Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

‘I got mine!!!’: OJ Simpson boasts about getting Covid-19 vaccine while wearing ‘The Juice’ face mask

Despite career as professional football player, Simpson is most remembered as murder suspect

Oliver O'Connell
New York
Saturday 30 January 2021 11:14 EST
Comments
OJ Simpson tweeted a photo of himself receiving the Covid-19 vaccine in Las Vegas, Nevada
OJ Simpson tweeted a photo of himself receiving the Covid-19 vaccine in Las Vegas, Nevada (@TheRealOJ32)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

OJ Simpson shared a photo of him receiving the Covid-19 vaccine, and encouraging others to get it when their time comes, causing consternation among some Twitter users.

The former football star and ex-convict wore a face mask with his nickname “The Juice” printed across the front as he was injected with the vaccine at a distribution site in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The caption read: “Get your shot. I got mine!!!”

Some followers felt outraged that the 73-year-old was inoculated against the coronavirus ahead of others because of his criminal past, despite his advanced age.

Simpson’s fame as a Hall of Fame professional football player, where he earned him his nickname, was eclipsed by his time as a murder suspect following the brutal killing of his wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994.

After a rollercoaster televised trial and his subsequent acquittal, Simpson was pursued through the courts by Mr Goldman’s family who brought a civil case against him that they won.

In 2008 Simpson was jailed for a different crime — his role in an armed robbery at a Las Vegas hotel involving a dispute over ownership of his memorabilia.

He was sentenced to 33 years in prison, but released in 2017 after serving nine years.

His notoriety pursues him to this day, with Twitter users sharing memes relating to the infamous murder trial and questioning “how the murderer get the vaccine before the rest of us?”

Some posts referenced the moment in the murder trial when Simpson tried on the gloves used in the killing of Ms Brown and Mr Goldman showing that they did not fit him.

In one post they were replaced by the mittens worn by Bernie Sanders at the inauguration, in another the user zoomed in on the practitioner’s hands showing her ill-fitting surgical gloves: “One again. The glove don’t fit.”

The Daily Show Comedian Travon Free wrote: “Who had ‘OJ Simpson being stabbed by a white woman’ on their 2021 bingo card?”

One person tweeted: “I just saw OJ Simpson was trending but for all the wrong reasons. Apparently keeping him alive is more important than keeping me alive.”

As a Nevada resident aged over 65, Simpson is eligible for the vaccine under state guidelines.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in