey crashed off the coast of Japan is returning home
- Is the US Falling Behind in the Race to Electric Vehicles?
- The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding
- A Mississippi House candidate is charged after a Satanic Temple display is destroyed at Iowa Capitol
- Communications blackout and spiraling hunger compound misery in Gaza Strip as war enters 11th week
- Jake Paul oozes confidence. But Andre August has faced scarier challenges than Paul.
Recommendation
Former longtime South Carolina congressman John Spratt dies at 82
No charges for Mississippi police officer who shot unarmed 11-year-old Aderrien Murry
Voter apathy and concerns about violence mark Iraqi’s first provincial elections in a decade
Body of sergeant killed when US Air Force Osprey crashed off the coast of Japan is returning home
Tom Holland's New Venture Revealed
Suriname’s ex-dictator faces final verdict in 1982 killings of political opponents. Some fear unrest
Vivek Ramaswamy campaigns with former Iowa congressman with a history of racist remarks
Tipping fatigue exists, but come on, it’s the holidays: Here’s how much to tip, more to know