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Will O.J. Simpson's family donate his brain for CTE studies? Lawyer reveals stand on research request
Former NFL star OJ Simpson, acquitted for the murders of his ex-wife and her friend in 1995, will be cremated with no plans to have his brain studied for CTE despite scientific interest.
Despite extensive scientific interest to study his brain, former NFL star O.J. Simpson's most prized possession will go unexamined. Simpson, whose exceptional football career was overshadowed by murder accusations and convictions, is set to be cremated in Las Vegas without allowing researchers access to his brain tissue.
The highly controversial decision denies scientists a valuable opportunity to detect chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated concussions and head impacts suffered by many former football players.
CTE's Tragic Football Legacy
Over the past decade, CTE has emerged as a devastating consequence of America's beloved gridiron sport. Through postmortem brain analyses, researchers at Boston University discovered an astonishing 92% of 376 former NFL players tested had signatures of CTE in 2023.
Common CTE symptoms include memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, aggression and depression - which some speculate may have played a role in Simpson's own troubled life after football. The disease can only be definitively diagnosed through examination of brain tissue after death.
As awareness has grown, many former players choose to donate their brains to CTE research coordinated by Boston University, the Concussion Legacy Foundation, and other organizations. Studying their damaged brains could unlock keys to understanding, treating and preventing the disease.
OJ Simpson’s Surprise Denial Despite Pleas
With his football legacy and fortune squandered by years of legal turmoil, the death of 76-year-old Simpson caught those hoping to include his brain in CTE research off guard. His longtime attorney Malcolm LaVergne confirmed all paperwork for cremation was arranged per Simpson's wishes.
"With OJ everything's wild, but I've been getting calls from medical centers that are doing CTE testing asking me for OJ's brain...that is not happening," LaVergne told the New York Post. "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."
More surprising was the categorical "hard no" from Simpson's family to the scientific requests, despite widespread social media calls for allowing CTE examination given his NFL background. Many felt it could potentially shed light on the infamous 1994 murders of Simpson's ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman that he was infamously acquitted of, but later found liable for in civil court.
Did Football Impacts Alter OJ's Brain?
The mystery now forever unsolvable, some who interacted with Simpson late in life felt he exhibited signs of CTE's handiwork on his brain. Jeffrey Felix, a retired prison guard who oversaw Simpson during his 2008-2017 armed robbery sentence in Nevada, described the former Buffalo Bills star as "very forgetful."
"He would wake up in the morning wondering where he was, what his tee time was for golf, and he's in a prison," Felix told the Post, speculating Simpson had CTE. The former athlete himself voiced concerns in 2018 interviews about struggles recalling simple words, phone numbers and struggles with memory - all pointing to potential neurological issues.
However, Simpson's four children were granted final say based on their father's wishes. With the cremation set, all that remains is the possibility of an eventual "celebration of life" memorial service limited to his inner circle.
While verifying or debunking CTE could have provided some level of enlightenment or even potential closure, the Simpson family tightly guarded OJ's remains as a final decision solely theirs to make. With his ashes soon scattered, Simpson carries away one last secret to his controversial grave.
ALSO READ: When OJ Simpson’s Wife Repeatedly Called 911 For Protection From Dead NFL Star
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