Why did OJ Simpson stand trial over the shocking double murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman and what were the conspiracy theories that followed?

When OJ Simpson's ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman were found brutally murdered just outside of her Brentwood, California, home, almost immediately, investigators focused on the former Buffalo Bills star. 

OJ,  the decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor, died after a battle with cancer, his family said. He was 76 years old. OJ's attorney confirmed to TMZ that he died in Las Vegas.

Following the murders of Nicole and Goldman, OJ's public person changed.  

The public was mesmerized by his 'trial of the century' on live TV. His case sparked debates on race, gender, domestic abuse, celebrity justice and police misconduct.

Why was OJ Simpson arrested over Nicole Brown Simpson's murder 

'If your spouse has been murdered you can expect to be a suspect, ' according to criminal defense lawyer Corey Cohen. 

Cohen says that the attachment leads police to suspect the spouse. In the case of a husband accused of murdering a wife, 'extramarital affairs, family issues or even insurance money,' are usually the prime motives. 

In the case of OJ and Nicole's troubled relationship, he was known to have been physically abusive to her in the past, notably in an 1989 incident when she called the police after he became enraged after seeing a photo of her ex-boyfriend in a photo album. 

'He's going to kill me,' Nicole told a 911 dispatcher. The beating left he with a black eye, bruised cheek and cut lip. 

The couple were married in 1979, having met in 1977. The had two children together, Sydney and Justin Simpson. They split in 1989 with their divorce becoming finalized in 1992. 

Two years later, Nicole and Goldman were found dead.  

What happened with OJ Simpson's car chase 

On June 17, OJ was ordered to surrender by prosecutors. Instead, OJ led police on a slow car chase through Los Angeles alongside his friend, Al Cowlings, famously in a white Ford Bronco. 

The live chase was broadcast to 95 million people. Bizarre footage saw members of the public running from their cars and homes in order to catch a glimpse of the car. 

Eventually, OJ surrendered amid rumors that he threatened to take his own life rather than be taken into custody. 

What are some of the conspiracy theories surrounding OJ Simpson's arrest and blockbuster court case

Despite becoming his most famous lawyer, Johnnie Cochran was not his first attorney. That was Robert Shapiro. Cochran was reluctant to take on the case but was eventually convinced after praying with his pastor. 

He had been a commentator on the trial before becoming a part of it. He instantly went from being a well-known local attorney to being world famous. 

It was another lawyer, F. Lee Bailey who played a key role in exposing racist statements made by one of the prosecution's key witnesses, police Detective Mark Fuhrman, undermining Fuhrman's credibility.

It was Fuhrman, who scaled a wall outside OJ's house and said he found a match. Now, the gloves appeared not to fit the suspect and the credibility of Fuhrman would be irrevocably damaged when tapes revealed him making disparaging remarks about blacks.  

Were the gloves planted? Was it a setup? Those questions would haunt the case forever.

No knife was located and there were no bloody clothes at Simpson's home. DNA evidence was compromised by shoddy police work.

Nevertheless, his defense would argue that racism had led police to frame him for a crime he didn't commit. 

Was OJ Simpson acquitted

Yes. 

A criminal court jury found him not guilty of murder in 1995, but a separate civil trial jury found him liable in 1997 for the deaths and ordered him to pay $33.5 million to family members of Nicole and Goldman. 

He continued to declare his innocence. 

He later served nine years in prison for robbery and kidnapping over an attempt to steal back some of his sports memorabilia from a Las Vegas hotel room. 

He insisted his conviction and sentence were unfair but said: 'I believe in the legal system and I honored it. I served my time.'