O.J. Simpson’s brain will not be probed for signs of CTE: Report

Article content

O.J. Simpson’s brain will not be probed for signs of whether he was prone to erupting in violence.

Article content

The NFL player-turned actor, who died on April 10 aged 76 from prostate cancer 30 years after he was shockingly acquitted of the knife murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown, 35, and her friend Ron Goldman, 25, is set to be cremated on Tuesday – with no plan to donate his brain for research.

Article content

Simpson’s long-time attorney and executor Malcolm LaVergne has now told the New York Post his family had given a “hard no” to repeated requests from scientists who asked to study his brain to see if the former running back suffered Chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

The degenerative brain disease, known as CTE, afflicts many retired football players who suffered multiple concussions during their careers – with unexpected violent behaviour one common symptom of the condition.

Article content

Article content

Simpson’s old lawyer LaVergne told the Post about how he has signed off on all the paperwork for his late client’s incineration: “With OJ everything’s wild, but I’ve been getting calls from medical centres that are doing CTE testing asking me for OJ’s brain… that is not happening.

“I may consult with the children on it, but I haven’t heard anything about it, so it’s just not going to happen.

“OJ wants all of his body cremated for his children to do what they see fit.”

LaVergne added Simpson’s four children have yet to sign off on the cremation paperwork, adding he wanted “consensus” from them all.

But he said a doctor had approved Simpson’s death certificate and paperwork for Simpson’s cremation, and additional paperwork is scheduled to be finalized on Monday.

Article content

He said: “Tuesday is the predicted day that he will actually be cremated.

“That’s what OJ wanted. Those are OJ’s wishes, and that’s what the kids are telling me.”

LaVergne declined to discuss any of the Simpson children’s plans for what they will do with their dad’s ashes.

The Post added a worker who answered the phone at the upscale Palm Mortuary in Las Vegas said Simpson’s body was at the Palm Southwest Crematorium.

LaVergne said: “Right now there’s no specific plans for a funeral service.

“There is however a possibility that there will be a celebration of life-type service at a later date and time which will be limited to Mr. Simpson’s close circle of friends and family.”

A spokesperson at Golden Gate National Cemetery, where Simpson’s parents Jimmy and Eunice Simpson are buried, said the ex-NFL legend would not be buried with his parents because he was not a military veteran and the cemetery is full.

Article content

LaVergne is fighting the family of Ron Goldman in their decades-long quest to get the $33.5 million in compensation owed to them after Simpson was ordered to pay the money as part of a civil case in which he was found liable for the deaths of their son and Nicole.

The ruling was made in 1997, two years after Simpson was shockingly acquitted of the killings by a majority black jury in a criminal court.

LaVergne declared “It’s my hope that the Goldmans get zero, nothing.

“Them specifically. And I will do everything in my capacity as the executor or personal representative to try and ensure that they get nothing.”

Article content